Heart Unheard Read online

  Brent patted his leg gently. He pulled to a stop and opened the console between the seats to hand Scott a pad. He was surprised to see a letter.

  Scott,

  You will be just fine today because you’re strong and you love what you do. I have no doubt that you can do anything you set your mind to. You’re smart and a brilliant mechanic. Take the time to get your feet under you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Deaf people are scientists, nurses, engineers, and just about anything else you can think of, so you can be deaf and be a great mechanic. I have faith in you, and so does Trevor, as well as the rest of your colleagues. They are all looking forward to your return. So when things get difficult or frustrating, just ask for help.

  We are all there for you.

  Brent.

  Damn. Brent had known he wasn’t able to talk to him while they rode, so he’d put his thoughts in a note. Scott read it again and then removed the page from the notebook, folded it, and put it in his pocket. “Thank you.” If Brent had said those words to him, Scott would have thought they were nice. What surprised him was that seeing them written down and being able to read them over again made it more solid.

  He let Brent drive in peace and watched as the buildings passed by. The closer they got to work, the more excited Scott grew. They turned into the lot, and Brent pulled into his usual spot. Scott practically jumped out of the car and hurried inside. He inhaled deeply, the scent of grease and oil familiar and strangely comforting. It meant he was home in a way, at a place where he was useful and could contribute.

  Clyde brought Lee over, and Lee hugged Scott tight. It felt so good to be with his friend again.

  “I’m doing okay,” Scott told him. As usual, communication was one-way, but he led Lee back to their spot. Lee made his way over to where he’d been working and returned with his tablet, which he set up near their toolboxes.

  I missed you, Lee typed. Just so you know, you aren’t allowed to do that again. You scared the crap out of me. I thought I was going to lose my best friend.

  “I promise I’ll do my best.” Scott knew Lee had been worried and his teasing was just a way of letting that out. “So what are you working on?”

  Clyde and I just finished a brake job. So now I’m free to work with you again. Brent told me he has another relining for us to do. Clyde is going to bring it in for us, and we can get started. Lee vibrated with excitement as he typed.

  “Great. I’m dressed and ready, so we can get to work.” Scott touched Lee’s arm. “I really am doing well, and I think they might have found the car that hit me, so it’s just a matter of time before they find the guy.”

  Clyde said they were hopeful that your hearing might come back. Has it at all? Lee typed.

  “No. I thought it might for a while, but it isn’t. A few times I thought I might be hearing things, but it was in my head. They were just phantom sounds of some type.”

  I had those too, with my sight. I used to see flashes sometimes and thought I was getting my vision back, but it was the same sort of thing. I’d stand in the sun and feel the warmth and then I’d think I could see light, but it was just my body associating the warmth of the sun with the light. Lee smiled sadly at him. I’m really sorry this is happening to you.

  “It’s okay. I’m taking it one day at a time and figuring things out.” Scott hugged Lee once again. “Do you want to get started?”

  After Clyde brought in the car, they got into position and slowly began removing the wheels to get to the brakes. Things went as well as Scott could have hoped. The job took longer than usual because they needed to develop ways to communicate with each other. A lot more of what they did together was through touch, but in the end, the brake pads were changed and the repair completed. Clyde checked their work for them, and they were good to go.

  Scott took a brief break to get a drink and a breath of fresh air. As he stepped outside, a car pulled into the lot. As soon as Scott saw the driver, he groaned and went back inside. “We have an unwelcome customer,” Scott told Brent, and he stood, glancing out of the window.

  “I got it,” Brent said, and Scott knew he should go back to work, but he was dying to know why Spencer would be here. He left the office as Spencer entered the work area and approached when he saw Scott, his mouth moving a mile a minute.

  “You do realize I’m deaf,” Scott told him, rolling his eyes. “That means I can’t hear you.” He reached to the desk and handed him a pad and pen, then waited while Spencer wrote his note.

  I need to talk to you. I asked around and found out where you worked. His hand shook, and Scott wondered what they could possibly have to talk about.

  “If you need work on your car, you can talk to my boss, and he’ll see if we have any room on the schedule. Other than that, I don’t think there’s much to say to each other.” Scott looked around. “I know what you want to believe happened all those years ago, and you and your friends have made my life miserable ever since. Now you want something… Lord knows what….” This was the weirdest visit Scott had ever had in his life.

  Spencer shifted from foot to foot as Brent came over. He talked to Spencer, who looked around, confused, and then Brent escorted him back to his car and watched until Spencer was gone before returning to Scott.

  What did he want?

  Scott shrugged. “I have no idea. He said we needed to talk, but I didn’t have anything to say, and I was going to ask him to leave.” He turned to where Spencer had gone. “I don’t know what he wants.”

  Brent heaved a deep breath and motioned toward the office. Scott followed him, and Brent closed the door after them. Then he pulled out his wallet and withdrew a small piece of paper.

  “Is that the name from the other night?” Scott asked, and Brent nodded, handing the piece of paper to him. Scott opened it and paled, looking up at Brent to make sure this was real. “He’s the asshole who hit me?”

  Brent reached for the pad on his desk. I don’t know for sure, but he owns the car that we saw at the garage, and now he was here to see you. I expect he was trying to scope things out and see if you knew anything. I mean, if you went ballistic when he showed up, he’d know that you knew he’d hit you.

  “What did you tell him?”

  That you were busy and had work to do. If he wanted to talk to you, then he needed to do it on his own time. That guy is creepy. He kept looking around at everyone except me. Brent shivered, and Scott was seconds from doing the same.

  Scott turned away, trying to get a handle around the fact that one of the holier-than-thous had actually hit him. His hands clenched to fists. “What a fucking asshole. He looks down on me for who I am, but that bastard hits me, sends me to the hospital, does all this stuff to me, and then drives away and expects that he’s going to get away with it.”

  Brent wrote frantically. He isn’t. The police are handling it, and you need to stay away from him.

  “Do my parents know?” Scott asked but found it hard to talk around the anger and huge lump of bile that kept rising in his throat.

  Brent shook his head. Your dad didn’t want to know. He was afraid if he did, he’d do something he’d regret. He tossed the pad aside and pulled Scott into a hug.

  Scott had no idea what the hell he was going to do. His world had just been turned on its head again. The accident had been bad enough, and thinking about some nameless, faceless person hitting him and driving away was one thing. But someone he knew and had once been friends with?

  “Why would someone do this to me?” Scott asked, his throat rough and scratchy. “What the hell did I ever do to him that was so bad that he would do this? I know he thinks I’m a threat to his illusion of straightness, but what the fucking hell?” He clung to Brent because if he didn’t, he was going to scream and go running through the garage, throwing everything he could get his damn hands on.

  Scott closed his eyes and tried to calm the roiling, churning pit of despair and acrimony that whirled in his gut. After a few seconds, he began picturing S
pencer laid out on the road with cars rolling over him until he was as flat as a pancake, like in an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. Hell, that’s too fucking good for him. “They should string him up by his toes, or worse, they should make him deaf so he can know what he did to me.” Scott shook like a leaf, as wave after wave of meanness and cruelty washed over him. “Spencer needs to fucking suffer.”

  More than anything right now, he wished he could hear Brent, just once. He needed a soothing voice to help calm him down and stop the parade of mayhem and destruction going through his head.

  Brent stroked his back slowly, up and down, and the anger dissipated, leaving Scott confused and as agitated as he’d ever been.

  “I have to go back to work,” Scott said, needing to do something to get this out of his mind.

  Brent released him and grabbed the pad off the desk. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?

  “Somehow.”

  I wasn’t going to show you the name because we don’t know for sure. There’s a possibility that the car isn’t the one that hit you.

  Scott shrugged. He knew in his heart that was the car. He’d felt it that night, and he was even more certain now. The only thing still nagging at the back of his mind was whether Spencer had known it was him and left him there. Did Spencer hit him on purpose? That question sent a chill up his spine that nearly buckled his legs. Sure, he and Spencer didn’t care for each other, but Scott didn’t want to think Spencer would want to hurt him that way… on purpose.

  I think hitting your car was an accident, Brent wrote.

  “How did you know I was wondering that?” Scott asked.

  Because I’d wonder the same thing in your position. I think he was scared shitless and took off without thinking about it. He probably had a lot to drink and wasn’t thinking clearly. When he hit you, the only thing he could think about was getting the hell out of there. Brent slipped the pad in his pocket before pulling out his phone. He brought up Scott’s home number and showed him the display.

  Scott shook his head. He didn’t want Brent to call his parents. He needed to figure out how to deal with this on his own, and he wasn’t going to run home to Mommy and Daddy at the first moment. “I’ll be okay.” He breathed deeply, and Brent hugged him again. Scott closed his eyes, inhaling Brent’s scent, letting it calm him. In his arms, Scott was safe. Nothing was going to happen to him while Brent was close.

  Scott stepped back and gave Brent’s hand a quick squeeze before leaving the office.

  Lee was waiting for him, and they got busy on the next job. Scott found it hard to concentrate at first, but Lee was counting on him to be his eyes, just like Scott needed Lee to be his ears, so he had to be on his game, and dammit, whatever had happened the night of the accident, it was going to come out in the end. Scott would have to make sure it did. There were too many questions he needed the answers to.

  SCOTT MADE it through the end of the day without too many issues. Communicating with Lee was still extra work, but Scott had missed his friend so much, and it was nice to be working with him again. Things weren’t the same, though, just like they weren’t with anyone else in his life.

  Are you doing okay? The day wasn’t too much for you, was it? Brent wrote after Scott sat down on the sofa in Brent’s apartment. He was tired and satisfied. He had made it through the long afternoon, and now the garage was closed and they were alone. The rest of the world, complete with assholes who drove away from accidents, was outside the door. Scott was doing his best to put them out of his mind. He’d have to deal with the facts soon enough. Stressing wasn’t going to do him any good until he knew for sure, and then he’d rip Spencer apart.

  “No. The work part was fine. The rest of it was hard.”

  What do you want to do? The police have the car and are just waiting for the tests. If they come back positive, then they can take him in and question him. If he did hit you and then drove away, he’ll be in huge trouble. Brent sat down next to him, letting him read the note. We can’t give away that we know.

  “But he’s going to know. His cousin works at Wilson’s, and I’m sure he’ll have told him that the police were interested in his car. He’s already shown up here at work. What if he causes trouble at home?” Scott shook a little. “I mean, what kind of sane, stable person just drives away from an accident when someone has been hurt like I was?” In his effort to figure this whole thing out, Scott only ended up going in circles.

  Do you want to forget all about this for a while? Brent wrote, and when Scott nodded, Brent tossed the pad aside, stood, and helped Scott to his feet. Then he slowly led him out of the room, turning out the lights.

  In the bedroom Scott stood in the center with Brent behind him. Strong arms wound around his chest. It was pitch-dark, and that was fine. Scott didn’t want to see; he only wanted to feel.

  Brent’s searing hands slid under his shirt, pushed the fabric upward, then plucked his nipples, sending sheer delight running through him. Brent didn’t seem to be in any hurry. When Scott lifted his arms, Brent tugged his shirt off over his head and drew him closer. Heated lips skimmed along his shoulders as a huge, strong hand cupped his pec, teasing his nipple until Scott’s knees threatened to buckle under him. Still Brent didn’t stop. He sucked lightly at the base of Scott’s neck, hot breath smoothing over his skin.

  “That’s really nice.” Scott leaned back against Brent’s solid form. So much in his life that he’d counted on was turning to quicksand under his feet. At least it felt that way sometimes. Work and even everyday things he’d taken for granted were no longer there, or were so much harder than they were just a month or so ago.

  Scott let his arms dangle, releasing his worries while Brent lightly stroked down his chest and side. The scars were healed now, just sensitive, and Brent avoided them for the most part. “It’s nice to be touched.”

  Brent held him a little tighter, sucking at the base of his neck, stroking long and slow over Scott’s chest and down his quivering belly. Scott held his breath as Brent teased above his belt, willing Brent to go farther and shifting to give him access should he slide his hand down into his jeans. But Brent didn’t. He stepped back and guided Scott to sit on the side of the bed and then lie back. Brent lay next to him.

  Hot breath ghosted over Scott’s belly, followed by molten lips and a tongue that blazed a trail upward until those lips curled around his nipple. Scott moaned softly, the air rumbling through his chest. He couldn’t hear it, but he could feel it, and Brent shook next to him.

  Brent’s lips danced over Scott’s chest and then down his belly, his fingers opening Scott’s belt and then the button at the top of his jeans. Brent popped the rest until his jeans spread open. It was sublime, and Scott lay back, unmoving, letting Brent have full control. It felt good to be taken care of, petted, even adored. Brent kissed him as he ran a hand over his chest and belly without stopping, sliding the waistband of his briefs down. His fingers slid over Scott’s cock, and waves of desire overtook him when Brent gripped him.

  “I wish I knew what you were saying to me.” Scott placed his fingers at Brent’s neck. The vibrations of his words tickled his fingertips, but he had no idea what Brent was telling him. Brent just kissed him harder, pushed him onto the soft mattress, and he shifted around him until Brent pressed his chest to Scott’s before sliding down him, taking the last of Scott’s clothes as he went.

  Opening his eyes, Scott blinked as the sensation and heat slipped away. There was just enough light for him to see Brent taking off his clothes. Then a naked and beautifully excited Brent climbed back onto the bed and waited as Scott got comfortable. Brent straddled him, their bodies connected, lips to lips, chest to chest, legs sliding along each other, cocks throbbing slightly as Brent moved his hips in delicious time to Scott’s ever-faster beating heart. He held Brent, taking in the muscles of his back as he explored downward to cup Brent’s firm asscheeks.

  “Damn, you feel good.” He smiled as Brent smiled back at him.

  �
�So do you,” Brent answered simply, pointing at him, then nipped at his lower lip.

  Scott arched under him, wanting more, but as Brent reached to the nightstand, Scott held still. The glint of foil caught the sliver of light from between the curtains. He thought Brent dropped it on the bed, but didn’t really care because Brent gripped him tighter, kissing harder, his fingers dipping lower, sending little, thrilling ripples of anticipation racing from head to toe.

  Slick fingers teased him, and Scott parted his legs farther, needing to give what Brent wanted, getting everything in return. The lingering soreness in his chest was gone. He and Brent had taken it easy up until now, but Scott was ready. He wanted all of Brent, and he intended to get it.

  “Jesus,” Scott groaned under his breath, losing track of what he was saying as Bret slid down him. He held his breath as Brent breached him for the first time, preparing him in the most deliciously hot way possible. Scott whimpered, unable to get enough, willing for more, and Brent delivered until he wasn’t able to control himself any longer.

  Brent got into position between his legs and looked down at him, eyes shining in the darkness. Scott wanted to see him more clearly but wasn’t going to turn on the light and break the spell between them. Brent stroked his cheek and gently caressed his chin, his thumb tracing his lip as he pressed forward, Scott’s body opening to him. Brent moved slowly, increasingly filling him by the second. It was wonderfully amazing, and Scott pressed forward, needing more. Brent stilled, a hand against his cheek, maintaining contact with him. Brent might not be able to talk to him in the conventional sense, but his hands and body spoke loud and clear.