Read Cut and Run 6 - Stars and Stripes for Free Online

“Yes.”
    Zane felt Deuce shift on the sofa next to him, but no one else moved or made a sound. Mara finally raised her hand to her mouth, her eyes riveted on Ty.
    Earl continued to stare at him. “How long?” he asked in the same dangerous tone. It seemed like an odd question to follow up the first with. Ty shook his head, apparently thinking the same thing and not certain how to answer. “How long have you known you were gay?” Earl shouted.
    Ty flinched, but he didn’t back away. He opened his mouth to answer, but couldn’t.
    Zane’s heart ached for him. He’d never seen that look in Ty’s eyes. He wanted to reach out and give Ty a hand, help him get the words out, stand between them to shield Ty from something he knew his lover had dreaded for half his life.
    Ty swallowed hard and tried again. He sounded remarkably steady as he said, “Senior year.”
    He’d barely gotten the words out when Earl backhanded him. Zane leapt to his feet as Mara screamed, but Deuce stepped over to stop him with one arm across his chest. Mara grabbed Earl’s arm to keep him from swinging it again, but Earl didn’t make another move toward Ty. He actually looked surprised that he’d taken a swing at his son.
    “Leave them to it,” Deuce whispered as he held Zane back. He was watching them like a hawk, though, clearly ready to move in himself if things got uglier.
    Ty had his head bowed to the side and his eyes closed, motionless after the slap. Then he touched the side of his thumb to the corner of his mouth and looked back at his father as he wiped at his lip.
    “That’s for running,” Earl said, his words unsteady.
    Ty stared at him, his fingers trembling. Earl had put the whole story together with remarkable speed: That Ty had joined the Marines out of high school to leave home, to run from his family and the truth. That this was the secret that had taken his son from him.
    Ty let out a measured breath, nodding as he did so. His eyes never left his father’s. “Yes, sir.”
    It was killing Zane to stand aside and watch the tension in Ty. Deuce patted his shoulder but didn’t let go; he knew how Zane reacted to threats to Ty. He wasn’t taking any chances on an all-out family brawl.
    Earl moved again and pulled Ty into a hug, squeezing. Ty tensed, but after a second he put his chin down on his father’s shoulder and closed his eyes in relief, returning the fierce embrace.
    “I’m sorry, boy,” Earl whispered, just loud enough for the rest of them to hear. He patted the back of Ty’s head with his bandaged hand.
    Deuce loosened his hold on Zane, and Zane closed his eyes for a moment. Ty had wanted to tell them the truth, but Zane doubted this was how he’d imagined it going.
    When he looked up again, Earl had released Ty and was patting him on the cheek, talking to him quietly. Ty was nodding in a quick, jerky motion, his lips pressed into a thin line like they always were when he was trying to restrain emotion.
    Earl had one more word for him and then stepped back. “Okay, son, now take your shot,” he invited as he opened his arms.
    “Earl,” Mara warned.
    “I got mine, Mara; now he gets his. Take your shot, Beaumont.”
    Before Mara could protest again, Ty reared back and hit his father with a wicked right hook that knocked Earl off his feet. Earl struck the floor hard enough to make the plate of cookies on the table rattle, and Ty immediately doubled over, holding his hand and cussing.
    “Nice hook, Tyler!” Chester cried triumphantly. “Woo!”
    “Jesus Christ, boy!” Earl shouted as he clutched at his nose and wallowed on the floor.
    “What is your face made of, Dad, steel?” Ty cried as he held his hand. “Oh my God!”
    He turned and stumbled into the kitchen.
    “Should have seen that coming,” Deuce muttered.
    Zane cursed and followed his partner, unwilling to stay away any longer. What he really wanted was his own shot at Earl.
    Ty was rummaging through the freezer, a bag of frozen peas