An Eye for an Eye (The Santorno Stories 2): The Santorno Stories Read online

  An Eye for an Eye

  Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  Copyright 2015

  Dedication:

  For Jenjo

  Brandi Reynolds

  All the wonderful people at LRO for their patience.

  Van and Eric

  My Facebook family for their patience and understanding. I am so grateful to have all of you by my side.

  Caleb Strong and Paul Allan Becker for being awesome!

  Kenneth Carter for the cover.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Start the ride from the beginning with: A Marked Man; Alaska with Love; By the light of the Moon; Half Moon Rising; Best Laid Plans; For the Love of Caden; The General’s Lover; Russian Prey; An Ignited Passion; Reflash; The Red Zone; Irish Wishes; Pleading the Fifth ; Betrayed; Summer of Awakenings; Into the Lyons Den; The Nik of Time and The Littlest Assassin-Shifters; Lessons Learned; Broken Bonds and Forbidden; Dirty Ross and Savage Love

  The 12 Olympians: Justice for Skylar; At Year's End and Lux Ex Tenebris and Strange Addiction

  From Wilde City Publishing: A Betting Man ; A Marrying Man and A Fighting Man; A Working Man and A Healing Man

  The Medicine and The Mob

  And, Second Time Around and Gabriel's Fall

  Join me on my Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/authorsandrine.g.dion

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  Chapter 1

  How did I get myself into this?

  Damon Youngblood was in the closet. Literally. He was at his best friend Mark’s birthday party, playing “seven minutes in heaven” in the closet with Heather McNeil. His hands were sweaty, and he knew he’d have to kiss her.

  Unfortunately, Damon didn’t think he liked girls.

  “Look, Damon — if you don’t want to, I can just say we kissed.” Heather peered at him in the darkness.

  Damon sighed. That would be so easy, just say they did it. But Damon had never kissed a girl, so why not give it a shot? Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he did like girls.

  He knew all about being gay from his fathers. They raised the kids never to be ashamed of being themselves. But peers had already picked on Damon and he wasn’t crazy about it. He was a sophomore in high school, and had gone to the dances, gone out on dates with girls — but nothing had ever happened. His friends made fun of him, calling him a virgin and speculating he was gay — all as a joke — but Damon was worried.

  “Come on, let’s do this.” Damon leaned in and touched his lips to Heather’s. It wasn’t awful, but he didn’t feel any kind of pleasure from it either. He had no erection like other guys talked about getting when kissing a girl. He pressed his tongue in and Heather kissed him back. He could tell she was enjoying it.

  At least one of us is.

  “Time’s up!”

  He pulled away from Heather and the door opened.

  “Shit, Damon! What were you two doing in there?” Mark slapped him on the back.

  Heather went into a corner with a group of girls. She smiled at Damon. He was gorgeous. He was six-foot-two, with black hair and blue eyes — and he was the quarterback for the junior varsity football team.

  Heather had wanted him from the day she saw him. But he didn’t want her; she could tell from the way he kissed her that he wasn’t interested. She was going to change his mind.

  “Well, Mark, I thought you said ‘get busy.’ That’s what I did.” Damon smiled at Heather.

  She laughed and turned back to her friends. They were whispering about Heather’s turn in the closet.

  “Okay, who’s next?” Mark rubbed his hands together.

  Damon avoided the closet the rest of the night. He hung out with his friends and they laughed about stupid shit at school. Things wound down and Damon volunteered to help Mark clean up the basement.

  He eyed his friend out of the corner of his eye. They had been friends since preschool, but lately Damon had been getting a strange feeling around him. Once or twice, he got hard while watching Mark in the locker room shower.

  “So, you going to football practice tomorrow?” Mark was shoving paper plates in a plastic bag.

  “When don’t I go, Mark? I’m kind of on the team.” Damon tossed a plastic cup at his friend’s head. It hit him perfectly.

  “So how did it go in the closet with Heather?” Mark picked up streamers.

  “Dude, it was fine. We kissed. End of story.” Damon shoved some trash in the bag and looked at him. “Why?”

  “I’m just curious, that’s all. Heather’s pretty hot.”

  “Yeah, I guess she’s okay.” Damon went back to picking up cups.

  “Mere mortal men such as we do not say Heather’s okay, Damon.”

  “What is with you? Maybe she’s just not my type, Mark.”

  “I’m just saying most guys would have done more than kiss in the closet, Damon.” Mark shrugged.

  “So now I’m an asshole because I didn’t feel her up?”

  Mark approached him and put his hands on Damon’s chest. “Look, I’m just saying…”

  Damon backed away. That time he had definitely felt something. Shit. This was his best friend. He couldn’t have feelings for him.

  Oh, fuck.

  “Damon, what’s wrong?”

  “Look, just leave me alone, okay?” Damon turned to leave, but Mark grabbed his hand.

  Damon spun and Mark was right in his face. His pulse raced as Mark leaned in and kissed him. It was a quick peck on the lips, but it tied Damon in knots.

  Mark pulled away and searched his face. When Damon didn’t say anything, Mark leaned in again — and this time it wasn’t just a peck.

  Mark’s hands went to the thick black hair as Damon brought his arms around him and pulled him in, their tongues tentatively touching. Damon felt himself harden and pulled away, gasping for breath.

  “Shit, I’m sorry, Damon! I thought — shit.” Mark looked at his hands.

  “No, it’s okay; you were right. I just got a little excited. You know what I mean?” Damon ducked his head.

  Mark smiled. “Yeah I know.”

  “How did you know?” Damon asked.

  “I didn’t know. I knew I was gay a long time ago — the first time we hung out at Becky’s house.”

  “We were like, what — ten years old?” Damon’s eyes went wide. “You realized you didn’t like Becky?”

  “No, I realized I liked you.
” Mark looked at his hands again.

  “You liked me? But you never said anything, Mark. Wait, put that aside a sec. How did you know about me? I wasn’t even sure I knew about me!”

  “Lots of stuff. You go out with girls but you never kiss them. After being in the closet tonight with Heather, you didn’t even look at her for the rest of the night. It wasn’t that I knew. I kinda hoped.”

  Damon smiled. “Yeah? What if I hadn’t let you kiss me? Then what?”

  “I would have begged for forgiveness and hoped that we could still be friends.”

  “Shit, Mark, you’ll always be my bud. I can’t believe you made me go in the closet with Heather!”

  “She begged me, Damon.” Mark smiled.

  “No shit?” Damon grinned.

  “Oh, get over yourself, dude.” Mark punched him in the shoulder.

  Damon caught his hand and pulled him closer. “So now what?” His eyes went to Mark’s lips.

  “I want to kiss you again. If that’s okay?” Mark almost whispered it.

  Damon pulled him in and kissed him softly. He heard Mark’s little moan and smiled.

  “Wow, you’ve got it bad for me, huh?” Damon smiled and waggled his eyebrows.

  “Oh fuck you, Damon.” Mark shoved him.

  “Yeah, too soon for that. Let me get used to kissing you first.”

  “Am I any good at it?” Mark looked at Damon nervously.

  “You mean you never…?”

  “No. You’re my first kiss.”

  “Shit, now I wish I hadn’t kissed Heather.”

  “Doesn’t count; she’s a chick.”

  “You kiss a lot better than she does, anyway. I didn’t feel anything when I kissed her.”

  “Really?”

  “Nope, but when you kissed me…” Damon trailed off.

  “Yeah? You’re not fucking with me right?”

  “No. I’m not.” Damon pulled Mark in again. The kiss started out slowly and sensually, and then progressed to a full-blown make out session.

  Damon pulled away, panting. “Shit.”

  “Yeah.”

  Damon looked at the time. “Fuck! I have fifteen minutes to get home!”

  “Dude, chill out; you’ll make it.”

  Mark held Damon’s hand as he walked him out to his car.

  “So, football practice tomorrow, right?” Mark smiled.

  “Yeah.” Damon leaned into him. “See you then.”

  *~~~*

  Damon pulled into the driveway with one minute to spare. He ran into the house and caught his dads mid-kiss at the kitchen table.

  “I kissed a girl tonight.”

  Stefan looked up. “Hey! That’s great, Damon! How was it?”

  “Then Mark kissed me.” Damon waited.

  “Okay…” Jordan said slowly.

  Damon joined them at the table. “It was weird. When I kissed Heather, I felt nothing.”

  Stefan nodded; he wasn’t going to interrupt his son.

  “But then Mark kissed me and — wow. I had all these feelings and — well, you know.” Damon’s cheeks tinged pink.

  “Hey, it’s okay, Damon. We actually do know. You’re aware that we’re the two guys who kiss all the time in this house, right?” Jordan laughed softly.

  Stefan smiled. “So Mark kissed you. Anything else happen?”

  “Dad!” The pink turned to crimson. “So, I’m gay, right? I mean, I don’t get excited around girls, and I always got weird feelings around Mark. But, wow. I don’t know.” He shook his head.

  Jordan took his hand and patted it. “Look, let this play out and see where it goes with Mark. If you’re gay, you’re gay. You know it’s nothing to be ashamed of, son.”

  “I know. Thanks, Dad. I gotta go to bed, school tomorrow. Hey, where’s Heath?”

  Stefan and Jordan both checked the clock. “Late again.”

  Damon kissed his fathers goodnight, went upstairs and showered. He threw on sweats and climbed into bed. His phone buzzed; it was Mark.

  “Hey, you make it home on time?”

  “Yeah. I talked to my parents about tonight.”

  “Wow, how did that go? Shit, what the fuck am I saying? Your parents are gay.” Mark cracked up.

  “Yeah, they’re cool.”

  “So, I wanted to ask you — how do we act around each other at school?”

  Damon sighed. “Like we always have. I’m not ready to scream it from the bleachers just yet. It’s not that I’m ashamed, I just want us to have, you know, private time.”

  He heard Mark’s sigh. “Thank God. I’m not ready for that, either.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow then. And hey — happy birthday.”

  “Best one ever! Thanks, Damon.”

  “Night.”

  *~~~*

  Heath Youngblood and his teammates were at the bowling alley celebrating.

  “We kicked their asses, Heath!” His buddy Steve smacked him in the abs.

  “Yeah, are you trying to inflict pain? You know I have washboard abs, dumbass.” Heath cracked up.

  Heath Youngblood was an exact replica of Stefan Youngblood — blond hair, brown eyes and pouty lips. He knew girls liked him. They practically threw their panties at him after every game.

  But this minute he was only interested in one girl. He watched her with her date across the bowling alley. What a shithead. The guy was rude and short.

  “What’s up, Heath? Got your eye on some chick?” Steve followed Heath’s gaze. “Dude, no. That’s Lisa Lewis. She goes to Sabino, our RIVAL school.”

  “Who gives a shit? She’s hot.” Heath licked his lips.

  “Dude, I know that look. She’s smart, Heath; I mean really smart.”

  “What are you trying to say, that I’m some dumb jock? I’m smart, too, remember?”

  Right about then, Lisa’s date began getting physical with her. Heath could tell she wasn’t having it, but the shithead wasn’t getting the message.

  “Heath, where are you going? You know we can’t get into any more fights!” Steve was shouting. He watched Heath’s back as it moved farther away.

  “Who says I’m going to fight?” Heath threw him his wicked smile.

  “Oh fuck.” Steve sighed.

  “Excuse me, Lisa? I’m so sorry I’m late. I hope you weren’t waiting too long.” Heath gave her his best smile.

  “Who the fuck are you, dude?” Shithead asked.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Heath Youngblood.” Heath put his hand out and the son of a bitch hit him. Lisa let out a loud gasp.

  Heath turned back to face the guy and smiled at him. “That’s it? That’s the best you got? Run along now, Shithead, before I show you what a right hook should feel like.”

  Shithead was trying to decide whether Lisa was worth it, and when Heath moved forward, he ran.

  “Hey, are you okay? I saw he was getting a little frisky with you. I didn’t mean to overstep.” Heath looked at her closely. Damn, she was sexy.

  “Um…yes, I’m fine. But you kind of left me with no ride.” She smiled.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I can give you a lift if you need one — I mean, if you’re comfortable leaving with me. I’ll totally understand if you’re not.”

  “Hey, Youngblood, you coming or what?” Steve was shouting.

  Heath looked down at Lisa. “Your decision.”

  “Okay, sure. You can drive me home, but I’m warning you, I know karate,” Lisa smiled.

  “I’ll remember that. I won’t try anything, I swear.” Heath smiled. “Hey, you guys I’m out!”

  Steve laughed. “That slick fucker.”

  Heath opened the car door for her, and then ran around and got in. He started the car and headed down the road.

  “Nice car.” Lisa took it in.

  “Thanks. My birthday gift from the dads — and I had good grades.” Heath smiled.

  “Dads?” Lisa looked at him.

  Heath braced himself. Here came the talk. “Yeah, I have two dads,
two sisters and a brother.”

  “So, they’re, like, gay?” Lisa asked.

  “Like gay? Nope, they’re full on gay. Do you have a problem with gays?”

  Lisa laughed. “No, my brother’s gay.”

  Heath relaxed his grip on the steering wheel. “Oh, okay.”

  “Did you think I was a homophobe, Heath?” Lisa eyed him.

  “I didn’t know what to think. I never know how someone’s going to react. A lot of my dates have come to a screeching halt when the subject of the dads comes up.”

  “Well, those dates weren’t with the right girls now, were they?” Lisa smiled at him.

  “I guess not.”

  They talked easily on the way to her house. She said her brother came out to her first, and that she told him everything would be okay. Heath talked about his family; one dad was a neurosurgeon and the other ran a charitable foundation and a shipping company. His sister Isabelle was in her first year of college, and the rest of them were in high school.

  “Well, this is me on the left.” Lisa pointed and chanced another look. Heath was smart and gorgeous.

  He pulled into the driveway and ran to open her door and then walk her to the front door.

  “Well I’m glad I met you tonight, Lisa. It was great talking with you.”

  She reached out to touch his face. “You’re getting a bruise.” She gently touched the skin with her fingertips.

  Heath closed his eyes. “It will be fine.”

  She leaned in and lightly brushed her lips across his. “Thanks for the ride, Heath.”

  He opened his eyes. “You’re welcome.” He turned and headed back to his car.

  “Hey, Heath? Don’t you want my number?” She caught up with him.

  “Do you want me to have it?” Heath smiled.

  She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and scribbled on it. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him again. It started slow and then her hands came around his neck and Heath lifted her off the ground. Their tongues met and the kiss became much more passionate.

  Heath backed away first. “Wow,” he breathed.

  “Call me tomorrow,” Lisa whispered and went into the house.