Greg's Townhouse

Greg dropped his phone and fell to his knees. He couldn't cry, he couldn't move, Greg couldn't feel. Brandon's words sent him into shock. His breath came in labored huffs and, his body broke out in a cold sweat. Linda ran to get a wet washcloth, then she wrapped her arms around her son, wiped his forehead with the cloth, and cradled him in her arms. Just like she'd done since his childhood. Tom bent down, picked up his son's phone, and put it to his ear. Instantly, the older man recognized his birth son's voice.

"Greg? Bro, what happened?"

"Bran, it's Dad. What's going on?" Tom's color drained as he listened to the short version of what happened.

Linda looked at her husband. "Babe, what's going on with our boys?"

Tom swallowed hard and wiped his eyes. "Bran's fine."

The family matriarch closed her eyes and said a silent thank you. However, it's whom her husband didn't mention that stuck in her head and made her look at him with a fearful look in her tear-filled eyes. Linda swallowed hard and, in a soft voice, she asked. "Levie?"

"He's been shot." Greg's thick, raspy voice made the older couple jump in surprise. The brunet cleared his throat and looked at his dad with a pleading look in his eyes. "Dad, can you please ask Bran where his keys are? I'll need his car since I don't know where the jeep is and, my truck's too small for the three of us to get home comfortably."

"Son, let us drive you to the hospital. You shouldn't be driving in your state of shock, and you've had at least two beers." Linda said as Greg laid his head on her shoulder then kissed her cheek. Her mind couldn't count the number of times this position was, repeated between the two of them over the years. In Linda and Tom's eyes, Greg was every bit their son as Brandon was. The couple didn't care that they didn't give birth to him; he belonged to them and always had since they laid eyes on the boy.

"I'll accept the ride, Mama. I'm just not sure if it's a good idea for Levie to see you right now." Greg was on the verge of completely breaking down. The entire situation had him questioning almost everything. However, he didn't doubt the love he felt for his family and Levie's family. With all his heart, Greg beseeched the Goddess to heal everyone's heart from past scars and guide them to a place of forgiveness.

Tom ended the call and gave Greg back his phone. He walked over to the counter, picked up his son's keys, and handed them to his dark-haired child. "Greg, we're gonna leave Bran's car with you at the hospital." The older man wiped his tears and wrapped his boy in a powerful and loving embrace. "Son, have faith in the power of love and hope. Try to stay positive, not just for yourself but for your brother, your mate, and our blended family. What we're going through is just a small hurdle and will be cleared. I don't know when, but I know it will bring our family and the Stillmans together and make us stronger and united as a family unit.

Greg nodded and slightly smiled. It was the first one since getting Brandon's call. He slowly got to his feet then wrapped his parents in a loving embrace. "I can't thank you enough. I hope this can all get worked out, sooner rather than later."

"Baby boy, I'm sorry for causing all of this. If I could change the past, I would. Right now, the only thing I want is for that amazing young man to get better and hopefully be able to sit and talk with me. I owe him and his brothers an apology."

"Mom, that was a long time ago. Yes, it hurts knowing you felt that way, but you don't anymore, and that's what's important. I'm sure once he's had time to process everything, Lev's going to want to have some time to talk with you and work things out." He paused and giggled. "However, I've heard how protective Levie’s Bropops are of him. You might have a harder time getting Jaycen and Troy on your side." Greg got his jacket and one for Levie cause he couldn't remember if he'd grabbed one when he left. He turned out the lights, locked the door, then followed his Mom to her Navigator while Tom drove the Sonata. On the way, he kept trying to call the ranch but got no answer.

The Ranch

With the help of their employees, Jaycen got Troy secured onto a wheeled bed. After doing so, it became clear to him why Triton was needed. He's the only horse who would be careful enough not to jostle the precious cargo. The stallion was just as bonded to Troy, and Jaycen, as he was to Levie. Jaycen kissed his grand-horse, then mounted the noble steed and led the hands back to the ranch. 

When they got back, Jaycen dismounted Triton. As soon as he was on the ground, he got another strange feeling in his gut and knew it wasn't about Troy. He was found and didn't seem to be too badly hurt. No, this was something different. Again, Jaycen happened to lock eyes with Triton. The two stared unflinchingly at one another. At the same time, their eyes widened as horse and human nodded in sync. "You feel it too, don't ya, boy?" Jaycen asked the stallion. Triton softly snorted and nodded. For the second time, fear and tears filled the redhead's eyes. "It's Lev, isn't it?" He asked even though he knew and feared the answer. Again Triton nodded, and this time, the horse stepped closer to his Pap-Paw and hugged him.

"You're an amazing boy, don't worry, Lev will be okay. Thank you for taking care of your two Pap-Paws." Jaycen's tears trailed down his cheeks when he saw the love and concern in the horse's eyes. Triton softly snorted, turned around, he bowed his head, and gently nuzzled his Pap-Paw Troy's chest. Then he looked at Jaycen, stepped over to him, and hugged his Pap-Paw Jaycen. "Thank you, boy. I'm sure Pap-Paw and Papa Lev will be okay. I love you, Tri. Now, go with Uncle Bill. Good night, sweet boy." Jaycen hugged and kissed the stallion just before Triton walked up to Bill and nudged him towards the stable.

"That horse will never cease to amaze me. Tri's definitely, Lev's boy. Speaking of boys, how's this one?" Stuart said as he approached his nephew and hugged him. Before you ask, I'm here for two reasons. Bill called me about Troy, and I was about to leave the center when they brought Lev in."

"So, the feeling Triton and I just had was about Lev." Jaycen's body shook and, his knees began wobbling. Before he could take another breath, Stuart was at his side trying, to keep him from falling and hurting himself.

"Jayce, I think you need to sit down. I don't like how unstable you are. I'm quite sure it's nothing serious, just the stress of the day." Stuart led Jaycen to the wooden bed and had him sit beside his husband, then he walked back to his car and got his medical bag.

Troy's eyes popped open and, he took a deep husky breath. "Levie, he's hurt." Troy's raspy voice startled Stuart and Jaycen. Immediately after his wakening, the brunet looked into his husband's teary eyes. "Babe, our son is hurt and needs us. I can feel it in my heart." A violent round of coughs and tears followed Troy's statement.

"I know, babe. Uncle Stu just told me Lev's, been hurt, and was brought in, right before he left the center." Jaycen wiped his and Troy's tears, then he leaned down and kissed his husband. "I love you, my sweet baby. Are you hurt bad? Do you remember what happened?"

"Woah, Jayce, slow down and give yourself and Troy a minute to recover." Stu placed his hand gently on the men's shoulders. The seasoned doctor had to keep his emotions in check, especially with his nephews. It broke his heart to see two men he knew and loved in such a vulnerable state. It was even worse because they were more concerned about Levie and his wellbeing than themselves. Stuart got his stethoscope out of his bag and began examining, Jaycen and Troy. He had them both lie on their backs, side by side. Both men were giggling and squirming when the examination reached their midsections Stuart chuckled and continued his work. To be thorough, he had them turn on their stomachs as he examined their backsides. He sharply inhaled when he saw the bruise forming on Troy's upper back.

"Ugh, why do I smell like thousand-year-old piss that's been aging in the sun?" Troy asked as the wind blew and, unfortunately, he caught a whiff of himself. The smell was so bad that it almost made him gag.

"Umm, I'll tell ya later, baby boy." Jaycen shuddered at the memory of seeing what happened to his sweet Troy.

"Well, you two seem to be okay, at least physically speaking," Stu said as he put his instruments back in his bag. "Troy, do you happen to remember what happened and where that nasty bruise on your back came from?"

Both men sat up and began stretching. "Ow! Fuck, that's stiff and is gonna hurt in the damn morning. Hell, it hurts now." Troy winced and massaged his shoulders and lower neck with Jaycen's assistance. He slightly shivered and softly giggled as he felt his husband's lips on his neck. "Yeah, I was working with Bright Star. She was doing great really, calming down, that is until we heard a gunshot. It was close, not more than a few steps away. It came from the direction of the bushes." Troy paused and swallowed. "She threw me, and right after, a branch fell and hit me on the back. I was still dazed from the fall and couldn't get out of the way. Then as I was getting up, I saw someone's boots and right after was hit by something hard and knocked unconscious." Troy and Stuart noticed Jaycen's demeanor change and become darker. So did the vibe the brunet got from his long-time soulmate. "Jayce, I get the feeling, you know who might've been responsible."

Jaycen calmed down and gave his man a gentle but passionate kiss. "I do have my suspicions, but that's not important right now, my love. What's important is getting you into a hot shower or bath and then into bed for some rest." Jaycen paused and gave Troy and Stuart a hug and kiss on the cheek. "While you're resting, I'm going to be with our boys and find out what's up with Lev." Jaycen placed his hand on Troy's back and helped steady him as he got to his feet. The couple, followed by Stuart, walked up to the house and went inside.

"Jayce, I'll go up with Troy and make sure he's okay while showering. Then I'll give him a sedative to help him sleep." Stuart and Troy started going up the stairs when the doctor paused and turned around. "I almost forgot, I already called Lyle and Ev. They're on the way over here. If you leave before they get here, I'll stay with Troy and keep him out of trouble till his parents show up."

"You're just lucky I'm in a good mood and, in pain, otherwise I'd send you down these steps, the hard way." Troy chuckled and hugged Stuart.   "I wuv you Uncah Stu."' The brunet gave his Uncle his best innocent puppy eyes.

Stuart chuckled. "Watch it, Kiddo. It's not nice to assault someone who has enough drugs to knock an elephant on its ass. Jayce, I also told the nurses, staff, and doctors to keep Greg and Brandon informed of Levie's condition, as well as let them be with Levie when he's out of surgery. Brandon rode in the ambulance with Lev. He's Greg's brother."

"Thank you, Uncle Stu. Troy and I appreciate it. Now, get upstairs, you goofballs" Jaycen shook his head and laughed at his husband and Uncle Stuart's antics.

"Jayce, there's a guy named Greg on the line. He's been trying to get a hold of you. He sounds like he's about to lose it."

"Thanks, Roger. Please tell Greg I'll be with him in just a minute. I need to get a beer. It's been a long day." Jaycen went to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, opened it, and went to the library. There, he sat behind the desk and picked up the phone. "Greg, I'm sorry to be short with ya, but if this is about Lev, I already know he's in the hospital. Unfortunately, we've had some issues here too. Troy's been hurt and is with our Uncle Stuart. I'm having a beer and, after I check on Troy one last time, I'll be heading up to be with you at the center. You can give me the details then."

"Jayce, Brandon, and I need you as soon as you can get here. Lev's, been shot and, Brandon kept him from bleeding out. He hasn’t heard anything about Lev's condition yet. I’m just getting here. Brandon did tell me that the nurses and doctors will be keeping us informed and will let us be with Lev if he gets out of surgery before you can get here."

Jaycen's breathing and heart stopped for a moment. The world around him started spinning. "H...he's been s....shot?" It was a good thing he was sitting or, else, Jaycen would've been flat on his ass on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Bropop, I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that."

Jaycen could hear the emotion in Greg's voice, and it was a struggle for him to keep control of his tears. However, he knew he had to be strong for the three boys.

"I...I'm sorry, Jaycen. I'll understand if you don't want me or Brandon to call you and Troy Bropop. I know, that's Lev's name for you."

Jaycen smiled and said, "If you and Bran want to call us any of the names Lev's, made up for us, we'd love that, as long as Troy and I can call you guys our brothers. And, Greg, tell Brandon, he's got my eternal thanks for saving our kid. Also, tell him he's getting a big hug, and kiss from me, when I get there.

"I'll do that...Bropop. Please, be careful getting here. The three of us need you in one piece. I love you, Jaycen."

"Love, ya, too, baby bro. I'll be there as soon as I can. I've just gotta check on my husband."

"I hope he'll be okay, Lev's, gonna be worried when he finds out."

"Uncle Stu's staying with him till Papa Lyle and Mama Ev gets here. I gotta go. I'll see you soon, Greg. I love ya, Kiddo." Jaycen finished his beer and threw it in the trash. Then, he went upstairs to check on Troy and found him in bed, sound asleep, with Stuart sitting beside him. The redhead gave them both a kiss and hug.

Jaycen got in his white, nineteen-seventy-three Ford F-100 pickup and headed to the hospital. On the way, he said a silent thank you to the Goddess for looking after and keeping the two boys safe. He also thanked the Goddess for making sure Troy wasn't hurt too badly.

The Medical Center

Brandon was a nervous wreck. He paced back and forth as he watched the E.R. doors for any sign of a doctor, even possibly on their way to give an update on Levie. From the moment he walked in, through the automatic sliding doors, the twenty-year-old kept biting his nails while his tears streamed down his pink cheeks. Brandon still didn't have a shirt. After he made sure the police didn't need it for evidence, he tossed the bloodsoaked piece of clothing in the trash. Brandon shivered, but not from being chilly. He shivered because he could still feel Levie's body against his as he tried to stop the bleeding.

In the corner of the E.R. waiting room where he sat, Maddox was going crazy watching the most annoying blonde kid he'd ever seen pace back and forth. He couldn't help comparing the boy to one of those hamsters, running around in a wheel. In all actuality, he wouldn't have given the boy a second thought, aside from wishing he would be struck by a meteor or a bolt of lightning, for his annoyance, however, when he mentioned Levie Stillman. Maddox sat up and took notice of the kid. What truly got his attention was hearing about Levie getting shot while stopping a robber from escaping. His interest peaked when he saw the guy who was dating Levie come rushing in with two people, he assumed were at least one of the boy's parents.

Brandon was in mid-pace when a pair of arms wrapped around his body, trapped him in a bear hug that lifted him off the ground. At first, he started freaking out, but when he looked at the arms around him, he immediately calmed down and melted into the embrace.

"Bran, are you okay?" Greg asked his brother. Tears streamed down the brunet's cheeks as he finally hugged his brother. He smoothed the back of Brandon's hair and kissed his cheek after setting him back on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Greg. I tried, but I couldn't keep him from getting shot. Hell, I couldn't even keep Lev from being hurt." Brandon laid his head on Greg's shoulder and sobbed.

"Son, you're amazing. You do realize that you kept Levie from dying, don't you." Linda said as she and Tom got their turn to hug and kiss their emotional kid.

"We're very proud of you, Bran and, I know Jaycen's proud of you for saving Levie. He said so on the phone. Greg finally got through to him, on the way over here." Tom said while holding Brandon's shaking body in his arms. The man's heart was breaking as he watched his son break down.

Linda and Tom stayed with the boys for another twenty or thirty minutes, and before leaving, they offered to bring Brandon a shirt but, he refused. He thanked his parents and told them he just wanted to be with his brother while waiting to hear about his other brother. The older couple nodded, and gave each boy another hug and kiss, then left headed home.

From his seat, Maddox couldn't resist giggling, like a little schoolboy, as he listened to the family discuss Levie's shooting.

"I hate this. Why, haven't the doctors told us anything yet?" Brandon huffed and, for the hundredth time, watched the swinging doors. It tore at Greg's heart to see his brother so distraught, not to mention his emotional distress over Levie was wreaking havoc inside of him.

"C'mon over here, bro." Greg opened his arms and motioned for his brother to join him. Once he did, Greg wrapped his arms protectively around Brandon's body. The brunet slowly rocked them both side to side. He smiled as Brandon's head pressed against his chest. He knew this would calm the blonde man down. Greg softly shushed his brother and kissed his forehead. "It's gonna be okay, bro. I love you, Bran, and I've never been more proud of you than I am right now."

Brandon's emotions finally settled as he felt the love from his brother flow into him. "I'm scared, bro. Everyone's saying how proud they are of me. I didn't do anything Lev's, the one who did everything. He gave me his phone, told me to call the police, then he went to the robber's car, disabled it, and then survived getting beat by him. The guy was huge, at least your height, and a bit more muscular."

Greg took a deep breath and hugged Brandon tighter. "Bran, I'm proud of my angel boy. He's one of a kind but, I'm proud of you too. From what I've heard on the news, you kept Levie from losing too much blood."

A big devious smile spread across Maddox's disgusting face when he saw the other bane of his existence run through the doors and head for the two boys. He couldn't believe his luck being able to see Jaycen Stillman in such a state of immense shock, fear, and pain.

"Listen to your brother Brandon." Jaycen's voice made the two men slightly jump and gasp. Before he could say anything else, the redhead was wrapped up in a double bear hug by two very emotional twenty-year-old young men.

 Finally, the nurse called Barksley’s name. He thanked whatever was in the sky for saving him from having to watch the annoying brats anymore.

To be continued...

Posted: 09/16/2022