Chapter 20
Back To Bonding

The second Mikey saw Dakota's injured appearance, the brunet's eyes darkened, and he made his way to the front door.

Adam moved faster than his younger brother. He wrapped his arms around the shorter man's waist, then hoisted Mikey's squirming, struggling body over his shoulder. "Whoah, you're staying right here with us," he said with a chuckle.

Dakota smirked and said, "Yeah, you've done enough today, Baby Rambo."

Mikey sighed, closed his eyes, then let his body go limp as he was carried across the room and gently deposited on the sofa. Before the twenty-two-year-old could think about or say anything else, the youngest Knight boy's body magically appeared beside his, with his head on his lap.

"You never stopped protecting me," Lance softly said as tears dripped onto his brother's jeans.

Mikey had to wipe the tears from his eyes as he cradled his brother. He leaned his head down and gently kissed Lance's hair. "I love you, Lance. Of course, I'm gonna protect you," he whispered. He gasped when his brother latched onto him like he was a security blanket and Lance was Linus.

The family's three patriarchs and one matriarch were in tears as they watched the scene before them. They loved the constant fierce devotion their boys had for one another. While that was happening, Tony's men quickly gathered up Janice and T.L. They placed them in the squad cars and took them to the station to be booked along with the guys in the blonde socialite's employ.

"Mikey," Tony said as he leaned over and gave his boys a kiss and hug.

"Yeah, Dad?" Mikey responded.

"You never cease to amaze us and make us proud of you and all our boys," Pam answered for her husband as she repeated Tony's actions. She was followed by Max and Bryan.

Mikey blushed, hung his head, and said, "I didn't do much of anything. My soulmate and brothers are more deserving of the praise, Mom."

Lance's head shot up like a rocket. "Mikey, you saved me from that guy and were between me and Janice's gun the entire time she had it pointed at us," he energetically stated as he stared into the older brunet's glistening eyes. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he bear-hugged his brother. "Without hesitation, you pushed me to the floor and shielded me with your body when she fired the first shot."

"Son, you're the heart of this blended family," Bryan said. He and Max wrapped their arms around Dakota, who had his head on their shoulders.

"Micheal Dante Buckingham-Carter," Dakota started to say. The half-Cherokee male giggled along with his mate and brothers when they saw the looks the parents gave him. The raven-haired twenty-seven-year-old shrugged his shoulders, then said, "what, I love the way it sounds. It rolls so easily off the tongue." His statement added some much-needed comic relief and had everyone gathered together smiling.

Pam walked up to Dakota, stood on her toes, and kissed the younger man's cheek. "It does sound nice," she said.

Mikey giggled and said, "Aaaand, my future name's Mom tested, and Mom approved." He smiled and moved over to let his mate squeeze in beside him.

Dakota kissed his future husband and gazed into the younger man's eyes. "Mikey, it's easy for a person to say they'd take a bullet for someone or die to protect someone. You, however, have put action behind that sentiment."

Jai was in front of Adam, with the taller man's arms around his chest. "On more than one occasion, baby bro," he added.

Mikey was so emotional that he couldn't do anything except remain silent with tears streaking his face.

Lance raised his arm and lightly dried the dampened cheeks with his thumb. "We know how hard it is for you to accept this kind of praise, but you need to hear it because you deserve every bit of it, big bro," he said before kissing Mikey's cheek.

The parents visited a while longer after the officers were gone. Once they'd ensured all their boys were okay, Pam, Tony, Max, and Bryan left with the promise to be back Christmas morning.

Adam went into the kitchen and brought back five bottles of ice-cold Bud Lite. He handed them to his brothers and mate, then sat on the plush carpet by the fire with Jai in his lap. Lance was stretched out on the sofa, his head was in Mikey's lap, and his legs were across Dakota’s lap.

Mikey had a concerned facial expression. "Lancer, I need you to be honest," he said in a tone that matched his appearance. His statement garnered the attention of his intended subject and the other young men with them.

Lance sat up, shifted his position as he mirrored the older brunet's expression, and said, "I'll be as honest as I can be, Mikey."

The twenty-two-year-old took a breath, then continued. "I'm pretty sure I'm speaking for all your older bros when asking this. After what happened to you today, are you okay with being tickled?"

Lance's toes wiggled and flexed inside the thin cotton covering his soft, pale soles as his legs jumped up and down because Adam and Jai gently massaged his feet and legs. His light, airy boyish giggles floated into the older male's ears. When they paused their loving show of affection, he gazed into Mikey's eyes, smiled brightly, and said, "Not only am I still okay with it, but I'd be upset if it stopped." He paused for a moment, then continued. "If I don't get tickled, I can't tickle you guys back." He wriggled around and boisterously cackled as he was given a four-way tickle bear hug. After everything calmed down, Lance had an inquisitive expression. He grinned and said, "while we're on the subject, I still wanna know how you resisted T.L.'s tickle attack, Mikey."

Mikey giggled and ruffled the younger male's hair. "Like I said in the room, baby bro, I have no idea." He and Lance started laughing when they saw the looks on everyone else's faces.

"What the fuck?" Adam asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

"There's no way in hell our brother could resist laughing when he's tickled," Jai said.

Dakota closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then after a second or two, his eyes popped open, and he snapped his fingers. "I think I've got the answer," he said. He turned and looked at his mate and youngest brother. "What was happening at the time, guys?"

Mikey shrugged his shoulders, then started explaining the scene. When he finished, Dakota, Adam, and Jai looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"So, do the wise older brothers have an answer?" Lance asked. He giggled and tried to hide behind Mikey but was trapped by his brothers and treated to a combined noogie and tickle assault. He smiled when Dakota pulled him onto his lap, wrapped his arms around his waist, and kissed his cheek.

"As it happens, we think we know how Mikey blocked the tickles," Dakota said with a chuckle.

"It was a combination of adrenaline and fearing for your safety, Lance," Jai offered.

"We all know Mikey loves us unconditionally," Adam said. He and Jai grasped Mikey's legs, pulled him off the sofa, and encased his giggling body in a double bear hug. "Lancer, you were helpless and in danger. The bond you two share fueled his resolve to save you at any cost."

Lance and Mikey shared a look then, in unison, they said, "that makes sense."

"However, under the circumstances, I think a tickle test is in order," Dakota said with a smirk.

Mikey shook his head and struggled against Adam and Jai as they maneuvered his arms over his head and pinned them to the floor. Dakota slid down to the floor and trapped his ankles in the crook of his arm. His lover giggled when his legs moved back and forth, and his toes scrunched inside the thin pink and purple cotton socks. Lance grinned as his slender fingers wiggled above his restrained body. Mikey's eyes shut, and his body shivered in anticipation of the first ticklish touch. Boyish giggles started to flow past his quivering soft lips. Lance leaned forward, pulled the hem of the t-shirt up, and bared the taut pale skin of his brother's lower stomach. Slowly, he licked his warm lips as his hands descended closer to his victim.

"Yohohou ahahre ahahall sohohoho deahead," Mikey vowed while giggling. Nothing more was said before the excited tickler struck. Fingers kneaded and lightly wiggled along the bare flesh right above his hips. Instantly, the room filled with his wild screeches and hysterical laughs.

"I think his ticklishness is intact," Jai said with an amused chuckle.

The ticklish male's body pulled against the hands holding him down. His sock-clad feet flapped up and down, and his arches curved. His laughter reached a feverish pitch when his brothers' free hands tickled his exposed pit hollows. His raven-haired mate relieved him of his socks and ravaged his poor wrinkled soles with rapid strokes of his dull fingernails. "Ohohokahahay! Ohohokahahay! Ihihi'm stihihillll tihihicklihihish," Mikey squealed.

The four ticklers ceased the tickle test. Lance jumped up, ran into the kitchen, and returned with a warm washcloth and bottled water. He handed Adam and Jai the water, then gently wiped down his brother's sweaty forehead and kissed his cheek. Adam and Jai helped their brother sit up. They supported his head while he slowly sipped the refreshing ice-cold liquid. Dakota slid the ankle socks onto his mate's feet, then gently massaged Mikey's soles but not before he kissed each wiggling toe.

"Ya still love us, Mikey?" Lance asked as he worked his way onto his brother's lap.

Mikey giggled. He gave Lance a bear hug and kissed his cheek. "Always and forever," he said.

Mikey smirked just before blowing a raspberry on Lance's neck. The younger brunet's head jerked to the side, and he squealed like a little boy from the ticklish action performed on his sensitive neck. They giggled and sighed happily as Lance's body pressed into his warm cocoon-like embrace. Dakota, Adam, and Jai watched their boys with warm smiles as they gathered around the younger pair, then shared a group hug.

"I just wish I knew why Janice did everything she did," Mikey said.

Lance gulped and gazed into the older men's eyes. He took a deep breath, then said, "I can answer that." He took his time to explain everything that Will provided and told them the parents and authorities already knew.

"Fuck! All this chaos and bullshit because she couldn't blackmail Mikey," Dakota muttered as he shook his head. He turned and lovingly kissed his mate. "I'm so proud to call you mine, Michael Dante," he said.

"Little bro, you've always been the most honest of all of us," Adam said.

Mikey's tears streamed down his cheeks as he buried his face in Dakota's muscular chest. "I can't help feeling..." he started to say but was interrupted by his lover's fingers lifting his chin.

"Don't you dare finish that thought, baby boy," Dakota firmly ordered.

"You're not to blame for anything, Mikey," Jai added.

Mikey closed his eyes, smiled, and said, "I've sooo got the most amazing family."

To be continued...