Lost In Love

 The dedication is to MB_Pryor for the wonderful cover.

Trent walked into his uncle’s house and tried to close the back door silently.  He was afraid that his uncle would see that his nose was bleeding, and he didn’t want to disappoint his uncle.  Although disappointment was a feeling that Trent was well acquainted with, the judgment usually didn’t from his uncle. 

With the door being closed successfully, Trent turned and made his way across the kitchen.  He considered stopping at the sink in order to clean the blood from his nose, but thought about the noise drawing his uncle’s attention, he didn’t want to worry the old man.  Instead, he continued to make his way out of his uncle’s kitchen and into the hallway towards to stairs to his room. 

Trent had always thought of the house as his uncle’s, but it was actually the house that his parents had owned.  So, in fact, the house belonged to Trent since the death of his parents.  Trent’s uncle stepped in to care for him when he was seven years old.  They had been together ever since.

Relief flooded through Trent as his foot landed on the first step.  He allowed a small sigh to escape his mouth as he raised his foot to take the second stair.  He had made it.  There was no way his uncle would see him before he was able to clean himself up.

What Trent didn’t know is that his uncle had watched from the front window as Trent had parked his car by the road and crouched down as he passed by the side windows.  He knew what had happened as soon as he spied the crimson stain on Trent’s favorite light blue dress shirt.  He had already removed his tie and the shirt hung open where a few buttons were missing.

Silas loved his nephew and hated the way he let people treat him.  Trent was a big guy and could certainly defend himself.  Trent had a strong jaw, broad shoulders and muscular arms.  But Trent never once used his muscular features to protect himself.  No, not Trent, people always said he was as meek and mild as they come.  Sometimes Silas doubted this appraisal of Trent.  One day- Trent would blow.

Silas watched from around the corner near the stairs as Trent snuck across the floor.  Silas grimaced as he watched Trent’s brown hair fall across his eyes because as it was pushed back Silas noticed the dried blood that had smeared across Trent’s face.  Anger bubbled up in Silas’ throat until he felt that he himself would explode.

Silas couldn’t fight it any longer.  He reached out and grabbed hold of Trent’s arm just as his foot was about to land on the second stair.  A jolt of surprise ran through Trent.  He had been sure he was in the clear.  His wide eyes focused from the meaty hand on his arm to the chocolate eyes of his uncle.  Trent saw the anger in his uncle’s eyes and felt bad about being the cause.

Silas cleared the emotion from his throat before he spoke, “Trent, what happened to you this time.”  Silas knew that he sounded mad, and he was.  Silas was mad at whatever low-life had hit his nephew.

“Uncle Silas, it’s no big deal.  It’s just the same old stuff.  I’m not in trouble or anything.”  Trent held his gaze straight at Silas as he spoke.  He couldn’t bear for his uncle to think that he’d been out fighting for fun or making trouble.  He didn’t want Silas to think he was like his dad.

“It is a big deal, Trent.  Which one of them was it this time?”  Silas knew that Trent wasn’t the type to make trouble; he wouldn’t even take up for himself when he needed to.  Silas also knew that one or all three of the Green brothers had tried to pick a fight with Trent.

Trent could hear the hint of relief in Silas’ voice when he asked his question so he knew that he would have to answer his uncle honestly.  “It was Joe.  You know, the little one,” Trent answered with a smirk.