Confounded: Part II - 40. Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40 --==Tom’s POV==--

I hadn’t been completely sure about my feelings for Kit until about ten minutes ago, when he said I was his; that he really was dead serious and actually meant the words. He believed it. He still wanted me. Me. Tomas the screw-up. He wanted me. Not just the sex, but after as well. He wanted to talk about his feelings, my feelings, he wanted to be as close as he could. Willingly.

I didn’t get it. First of; what the hell were we doing, playing at grownups like we were 40 instead of 18. Remarks like me being his, God…that was like…trashy novel crap, not real life. But it got to me, as he got to me. When he went all bossy and possessive like that, it raised my hackles like nothing else, a surefire way to go against it immediately. Which, in turn, antagonized him even further. Then the final come down of the immovable foot, he didn’t budge an inch and he had me wherever he wanted me. I knew he wasn’t playing, he was dead serious. He really was in love with me. And I needed it, needed to know that. Needed him to show it. Not only was it a turn on like nothing else, but I needed someone like that, strong willed and dominant, honest, not taking my shit. I knew that.

When I met Sandro, it had been like that too, but different. He’d been possessive but never bossy. Jealous, yes. Very. Somewhat honest but not always, but he was honest where it counted. Strong as a bull, built like a brick shithouse and tall though not as tall as Kit. He’d made me feel…wanted. Meeting him was like a light had gone on in a dark place.

No one ever had interested me enough to just go and pursue, and find out. Sandro had been the proverbial lightning on a clear day. Never even kissed anyone, guy or girl. When we met, I instantly knew. That's the one. I knew I was gay but I'd had no experience, none. Being with him had been new, very scary and overwhelming, yet also exciting and exhilarating. I wanted to take risks for him and I did.

God, how I had loved him.

He’d been the first person I wanted to be with. Not just physically, but to be associated with in that way. Be his boyfriend, and him be mine. Be seen together and have it known far and wide; couple. Together. Unit. I wanted to crawl inside his head, know all his thoughts and vice versa. Look at each other and know what we thought without words. The one your first thought goes to when you wake up, and the last when you go to sleep. Waking up alone felt like you missed something and then you grab the pillow he occupied not long before and you smell him and you get a stupid grin plastered to your face for the rest of the day, to tide you over until the next meeting. Texting like idiots, hanging onto every word and listening between the lines. An innocent touch would ensure heat going up and down your spine, electricity shooting up from the place of contact. And a kiss was your water in a dry desert.

The be-all-end-all. The one.

Or so I thought, until the guy standing right next to me now began replacing him. Slowly but surely, Sandro had started to disappear from my immediate thoughts, and Kit came to the foreground. At first, it had been a source of fun to needle him, hurt him, be blunt and hateful and I guess cruel. I didn’t think about it, then. Just…toying with him, to pass the time, an easy target. Then Uncle Taylan’s punishment had come, and I went to another place, shutting everyone out. But he wouldn’t be left out. Mr. Niceguy wheedled his way in. Making me eat and then with the work he was doing, sharing it, bit by bit and then gaining my respect for never telling on me about Sandro. I had hated him for it. It came unexpected, the odd thing for him to do; I remembered him as this softy who ran to his dad as soon as something was up. Instead, he’d kept his mouth shut and let me in. Before I knew it, I’d been looking over documents and found the challenge something fun, enjoyable. I got to know him a little better along the way and liked what I saw. A new Kit, so to speak, someone who demanded respect, who was confident and knew what he was doing. Perhaps he’d always been there, but I never wanted to see him that way.

I responded to it. It was a nice discovery to find his strong will and his more dominant nature, which had been non-existent on the occasional family gatherings. At least he hadn’t shown it or perhaps I never saw it. And I began to look at him, really look. And liked what I saw, but never actually letting on I liked that part of him.

Sandro had also been dominant. Very. He’d always wanted to know where I was, every moment of the day, getting angry when I wouldn’t reply to messages or calls instantly. At times, I did it on purpose, because I needed what came next; his worry, his anger; sometimes his ‘punishment’. It had bothered me at first, to find out I wanted him to be that way to me, treat me harshly, be rough, but I needed it because it made me feel wanted. It made me feel safe and belong. To know that whatever shit I pulled, in the end I wasn’t getting away with it because he wouldn’t let it.

Kit was never supposed to push him from my mind. No one was supposed to and it had felt as a betrayal to Sandro when I realized what was happening. But he had. He demanded attention when I didn’t want to give it. And somehow he got it. He got me. He worked his way in and slowly pushed Sandro to a place where he was still there but…as a memory. Nothing more than that. Because he didn’t let me. I was here. He was here. Sandro was not, nor would he ever be again. And for the first time I felt okay with that. He’d gotten a place, he’d always be there. It was okay. It was…time.

**********

The parents stayed quiet for a few long seconds. Seconds in which all eyes were on us. Kit squeezed my hand.

“C’mon.”

Not a word was said when he practically dragged me over to the couch. I felt very self-conscious when I sat down, pretty much trying to hide in the corner and then feel even more self-conscious when he installed himself right behind me, an arm clamped around my lower belly.
God what a stupid statement to make.
Then Taylan nodded to me and grinned, winking.

“Okay. But…tell us something we don’t know, Captain Obvious.”
That drew a couple of laughs and I relaxed a little.

They just accepted it! I’d figured I’d have yet another battle on my hands with the grownups, especially my own parents, but even dad seemed fine with it, a wry smile playing around his lips.

“Yeah, perhaps you're right. It might be a better idea to have him go there,” he resumed to say, whatever it was they’d been talking about when we came back in. “It seems a better solution and more in his interests? He needs to be challenged.”

“I think so too, yes,” Uncle Mitchell replied, glancing in my direction. “Not to belittle the company, but he’d be bored out of his skull within the hour.”
Dad agreed.

“What’s this about?” I asked, getting curious.

“Well, we were discussing you working at grandpa’s. We’re not sure if it’s right for you. I think you might be more in your element over at Mitchell’s place. It’s closer and you could also go in at weekdays or evenings, when they work late.”

“What kind of work?”

“I was thinking about the legal/HR team, Tom.
The arm around my belly loosened some when I sat up.

“You serious?”

“Yes. Do you think it would be something you’re interested in?”

“Instead of hauling big furniture around? Hell yes.”
That drew a few laughs.

“Yeah, he’s not that strong, his physique is very delicate. That’s work for real men,” Kit piped up behind me. It earned him an elbow, swift and nasty in his stomach. Pfft!

“I’ll take you on, anytime, anyplace, softy.”

In answer his dragged me closer, proceeding to squeeze me tightly, making me wince. Damn. Strong. Then the other one snaked around as well, and no one seemed to find it strange or weird. It didn’t draw any more attention than my mom’s hand holding my dad’s on his leg, their fingers interlaced, or Mitchell’s arm around Taylan’s shoulder.
I relaxed, feeling his warm front against my back, his cheek against the side of my head.

“Be silent. I am the Kit,” he said, soft enough so the rest wouldn’t hear, and I grinned. Moron.
Then, suddenly, I sat up and jerked a thumb over my shoulder.

“He’s not gonna be my superior, is he? Because I’ll do anything but I won’t take orders from a mere clone.”
Apparently, the face that was pulled behind me was comic enough to launch them into loud laughter. The arms tightened again.

“Actually, you’ll work rather often with each other, and Kit will take the lead there, sorry,” Uncle Mitchell said, not without a certain amount of deliberate glee. “He has more experience and, well…he’s the boss’s son.”
He winked to his clone behind me.

“Nepotism,” I mumbled. “Ok, fine. But I’m not wearing a monkey suit.”

“Yes, you will,” my dad put in, before anyone else could. “And I’ll personally bring all three of yours around, later this week. You’ll listen to what they tell you, teach you and you’ll keep your trap shut when spoken to. We’re very happy to see you coming out of your shell, thankful for Mitchell, Tay and Kit to have helped you this far and you will not mess this up, Tom. It’s an opportunity to show what you can do. And Mitchell has my permission to kick your little butt from here to high heaven if you misbehave.”
I stared at dad.

He wasn’t angry, he hadn’t shouted it as he usually did. Just calm and in a normal tone, seeking my gaze and holding it.

“But…”

“Perhaps you should quit while you’re ahead,” it sounded behind me.

“I’d take that advice, Tom,” Dad agreed. “I've made mistakes with you, and I know that. I admit it, too. So how about meeting me halfway here, son? Come off that high horse and join us lower folk. Perhaps you’ll actually enjoy it.”
I rolled my eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes,” Kit promptly said.
I looked over my shoulder.

“There is no way you could see that!”
He sniggered, drawing me backwards.

“I know you, baby.”

“Don’t call me…”

“Honey buns, sweet pie, cute stuff, pooh bear, my wonderful…”

“Oh, shut up!” I cut him off, placing a hand over his mouth. ”Uch!”
He grinned underneath my hand and his eyes lit up with humor. Jerk.

“I can see what you mean, Tay,” my dad sniggered, looking at his younger brother. “He’s actually quite normal now. Almost human.”