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1627 Words
Leaving the last class of the semester, Lukas groaned. Adjusting the bag on his shoulder, he shook his head. "Can we just slide into vacation like jocks slide into a cheerleader’s DMs?"
“Luke, jocks don’t slide, they crash,” Jaxon grinned, pushing his black hair back from his face. He looked around the parking lot as they jogged over to the car his father gave him for passing his driving test.
"I still can't believe you got your dad's old car," Lukas said as he threw his bag into the back seat.
Eyeing his friend with a smirk, Jaxon tossed him the keys. Blinking, Lukas swept his gaze between the car, his friend, and the keys he held. "You're really going to let me drive your car?"
"Yeah."
Giddy, Lukas hopped in place. "I've argued with my brother about letting me drive now and again, but he's got a head like a bowling ball."
Jaxon burst into laughter as he got into the passenger seat. "Just don't go making me regret this. I like my car, and my dad will kill us if we crash it, so no speeding."
"I'm not Memphis," Lukas argued. "Man, oh man, it's like a dream come true."
He turned the key in the ignition, moaning as the purr of the engine vibrated through the car. Leaning back, he pressed the gas lightly, revving the motor. Jaxon, on the other hand, toyed with the knobs for the heat and the radio. Once they were set, he glared playfully at Lukas.
"If you're done admiring my car, can we please get home? I'm starving," Jaxon laughed.
Chuckling evilly, Lukas pulled out of the parking lot and drove back to the Towers. When they arrived, he was surprised to see his brother's car still in the garage.
"I thought he was supposed to go with your dad for a field training exercise?" Jaxon whispered.
Shaking out his hair, Lukas sneered. Markus was supposed to go with their father, but it didn't look like the car had been touched. Sharing a frown, they grabbed their bags from the back seat and made sure to lock the doors. As they passed the guard stand, he couldn't help but overhear them talking.
"I heard he had another guy over to the apartment."
Raising his eyes to Jaxon, Lukas noted the sad look on his best friend's face. He coughed, and the shocked faces of the guards turned to him. He smirked. "This guy, was he fancy-dressed, with short, dark hair, bulky, a strong accent, and assuredly full of himself?"
One of the men nodded. "Yeah, that’s the guy."
"My cousin Felix must have gotten in earlier than anticipated. He’s my father’s brother’s son, and he’s an asshole," Lukas said as he pulled Jaxon toward the elevator.
Fishing his cell phone out of his pocket, Jaxon called his father. By the third ring, his father still had not answered. His frown deepening, he left a voicemail and put his phone away. Running his hands through his hair, he sighed. "Is there anything I need to know about Felix before I meet him?"
Lukas hung his head. "He's a big German dude with a chip on his shoulder, and a Hitler complex. He’s an entitled s**t-disturber and my Uncle Elias's oldest. I hate him, Markus hates him, but Dad’s trying to keep the peace in the family."
The elevator dinged, the silver doors sliding open to their floor. Stopping at Jaxon's, they grabbed some snacks and a duffle of clean clothes. Just as they locked up, David called Jaxon. Though the info was vague, he knew that his father was safe and alive, and that was all that mattered to him.
Even before they got in the door, they could hear shouting. Lukas shivered, not liking that he could hear Felix over his father and brother. "Crap, he started on Mark. I'll bet my next pay on it."
“Don’t do that. I just might jump on that one,” Jaxon commented as he followed Lukas into the kitchen.
"Dad, we're home,” Lukas called out. “Jaxon's going to stay with us for a few days."
They turned the corner, and Trace pointed his fingers at his temple and pulled the pretend trigger. "Get your ass in there and give Mark a hand before I kill Felix. Jaxon, put your stuff in Lukas's room."
"Understood, Sir," the teen said as he walked past the man toward his friend's room.
His jaw dropped as he walked past the living room only to see a stranger holding Lukas by the throat while Markus lay on the floor, pale and unmoving. Running into the room, Jaxon kicked the man in the side. Lukas fell to the floor, gasping for air. Blocking the hit Felix sent him, the smaller teen shoved him into the wall with a well-placed punch.
Not expecting the attack, the man growled in frustration. "Fratz! Was geht dich das an."
"I'll mind my own business when you get lost, jerk. You don't have a right to come in here and start attacking my friend." Jaxon snapped as he helped Lukas sit up. "Hey, are you okay, man?"
Still gasping, Lukas nodded. "Yeah, just couldn't breathe for a moment."
"What the f**k have you done?" Three sets of eyes turned to the door where Trace was fuming angrily. Felix let a slow smile spread across his face.
"This little Asian boy attacked me, Uncle," Felix said.
Trace's eyes wandered to the floor where Jaxon had left Lukas's side to check on Markus. "I need you to leave."
"See, now-"
"I was talking to you, Felix. My kids are not your personal punching bags, and that 'little Asian boy' is Mark's boyfriend and Luke's best friend. I know for a fact that he wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to," Trace growled angrily.
Lukas coughed. "Markus is out cold, Dad. He was choking me out when Jax stopped him."
"I'm going to call your Oma," Trace snarled. "Jaxon, call Donna Amber to come check over my boys, and notify security."
Felix pushed Jaxon back. "Faggot!"
"I'm aware that I look good, but I'm not so skinny that I look like a bunch of twigs," the teen snapped back.
"You're going to hell! You and that wretch," Felix shouted, pointing at Markus's immobile form. "Father was right about you, Uncle. He said you were nothing but a failure from the day you left Germany."
Trace brought the phone to his ear. "Did you hear all that, Diane?"
"Ja, little brother," his sister said. "Send him home. Do not feel bad, Tracy. Elias did the same to me when I married my Yosef and converted to the Jewish faith."
Glaring at his nephew, Trace nodded. "Jaxon, place that call. Diane, when did you get married?"
"Four years ago now. We have twins, a boy and a girl," she laughed. "Mutter was the only one who came to the wedding from my side of the family. She and Kristoph supported me, and they said you would as well."
"Who you choose to love is not my business, Diane. You're still my sister. As long as he treats you well, I have no need to pay him a visit, now, do I?" Trace replied softly. "Pass the word along to the rest of the family. I'll talk to you another day."
"Gör, don't make me come to Canada to personally beat your bottom, Tracy."
His eyes wide, he said, "I go by Trace now."
"Oh? Are you trying to be more manly?"
"Diane!"
She laughed. "Tschüss. Ich liebe dich."
"I love you, too, sis," he replied as he hung up the call.
Turning his dark grey glare to his nephew, Trace said, "Your ass is on the next flight back to Frankfurt. I never want to see you darken my threshold ever again. Don't let me hear of you slandering my boys’ names, either."
He heard the front door bang closed, and the sound of angered grumbling just before Russell and Phoenix followed Ambrosia into the room. Grabbing the unknown man, Phoenix punched him in the jaw. "You touched my team, asshole. You’re lucky I don’t drag you out to beat the hell out of you."
Russell pulled his nephew away, grabbing Felix by the arm. Looking at Trace, he said, "Where to?"
Trace, seething with anger, replied, "I want him out of this country, and banned from coming here again."
"Consider it done," Ambrosia said as she checked Markus and Lukas over. "Lukas has some light bruising, but he’s otherwise fine. There's some deeper bruising around Markus’s throat. Let’s get him transported to the hospital for observation and further evaluation. Trace, call it in. Jaxon, go get room temperature water for Lukas. Cold will only cause him pain."
Phoenix seethed, "I thought mom’s b***h-ass mother was bad, but this is a new level of petty."
Turning to his nephew, Russell said, "I'm going to make sure this guy doesn't get off the plane."
"I’ll check on Lukas, and keep Jax from busting a vein," the young man said as he walked back into the living room. "How's your throat, Luke?"
"Thanks to Jaxon, I'm not going to the infirmary or the hospital,” the teen told him.
Jaxon laughed as he returned from the kitchen, making his friend glare at him. Holding up his hands, he said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just that we got an eventful first day of winter vacay."
"Honestly, I have to agree with Jax on this one, Luke," Phoenix snickered.
"My friends are a bunch of jerks, but yeah. You got a point, Jax. That was certainly eventful," Lukas grunted as he sipped his water.
- Writer
