66 The Hammer That Matt Drops

ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.

66: The Hammer That Matt Drops

Matt watched Val leave and could have put his brothers’ heads through the television in that moment. She looked so torn. Even though she tried to hid it behind her mask, he saw her pain… Her fear.

Struggling for control, Matt marched back to his room to put on some pants.

He felt a presence behind him, but didn’t turn to see who it was, he just kept going, hoping he didn’t lash out at whoever it was. He went to his draw and pulled out a pair of lounge pants, dropped his towel, and slipped the material on.

“Matt.” Bailey’s voice was hard yet full of emotion. But Matt didn’t fucking care. “I know you didn’t care about dad. But he was still our father.”

Matt kept silent as he looked for a shirt that wasn’t formal.

“Matt, I know you care about her, but look at everything she’s putting you through. You could be killed because of her husband. Hell, she could kill you if she wanted to. And our father, Matt? Plus, she’s ten years older than you. And-“

Pulling the t-shirt over his head, he stormed toward the bedroom door, shoving past Bailey.

“Matt-“

“Sit,” he said pointing to the couch. “All of you.” He went to the television and turned it off. Then he paced, to keep from raging. He needed to play. He needed to compose…needed… He needed Val.

He looked over finally to see the two idiots he called family sitting together quietly. Cody was the only of them with any sense. And while he knew Tyler didn’t give a fuck about Val’s past as long as she didn’t hurt Matt, he would always side with Bailey.

“Matty, can I first say, I don’t have a problem with Val. I mean, none of us are saints,” Cody said. “And she honestly cares about you. I can see that. I like her.”

“I know, Cody.”

“So do I still have to sit through the lecture?” Cody asked.

“You’re not in trouble.” Matt chuckled feeling some of the edge come off. “There are things I have to tell you about Val. Things that are hard for her to say to strangers. And the way you treat her, she could never tell you. But she trusts my judgment, so listen.” He stared at Bailey. “And listen well.”

So Matt began telling them everything. Everything about how she was trained to be an assassin. How she specialized in poisons. How she was raised by her mother who was an assassin and used to be married to their father. Afterward, the woman ran away from home with another man. He talked about how Val never knew her real father because it was hidden from her. They knew Radford would come for them but they wanted her safe and away from him so they partnered with Ricci. He told them about how she had to marry Domenic when she was only fourteen. How he used her to kill — his own personal weapon. And when the insecure SOB thought she was having an affair, instead of asking and finding out she didn’t, he sent her on a mission to kill their father with no knowledge that he was her father too. He had planned to use that knowledge to torture her. But that plan never came to fruition because he found out she was pregnant and went berserk trying to kill a her and her unborn child. She never made one damn decision for herself even after she got married. She wasn’t even allowed to leave the house without his permission until the day he beat the hell out of her and left her for dead.

Cody gasped at that. Bailey actually looked sick. Tyler just looked like Tyler.

He went on to tell them about how she survived, and her son because she hid him. He told them how fun and smart the kid was. He told them about her company and how she continued to lay low until one day she decided to test her freedom.

“She came to New York wanting to see if she could start a new life. A new home for her son if Domenic left her alone. I’m the one who pursued her. She tried to push me away. She tried to tell me it was dangerous. She tried to warn me. But all I see is her. All I want is her. Now I have her and her son. They are mine. You want me to stay your brother, then you accept my decision. You don’t have to like it, but accept it. That’s it.”

With tear filled eyes, Cody looked at Bailey. Then Tyler looked at Bailey.

Bailey looked at them both. Then he did a double take at Tyler. They just stared at each other.

Finally Tyler spoke, “I know you loved the fucker. But I hated him. And I had every intention of killing him. The fact that she got to him before I did… If I didn’t think I would lose you, I’d go fuck her right now not caring that Matt would shoot me in the back and keep me alive to torture me.”

“Eternally.” Matt warned.

Bailey closed his eyes.

“Bay…” Tyler leaned in pressing his forehead against his brother’s. “She’s one of us. She’s our sister. And she’s…us. She loves Matt despite knowing the truth. She cares so much, she’s willing to risk herself. And frankly, at this point, if we turn Matt against her… We’re all dead by her hand.”

Well didn’t that just put everything into perspective.

“Plus, like Tyler said. She’s one of us. Through and through,” Cody said, standing up wiping her eyes. “So I’m going to go bond with our sister. Too bad she’s a girly girl. But maybe she can teach me some assassin stuff.”

“Yeah, just don’t let her teach you the poisons until after your baby is born,” Matt said.

Cody gave him the thumbs up before disappearing out the front door.

Matt went to his piano, not waiting for Bailey to say anything. He began playing to calm his nerves.

He noticed Tyler talking to him, but he tuned it out, letting his heart pour into his music. Eventually Tyler got up and came over to sit next to him on the piano stool.

His brother watched as Matt’s fingers flew over the keys. Then he missed a key when Tyler’s hand moved over his ass.

Matt slid over the bench, pushing Tyler off it onto the floor. “You’re such dick.” He told the guy who grinned that sexy expression that reminded him of Val’s smirk.

“You love me.” Tyler popped up, fixed his hair, and strolled off.

Such a pain.

When Tyler left the condo, door shutting behind him, Bailey stood from his seat on the couch and walked to the piano.

Matt stopped playing.

“I…” Bailey cleared his throat. “I just want the best for you, Matt. Any day now, Ty and me… someone could find out. Someone could… I worry about you. You’re so gifted. So smart. Hell, how many kids are financially independent by nineteen? Few, very few. Even with me and Tyler’s success, we are just getting on our feet good. Though I’m sure if Tyler wasn’t pacing himself with me, he’d rule the world by now.” Bailey chuckled looking down at the black finish of the piano’s surface. He tapped on the hood nervously. “Matt, I’ve never really needed to worry about you. But I do. I care. You’re… I raised you.”

“I know.”

“I wiped your nasty nose when you were a toddler. I went to almost all your recitals. I watched you cover for me and Tyler when you shouldn’t have.” Bailey swallowed visibly, gold eyes peeking up at Matt. “You turned your back on mom and dad and stayed with me, and that made me…made me want to make sure you never want for anything. I love Tyler. He is my heart. But you’re like my son.”

Heart aching, Matt sat there and stared up at one of the people he admired most. Bailey had cared for them both despite the odds and for that Matt would be forever grateful. But… “I love her. She is all of me.”

Bailey nodded twisting his lips.

“And that little boy. He deserved a dad like you. Help me raise him.”

Bailey nodded again, a smile quirking at the corner of his lips.

“He’s cunning so we’ll have to be careful.”

“Cunning…now there are three of you…great…”

“And he’s like you, a mama’s boy.”

Bailey chuckled. “Nothing wrong with that. When do you want to introduce her to mom?”

“When the coast is clear.”

Bailey blew out a breath. “I wonder if mom knew about his first wife. She never mentioned it.”

“She didn’t recalll when I asked. This is dad we’re talking about. He probably would never admit to such shame.”

“Yeah.” Bailey screwed up his face. “I can’t believe I care that she killed him. But I do.”

“If it makes you feel better, it sickened her when she found out.”

“That’ll change when she finds out what kind of man he was.”

“Maybe. But unlike me and Tyler, Val’s more empathetic.”

“Hmmm…” Bailey looked thoughtful. “…of course that asshole killed the mother and father she knew of.”

“Yep.”

Bailey’s broad shoulder’s slumped as if giving up in defeat. “I have an older sister.” He frowned thinking that over.

“Yeah, she’s slightly devious. Not nearly on Tyler’s level though.”

“So she’s like you.”

“Me? Devious?” Matt asked widening his eyes to look innocent.

Bailey just gave him a deadpan expression.

“Well, she’s also good at shoving her emotions aside like you do and getting to work.”

“And she’s deadly like Tyler.”

“No. Tyler hadn’t killed anyone that we know of.”

Bailey nodded. “That doesn’t mean he won’t use her.”

Matt had thought of that. “Would she let him?”

They both got quiet.

“If it’s for you,” Bailey said finally.

“That means we can’t leave them alone together.” Matt declared.

“That wasn’t happening anyway. Especially since Ty’s got a hard-on for our father’s killer…Ah, dammit.” Bailey headed for the door.  “Shit!” Matt jumped up and followed him to make sure Tyler didn’t seduce Val and vice versa.

ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.