CHAPTER 12: YOUNG OLD SECRETS REVEALED
** WARNING: This is a sexless chapter that helps move the story forward and sets up all the mind-blowing, hot, steamy, and passionate sex in all the remaining chapters. I hope you enjoy it and trust me when I say I will not disappoint you with what's coming next!**
Cameron and Ryan arrived in their respective cars back on the family ranch. Upon exiting their cars, their eyes met, and they quickly looked away from one another. There were no words that could ever make up for Cameron's betrayal.
When the two kissed during their session with Marcus, Cameron had hoped it would start mending their fractured relationship. Hell, he even hoped that when they snuggled afterward, it would be a sign of good things to come. Sadly, morning came, and it was a stark reminder that they were beyond any repair he could offer.
For Ryan, things were different. His older brother had come along and stolen his boyfriend in a way that left him feeling small. It was like someone had emasculated him. Only it wasn't just some any old person. It was his older brother. To make matters worse, Marcus had been ignoring their calls all morning. He had disappeared from the hotel without a trace.
For most of his life, Ryan had looked up to Cameron. They were once thick as thieves and had a bond that couldn't be broken. Along the way, something shifted, and things were flipped upside down. Cameron started to compete with Ryan and treat him differently. All Ryan ever wanted was his older brother's love and friendship.
They entered the family home. Sitting in the living room were Gill, Carol, and Eric. Carol's eyes were red. She had been crying. Gill had this remorseful look on his face, and Eric's face hid his emotions. Deep down, though, he was tired. He was tired of carrying around his family's secrets. One positive thing that came from his conversation with Marcus was the realization of what secrets can do when you don't deal with them.
"What the hell is this," Cameron asked. He didn't want to have any more heavy conversations.
As she wiped her eyes, Carol said, "Gill and I need to talk to you and your brothers."
"I'm gettin' the fuck outta here," Cameron said as he headed for the door.
Eric stood up and yelled, "Cameron bring your ass back here and sit down."
Cameron stopped in his tracks. He didn't like talking about his feelings and sure as hell didn't like being yelled at. He slowly turned around. The veins in his neck were sticking out. His face was starting to turn red.
"I don't care about you hulking out. You need to sit here and own your part in all of this," Eric said as he stood his ground against his older and much stronger brother.
"Own my part," Cameron scoffed. "I've owned my part and then some. I fucked him, okay. I loved every moment of it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!"
"Wow! What a way to rub it in you asshat," Ryan yelled.
Cameron and Ryan turned and faced one another. There was tension of all sorts between them. Most of all, there was a deep layer of hurt.
Cameron barked, "Oh, give me a break, Ryan! I let you play the victim with Marcus because I knew we hurt you, but I have it on good authority that you've been fucking Tanner."
Ryan's eyes went wide, and he turned as pale as a ghost. He was both shocked and upset. There was no denying it. He had indeed been doing things with Tanner since discovering Marcus's affair. How Cameron knew would be a mystery to figure out another day.
"If I fucked Tanner, it was only after you first fucked Marcus."
Cameron raised his eyebrow, "If?" He was basically daring Ryan to deny the truth.
"ENOUGH," yelled Gill. "This is my fault. I created the hurt and secrets running through this family."
Cameron and Ryan turned to face Gill. Neither one had expected him to say that. Cameron had thought, if anything, that Gill would blame him every chance he got. This was an unexpected development.
Ryan was confused. He asked, "What are you talking about, Dad? You didn't do anything wrong. Why would you say that?"
Gill took a deep breath, "Maybe not today, but this all starts with me and what I've done. Years ago, before I met your mother, I was in love with a man."
"What?" Ryan was shocked by the admission. "You're not gay, though."
"Let him finish, Ryan," Eric instructed. He knew that they needed to hear Gill out.
"Fuck you, bro. Our dad just admitted to being in love with a guy. I have questions," Ryan screamed as he tried to make sense of things.
Gill held up his hand to silence his youngest son. He had to speak while he still had the courage to do so. It wasn't an easy task, but it was necessary now that his family had been broken.
"Let me speak while I have the courage, Ryan. Then I'll answer any questions you have after that."
Ryan nodded his head in agreement. As much as he wanted to protest, he knew his father well enough to know when he meant business. There would be time to ask questions later, and he had to accept that.
Gill cleared his throat, "It wasn't just any man. I was in love with my brother, your Uncle Will. Back then, it wasn't safe to be open about loving men. Your uncle was curious, and I was eager to have him. He was my first everything, and I loved him. Only he didn't have the same feelings. He was just having fun and exploring his sexuality. Then he met Carol, and he fell in love. I was jealous, so I tried to break them up. People didn't want them together because Will was a bad boy."
"Mom, is this true," Ryan asked her.
"Yeah," she said as she sobbed.
"So," Gill continued. "I put myself in Carol's path and it didn't take long for me to realize why Will loved her. I fell in love as well, but we both loved Will more than we loved one another. When he died, we were both completely and utterly devastated. It led us to get back together. I tried to bury all those feelings. I took Cam under my wings as my own son. The older he got, the more and more he looked like Will."
"I was his replacement," Cameron said. It was more of a statement, though it sounded like a question.
"Not at first," Gill answered. "At first, I saw you as this strapping young man who looked like my brother. Then I started to notice the way Ryan clung to you. He was acting the way I did around Will. I already knew you had been exploring with guys, Cam."
"So, you preyed on me," Cam yelled at him. All his years of hurt came surfacing.
Gill quickly denied, "No! It wasn't like that. One night, Eric found all the letters I had written about Will. He confronted me, and I took the letters, and that night, I read them, and all those feelings and emotions came flooding back. I came downstairs, and Cameron, you were wrestling with Ryan."
