Stevens-Journey [Brac Pack 20] (2 page)

“My name is Drew.” One of the men, who had brought some things in, introduced himself.

“Steven.” He shook his hand. “Who are all these people?”

“Family. We’re pitching in to make sure you’re comfortable for the night.”

Steven was floored at all the support Taylor was getting from his family. He’d never had that before. Steven’s parents had him late in life and died of old age. He had been an only child, never knowing what a large family felt like.

“Thanks.” Steven grabbed some blankets from Taylor, placing them on one of the cots. He glanced over to see the construction worker still watching him. Those gunmetal-grey eyes seemed to follow every move he made.

Steven felt a shiver of some new feeling run down his spine at the attention the worker was paying him. The man was buff with a capital B. His skin was tanned, his shoulders were broad, and he had very impressive muscles. They weren’t bulky, more like chiseled. The man winked at him, making Steven blush like a damn teenager.

Steven smiled at him and then turned around to finish his conversation with Drew. As he talked, his eyes kept glancing over at the worker. He saw one of the large men that had come with everyone else walk over and start talking with the worker. Steven was twenty-five years old and needed to stop acting like he was some prepubescent teen. But for the first time in his life, he
wanted
to flirt.

Steven said good-bye to Drew and then proceeded to make a cot up to sleep on. He didn’t fancy sleeping alone in this strange place, but as long as he was safe, he didn’t care.

“I’m Remi.” One of the family members walked over and introduced himself.

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“Steven.” He reached out and clasped Remi’s large hand. Steven glanced back at the worker. The man was staring at them with a slight frown on his face. Steven wondered why that bothered him so much.

“No one will bother you while you are here,” Remi was saying as he looked over at the worker and then back at Steven. “I’ll be here for the night if you need anything.”

Steven nodded his appreciation. “Thanks.” Remi glared at the worker before walking out of the resource center. Steven sat behind the makeshift desk as he watched the construction guy start to gather his tools. He’d never been the assertive type, so introducing himself was out of the question.

“Name’s Roman.” The nice-looking stranger nodded at him from across the room.

Steven felt like his tongue had doubled in size, making it impossible to respond. David was okay-looking, but Roman was closer to god status in his eyes. But Steven had learned a long time ago that looks weren’t everything. “Steven,” he finally said bashfully as he looked over some pamphlets lying on the desk. He tucked his feet under the chair, wondering if the hunk was going to say anything else to him.

“You need anything?” Roman asked as he fastened the tool belt around his waist and then picked up an extension cord, winding it up.

“A job,” Steven blurted out. He groaned inwardly. It might be true, but he was sure this guy didn’t want to hear about what was wrong in his life right now.

“I could always use some help. I have a crew, but we’re always shorthanded.” The side of Roman’s mouth tugged in an attempt at a smile as he laid the rolled up cord on top of a pile of tools. “Pay’s not much, but I’m sure it would help.”

Steven would take it. It was a step up from being David’s punching bag. That pay was crappy and the perks…well, there weren’t any. “When can I start?”

Roman gave a soft chuckle. “In the morning if you’d like.”
Steven’s Journey

13

He stared into Roman’s tempting grey eyes as they bored into his.

“I have an appointment tomorrow around ten. Is that okay?” Steven asked as he straightened the pamphlets out and then started looking through them again. He wasn’t really reading them, just giving his nervous hands something to do.

“That’s fine. I’ll see you bright and early.” Roman smiled at him before walking out of the building. Man, what was he getting himself into with all this flirting? This was a job. That’s what he would concentrate on. Steven didn’t want another relationship right now. He knew he was getting ahead of things. Roman offered him a job, not a relationship.

Steven pushed away from the desk, heading to the back and crawling onto the cot he had made up. Tomorrow would be the first day of the rest of his life. He hoped it was better than the last one.

* * * *

Steven rolled over and looked up at Taylor. “What time is it?” he asked as he scrubbed his eyes and yawned. He had to struggle to make his eyes open. Whatever time it was, it was way too early.

“Six.” Taylor handed him a steamy cup of coffee. Oh man, that’s what he was talking about. The aroma had him turning over and sitting up, greedy to have that first sip of the day.

“Thanks.” Steven grabbed it, taking an appreciative sip. His fingers brushed across his face as he pulled the stray hairs from off of his forehead. He planted his feet on the floor as he stood and stretched.

Steven pulled a shirt over his head and tucked his feet into his sneakers as he scratched his chest and followed Taylor to the front.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Dagon already standing in the front area and Roman walking through the front door. Fuck, he knew he looked like crap right now. His hair needed to find a comb, and he probably had dried drool patterns on the side of his mouth.

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Lynn Hagen

Steven leaned against the makeshift desk, turning to face the men when his eyes locked with Roman’s. He could see kindness and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on in the construction worker’s grey eyes.

“I just wanted to let you know we’re nearing completion,” Roman said as he walked across the room and stood by Dagon. How did the guy manage to look so good first thing in the morning? Steven had a ritual he went through to look half as good as Roman.

“I’ll let Maverick know,” Dagon replied. Steven couldn’t look away. That broad chest was seductively calling his eyes to dance over it.

“The name’s Roman.” The worker stretched his arm out to Dagon.

Steven watched them shake hands and wished it was his instead.

“Dagon,” he said as he shook Roman’s hand. “Can I have a word with you?”

“Sure.” Roman walked outside with Dagon.

Steven sat his cup of coffee down, running his hand through his tousled hair as he let out a slow breath. Roman was playing havoc with his nerves.

“I warned you.” Some woman walked from the back room with the biggest fucking knife Steven had ever seen. She had it raised, going after Taylor. Steven pushed away from the desk, ready to help Taylor kick her damn ass, or at least try, when Taylor raised his hands and all the furniture flew across the room and blocked the doorway she had been coming out of.

This couldn’t be happening. There was no way he was seeing this.

Steven shouted at the same time Taylor did. Steven fell on his ass and crab-crawled backward until he was backed into a corner and then balled up. What the hell was going on around here? His eyes took in the scene, but his brain refused to process it.

Roman and Dagon ran through the front door, Roman heading straight for him as Dagon ran to Taylor. “
Cachorro
?” Dagon said as he approached Taylor.

Steven’s Journey

15

Steven tried to see what was going on, but Roman was standing in front of him in a protective manner. Roman knelt down, but his view was still blocked.

“What’s wrong?”

“My mom,” Taylor yelled. “She appeared in the doorway and started to come after me with the biggest damn knife I had ever seen.” He heard Dagon’s voice shout. “Get Steven out of here. Take him to wherever you are staying and keep him safe.” Roman nodded and turned, pulling Steven to his feet as they raced from the shelter. He was finding it hard to breathe. Had Taylor really levitated the furniture in the room and used it to block the doorway?

“Get in the truck, tiger,” Roman said as he let Steven’s hand go.

He wasn’t going to question a damn thing. He hopped in and slammed the door, snapping his seatbelt into place.

“Did I really see that?” he asked as the truck roared to life, and Roman reversed out of the parking space, taking them away from the town.

“You did.” Roman drove down a country road, his jaw clenched tight as his knuckles turned white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. “Are you okay? Were you hurt?” Steven shook his head as his fingers curled around the seatbelt.

“I’m not hurt. Please explain to me what I just saw.” Roman turned onto a dirt road, driving up to a large white farmhouse. He parked the truck and then cut the motor. Steven watched as Roman jumped out and walked around to his side of the truck and opened the door. “I’ll explain as soon as I get you inside.” Steven pressed the release button and his seatbelt wound back up, freeing him to slide from the seat. He followed Roman up a set of steps that led to a porch and then passed a porch swing as Roman led him through the screen door and into a living room.

They didn’t stop there. Roman walked through a kitchen, as if searching, before leading Steven out of a back door. Steven ran to
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Lynn Hagen

keep up as they approached a corral. “Pa,” Roman shouted as Steven joined him at this side.

Seven large men headed their way. He went back to his theory that something had to be in the water. He’d never seen such a collection of mountainous men in his entire life. Steven took a step back the closer they came to him and Roman.

“Don’t fear them, tiger. They are my brothers and father. You’re safe.” Roman reached down and grabbed his hand, his callused thumb caressing the back of Steven’s hand. Steven would take the small gesture of comfort right now. His world was turning upside down...again.

“What’s going on, Roman?” an older version of Roman asked as he approached on a horse.

“This is Steven.” Roman nodded at him. “Something happened at the resource center, and I needed to bring him here.” The man Roman called Pa nodded. They had the same grey eyes, only the father’s were lighter, whereas Roman’s were gunmetal and seductive.

“Take him in the house. We’re heading your way,” Roman’s father said from the saddle. Roman grabbed Steven’s hand and took him back through the kitchen door.

He finally had a chance to look around. The place was huge. What did he expect? So were the men. It was as if Roman were the runt of the litter. And that was saying something since Roman appeared to be at least six two. The rest of the men that followed them into the living room reminded Steven of those muscled wrestlers he had seen on television. Only these men looked a like a hairy bunch. Roman seemed to be the only one without hair protruding from under his shirt.

“What’s going on, son?” Roman’s dad asked as the other men took a seat.

Steven’s Journey

17

“I’m not sure. This is the man Taylor brought to the resource center. Some strange things took place, and one of the Timber wol—

men told me to bring him here.”

“Strange?” Steven snorted. “That wasn’t strange. That was downright bizarre.”

Steven curled his lips in when all six of Roman’s brothers looked at him strangely. “He sure is cute.” One of them winked at him.

Steven took a step to his left, blocking his view behind Roman’s back from the speaking brother.

“Mine,” Roman snapped at the brother who spoke.
Mine?
Oh, this was just peachy. Steven knew this wasn’t good when Roman’s father’s eyes widened and stared at Steven like he had just realized he was standing there.

“Is he?” the father asked.

“Yes,” Roman answered.

“Hot damn.” The speaking brother whooped.

“Shut up, Chauncey,” Roman snapped at the vocal brother.

Steven rubbed his arms nervously, wondering if he hadn’t jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

“Don’t worry, son, you’re safe here.” Roman’s father tried to reassure him. Steven didn’t want to disappoint the man. He was being hospitable after all, so he mustered his best smile and gave it to him.

“Thank you.”

“Go get him settled in, Roman. The rest of you get back to work.” The father waved the brothers toward the kitchen door as Steven followed Roman upstairs. The inside of the house sure looked bigger than the outside.

“I’m not trying to put you out. I know you have work to do,” Steven said as Roman led him to the last room on the left.

“You’re not. This is the guest room. You can stay in here.” Roman ushered him in and showed him around. “There are fresh towels in the bathroom and plenty of closet space for your clothes.”
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Lynn Hagen

“Well, I guess I won’t be using the closet then.” Steven laughed nervously. It wasn’t Roman’s fault he didn’t know Steven ran with the clothes on his back. He didn’t care. As long as he got away from that jackass, that’s all that mattered.

“Sorry about that.” Roman shoved his hands into his front pockets, heat stealing into his face. It looked adorable on a man so large and self-assured.

“It’s okay. You didn’t know.” Steven struggled to find something to change the subject. “So those are your brothers and father?” Roman nodded. “Yep. I’m the youngest of them all. They’re farmers, but I chose to work construction. I like building things with my hands.” He pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and held it up as if to prove a point.

“I was an only child. It must be nice to have a large family.” Roman rolled his eyes as he snorted. “Most of the time. Lack of privacy is a big issue around here though. If you’re going to be staying here, you better get used to it.” Steven wasn’t sure if he could get used to that. He grew up an only child and then when he turned twenty he had met David and moved in with him. Enduring a four-year relationship with that asshole. He’d never been on his own, but always had privacy. “Am I going to be staying here?”

“Yes,” Roman answered quickly and then looked around the room. “I better get back to work. My father owned the construction company I work for but decided he liked farming better, so he gave it to me.”