Silas' POV
I looked at my phone for the hundredth time it felt like this hour, I was sat on a bench in the park with Hades beside me.
We were waiting for my brother and his people to arrive at our meeting place. Hades was the only one of my boyfriends I told of this morning's meeting, I just couldn't bring myself to see that all too familiar panic set in there eyes as they thought of all of the bad things that could happen today.
I trust Hades implicitly with not just my protection, but that of everyone back home. He wasn't just an experienced hacker and technology expert, but also a well trained fighter and interrogator.
We both used to be in my family's mafia way back when, that's actually how we knew each other. He's technically my first boyfriend, I mean I did some dating before we met but he's the first one I truly matched with.
It was crazy that time, sneaking kisses and dating behind my fathers back. Hades father, James, was my fathers right hand man until he died all those years ago in a shootout.
Then everything came to a head when my father caught us together, and demanded I fix myself before I bring more disappointment and embarrassment to the family. And to that, I demanded that nothing was wrong with me and we both left that life that very night.
We never looked back, we never regretted what we did or how we chose to live our lives.
Times were hard in the beginning, we were extremely broke and I wanted nothing to do with my family's money or anything connected to them.
Then Hades got into hacking and I'm embarrassed to admit that got us by while I was in college but then we had made friends in high places by the time I opened my own practice, and my investors were extremely happy and supportive of how I'm helping those in need.
And yes, I do have a lot more clients than my boyfriends, let's just say I help them probono and everyone involved in my company knows I'm not fixing them, I'm helping them better themselves.
"You know, this could go very wrong very quickly, right?" Hades murmured as he looked out the window.
It partially surprised me when he spoke, seeing as he doesn't do it often and I'm embarrassed enough to admit that I made a not so manly yelp when he spoke, which Hades laughed at.
Once I calmed down, I sighed as I thought about everything. My whole life, how we got here, and about the guys back at home and how much I love them all.
"All we can do is hope that this goes well, and if it doesn't and we die here tonight in a shootout... I hope our boys get on fine without us, that eventually they'll heal and love again..."
I knew Birch would never fully heal from the emotional trauma resulting from us dieing, little's take it especially hard when their dom or loved ones die.
But I knew Paisley and the others would be there, to love and protect him forever. He's our baby, our better half. We love seeing him getting out of his shell and running around the house, him feeling comfortable enough to make a mess truly tells me how much he's improved since he arrived.
We've been homeschooling him and he's doing really well, he's already at a fifth grade level in his schooling. Which is a big improvement since we practically had to teach him how to properly pronounce words and read them right.
How was he supposed to know the right way to read or pronounce things when he was never taught?
His father did terrible with teaching him, but he did know how to read a bit and loved the little learning games we created for him.
I had a fond smile on my face and said, "Birch's doing so well, I can't wait til we get home. I'm wondering what he's doing right now."
Hades laughed and said, "Remember when he used to be scared of us? Now he draws on my face to wake me up and runs around like a wild child."
I chuckled at that, he was really becoming a rambunctious little thing. "You can thank Roman for the wild child antics, he loves to give him ideas and pranks to pull on the rest of us. I would be mad at the mess they make, but Birch's cute puppy eyes melt me every time."
"Same. Remember when all the cute subs got covered in chocolate right around Christmas? I definitely got mad at the mess, but Birch's excited ramblings over his first taste of chocolate immediately melted my heart." Hades murmured as he scanned his eyes over our surroundings outside.
I nodded as I saw my brother walk across the park we're meeting at, we immediately got off the bench we were sitting at and met him by the pond. It was a relatively quiet day since we decided to meet early in the day.
My brother, walked up to me with his signature smirk and said, "Silas, a pleasure as always. Nice to see you still have this old bag, huh?"
"Go fuck yourself, Alex! We don't have time for your bullshit." Hades growled at Alexander, my cocky as all hell brother.
"On the contrary, Hades, you do have time. Because I said you'll make time for this. Both of you owe me a debt, a large one at that. Your done, when I say your done, yeah?" Alex said while narrowing his eyes at Hades.
"Let's save some of this unpleasantness for those deserving of it, yeah?" I murmured, trying to keep the peace.
Alex rolled his eyes as we continued to walk along the waters edge. He sighed as we walked side by side, with Hades and Alex's bodyguards behind us.
"All grievances aside, I do need help brother. The family business was never more flourishing than when you were in charge and I'm breaking at the seams to keep it all together." Alex said with clear stress written all over his face. It hurt to see him like this, but I left for many reasons a few of which was how dangerous the job is and how stressful it is.
"I know you're hurting, and it hurts to see you in that way. But I left so me and my loved ones could be safe and happy with a normal life. I believe you're well suited for the job, maybe you just need me to show up at a few meetings, show my support and make sure everyone knows that the Blackwells don't take too kindly to those who try to defy us." I rambled on, I'd much rather take a back room approach to this, and let Alexander be the face of the family business.
Alexander was quiet for a few moments before he nodded and said, "That sounds good, we need support within the organization and with those we have alliances with. It also wouldn't hurt if you put the Russians back in their place. They've become more bold in recent months, and they've only listened to your advice and threats in the past."
I nodded, I knew something about me and my relationship with the Russian mafias leaders in the past... that we just got along well. They knew if they messed with me, then they'd go back home... bleeding.
"You do owe me, but I know you're good for it. Let's meet again, maybe without Hades the demon?" Alexander said with a mischievous look on his face. I rolled my eyes, they love to bicker like old ladies.
"In your dreams Alexander, Silas isn't going anywhere without me. I don't particularly trust you with his safety. Or must I remind you of the Budapest job?" Hades said with narrowed eyes, god I hadn't thought of Budapest in almost a decade.
"That happened once! I was distracted by a beautiful female specimen who I totally would of had a chance with if you hadn't ruined it!" Alex seethed.
Hades rolled his eyes and retorted, "As if! I'm gay, and I could see she wasn't at all into you. And by the way, you were the lookout, all you had to do was keep an eye out for the target and let us know when he was leaving the club. Easy, simple, but of course you had to fuck it all to hell by being horny!"
I sighed, they're always like this. I swear if my brother wasn't the straightest man alive, I'd swear he has a thing with Hades.
"Hey! We made it out alive and got the target. Let's just let it be known that Alex has improved since then." I tried to be patient with them, but they were both getting on my last nerve.
"You should've heard his screams, they were magical." Alex said with his signature sadistic look in his eyes.
Let's just say Alex enjoys torture a little too much, he gets a little carried away with his interrogations so we used to have his best friend join him in those types of situations.
"You're sick," Hades muttered.
Alex rolled his eyes and called over his shoulder, "Good day ladies, be safe!"
"He really is an ass," Hades whispered as we left. I smiled at that, yes my brother is an ass but at least he was there for me when I needed him the most.
I know in my heart that he's just using this as an opportunity to get himself back into my life. I know he wants more, but time will tell what his motivations are.