Against All Odds Ch. 20 by Chancem77
Discover the thrilling continuation of 'Against All Odds' in Chapter 20, where passion ignites and desires unfold in this captivating gay erotic sex story. Dive into a world of love, lust, and unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Read now for an unforgettable experience!<br/>
Thomas leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes dimmed as memories of the past began to flood his mind. Shadows shifted, twisting on the walls as the fire crackled in the hearth.
“It was supposed to be a night of celebration,” he began, his voice low and distant, like someone recounting a dream they wished they’d forgotten. “Christmas Eve. Stephen and Lilian always threw the grandest parties and that year was no exception. Anyone who was anyone was there. Business associates, city officials, and politicians. The city’s elite, most powerful and wealthiest families, all gathered for the celebration.”
He paused, taking a deliberate sip of his tea, eyes flickering to Noah and Riley as if gauging their reactions. “You were just a boy, Noah. Barely right years old. Charlie was four. You snuck out of bed. I suppose you couldn’t resist the sight of all those guests and lights. You always did have that streak of curiosity in you.”
Noah stiffened slightly and his eyes widened with surprise. Flashes of his nightmare came back and he realized that his nightmares were memories, memories his mind had repressed.
Thomas chuckled some. “You thought I didn’t know, didn’t you? My dear boy, there isn’t a thing that goes on under this roof that I don’t know about. Your secrets are my secrets as were your parents.” I’ve always been there, behind the scenes. Always watching, always listening. It’s how I’ve protected this family for so long.”
Riley shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hands gripping his tea cup tighter. “You…you spy on us?”
“Monitor.” Thomas corrected. “I monitor everything that goes on in this house. Oh, don’t look so horrified.” Thomas rolled his eyes. “I have no interest in your more…intimate moments. I try to preserve your privacy whenever possible.”
“Thank God for that.” Noah said, pressing his lips together in a thin line.
Thomas eyed Riley carefully, observing how he held his cup between his hands but didn’t drink. “Is it too cold?” Thomas asked, gesturing to the tea. “I can warm it up if you like.”
“What?” Riley glanced down seeing the still full cup in his hands, almost forgetting what it was he had been holding onto for so long. “No, it’s fine. You were saying, about the party?”
“Ah, yes.” Thomas’s gaze shifted from Riley to Noah and the untouched cup sitting on the table before him. Riley didn’t miss the slightly disappointed look that Thomas gave the cup. “The party,” Thomas continued, “most of the guests had gone for the night. Stephen was busy dealing with the caterers and staff. I was there, of course, overseeing everything. After Eric had put you and Charlie to bed, he joined Jim downstairs. They were the last to leave once the party had wrapped up. By four in the morning the mansion was nearly empty, only a few of the regular staff remained but they too were beginning to thin out. Stephen and Lilian wanted to relax and unwind after hosting such a lavish party. They were exhausted.
However, the still, quiet of the night would soon be broken by a woman’s scream.”
“Lilian.” Noah said suddenly, more memories of the night resurfacing. “I heard my mother scream, that’s what woke me up. I went to investigate and saw a man in a ski mask holding a gun on my father. Mother had her hands and ankles bound.”
“That’s right.” Thomas nodded. “I think you know what happened after that. The gunman forced Stephen, at gunpoint, into his office where he demanded Stephen open the safe.”
“He wanted money?” Noah looked perplexed. “If all he wanted was money, then why kill my father? Why not just take the money and go?”
Before Thomas could answer though, the truth of the situation hit Noah with the force of an atomic bomb. Noah had interrupted them. Just as he had seen it in his dreams, the memories of that night came rushing back, flooding his mind.
“He was trying to protect me.” Noah said softly, a look of pure horror etched across his face. “I interrupted them, surprised the gunman, and my father tried to protect me from him. It was my fault, just like I’d always feared. If I hadn’t been there, my father might still be alive.”
Noah hung his head. He’d always hoped that his nightmares were just that, nightmares. Figments of his imagination but they weren’t. It had happened. All of it. It had all been real.
“You don’t know that he wouldn’t have killed your father even if you hadn’t been there.” Riley told him. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened, Noah. You were just a child.”
“Riley’s correct, Noah. What happened wasn’t your fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame the man who shot him.”
Noah looked up then. His eyes were red and filled with tears but he took a deep breath and reminded himself of why they were there. The story wasn’t finished yet, and Noah still had questions.
“Who was he?” Noah asked, his voice hard and his eyes narrowed in anger as he thought about the man who had taken his father from him. “Who was the gunman? Did the police ever find him?”
“That’s the truth I have worked all these years to keep from you, Noah.” Thomas reached for Noah’s tea cup. “Let me warm that up for you before we continue.”
“No.” Noah put his hand over the cup, stopping Thomas. “The tea is fine. I want you to answer my question.”
“Something stronger then? Brandy perhaps?”
Noah, growing frustrated, glared at Thomas. “I don’t need a drink.” He snapped. “Stop stalling and tell me what I want to know.”
Riley watched Thomas as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t understand why the old man was acting so oddly. Was he avoiding the truth or was there something else going on? Riley looked down at the cup of tea in his hands and suddenly his blood went cold. He set his cup aside then carefully moved Noah’s out of reach.
“Noah,” he said, his voice low. He turned to look at Noah but also watched Thomas closely from the corner of his eye. “We should go.”
“Answer my question.” Noah growled, ignoring Riley’s pleas to leave.
“William Bartlett. Better known to his friends as Billy.” Thomas leaned back in his chair but he was far from relaxed. Riley noted the tension building in his shoulders and the way his jaw clenched as he spoke. His gaze drifted over to the tea cups, now far out of reach from Noah and he scowled as his fingers nervously began to tap the arm of the chair he sat in.
“So, who was he?” Noah asked again, refusing to give up until he was satisfied with the answer.
“He claimed to be Eleanor’s ex lover. He came here looking for revenge, or money. At least that’s what I overheard him saying on the security tapes. He threatened to expose your father, and Lilian. Blame them for Eleanor’s death and stealing her child. Stephen offered him money to go away and he accepted.” Thomas looked directly at Noah then, the weight of the truth bearing down, chipping away at Noah’s memories, revealing more of what happened that night.
Noah’s hands trembled, the memories rising like shadows in the back of his mind. He had blocked out so much–his father’s death, the horror of that night–but Thomas’s words brought it all back.