If I Were Allowed To Love You

Twenty-Two

Lucas laughed and shook his head. "No. Everyone in our circus is in the field best suited for their abilities."

"What sort of abilities?"

"Well, like Melissa, she was born with the gift of throwing knives. I was born with the gift of flips and tricks."

"Wouldn't it be balance?"

"Hmm?"

"You know," Ryan said as he gestured a tightrope to walk across with his hands, "you're walking on all those beams. Wouldn't it be balance and not...flips and tricks?"

Chuckling to himself, Lucas said, "I don't need balance as much as you think I do."

"How does that work?"

"Like I said, we all are in the field that is best suited to our abilities."

There was something shady about the way Lucas spoke. Ryan knew Melissa trusted him, so it's wasn't on a matter of trust. It was the fact that he seemed to be hiding something that seemed almost dangerous and sly. Melissa surely must have been in on it too, as Lucas did mention her and her gift, but he was Theo's mate. Even if the two didn't wind up mating with one another, they were still going to be in each other's lives. And if the man (and woman, too) was dangerous, he didn't know how to feel about him or Theo being around him.

"You're staring at me as though I killed a man," Lucas stated.

"I'm trying to think of how the gift of flips and tricks would makes you more suited for the trapeze."

"Well, you saw my foot work. You know what I can do. It's just a matter of putting it in the air. Now, you need balance, of course, but it's more about the ability to flip and jump from one platform to another to be able to do knife tricks with Diamond."

Ryan smiled softly. "Is she your diamond in the rough?"

"No. She's named after a black diamond. When you typically think of a diamond, you think of the white, sparkly jewel you know and love. Your first thought isn't a black diamond. And when you first think of a knife thrower who never misses, you think she's going to miss eventually and you'll see it happen, but you don't. It never happens. She's the afterthought. The better thought."

"Weird way to compliment your fiancé."

"She's the one who came up with the name." He chuckled. "But I'm pretty sure it had more to do with the fact that the knives we picked out for her first show had black diamonds embezzled on the handle."

Ryan leaned his head back and laughed. "Now that sounds more like her."

"You really seem to know her. She said you two never knew each other for that long."

"We didn't," he stated. "About two months. But she was my brother's best friend. I got to know her for his sake, and I really liked the person I wound up meeting."

"And I bet a part of you resents me for that."

Ryan cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I know you two were on a date before she ran away to join the circus with me."

Nodding, Ryan let out a low whistle

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't you dare apologize for anything. Melissa made her choice, and I made mine. I'm happy with where I am in life, so you don't have to worry about me or whether you think I resent you, because I don't. I will never resent you for making Melissa happy. She found her life calling because of you, and that's what matters the most. She's happy with you. You two are going to get married." He flicked his eyes to his lap before staring straight into Lucas's eyes. "I'm happy for you two."

Sitting in the chair next to Ryan, Lucas said, "Oh, thank God. A part of me was really worried you were going to be pissed."

"Why would I be pissed?"

"Just...because I swooped in and 'stole your girl.'"

"Horribly outdated reference. Never use that when talking about Melissa and her free will."

"Yeah. That's why I used air quotes around it," he scoffed. "But I didn't know what sort of person you'd be and whether or not you'd have that sort of mentality."

"I'm not mad. I'm not even upset." He was just disappointed. "I'm seriously happy for you two." A lie. A convincing one, but still a lie. But he knew that if he said it enough, it would force himself to believe it. "Just treat her right, or I'll break your knees."

"Does your family have an obsession with legs or something?" Lucas laughed.

"Melissa means the world to us. We aren't fucking around when it comes to her happiness and safety."

"I can assure you she is in safe hands with me. And whatever sharp object is within reach."

The bedroom door opened, and Theo walked out with his arm wrapped around Melissa's shoulder.

"We have come to a decision, and it's one that you both are going to like a lot," Theo stated.

"Due to the atrocity of the trailer, we are not going to be staying here during the break."

"Oh, thank God," Lucas whispered under his breath, and Ryan chuckled.

"And since we know you're going to want a homey sort of feel to wherever you're going to stay, we decided that you two can stay at our house for free."

Lucas and Ryan's jaws dropped as they stared at Theo. While Lucas was excited to stay in a clean environment, Ryan knew just what was up Theo's sleeve. And based on the smirk on his face, Ryan knew he knew.