Beneath the Surface (19 page)

He stared at his brother as he lay in the bed, his skin almost as white as the hospital sheets. Large dark circles rested underneath Taylor’s eyes, and his cheekbones were more prominent than he recalled.

Kyran racked his brain, trying to pinpoint the moment his brother had changed or when he realized that things were not right with him. However, their relationship had never been perfect, so finding the exact moment it started to deteriorate was almost impossible. Taylor resented Kyran because he’d been the one to parent his younger brother. But what choice did he have when no one else would? Taylor was angry at the world, but his anger had taken a nasty turn.

At the moment, Kyran longed for nothing more than to be able to turn the clock back and see that pivotal point—the one where Taylor changed from an angry kid needing his father’s affection to an adult who hated life so much he chose drugs to escape. His father had a hand in this. He should be there, helping Taylor and working on fixing the mistakes of their past.

But once again, his father was absent, and Kyran had no choice but to take his place. Resentment rested heavy on his shoulders.

A few hours earlier, Kyran had looked through Taylor’s clothes, desperate to find something that would answer one of his many questions.

His search had been pointless, and he grew increasingly frustrated. He’d searched through the contacts in his brother’s cell, although the lack of any numbers with the title
drug dealer
left him at a complete loss.

Kyran snorted at himself, feeling somewhat stupid for even thinking Taylor would list his dealer in such an obvious way.

“I can’t see what’s so amusing,” his brother croaked out, groaning when he tried to move.

Kyran jumped up and eyed him from head to toe. He reached his hand out to his brother’s but stopped, not able to touch him or make that connection yet. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Taylor rubbed his temple. “Fuck, I feel like I’ve done ten rounds with you at the club.”

“That bad, huh?” Kyran paused, comprehending what Taylor had said.

“Wait. You know about that?”

Taylor nodded then winced at the stretch in his neck muscles. “We all have our secrets, man. You just haven’t hidden yours as well as I have, I guess.”

Deciding to shelve the conversation about his boxing, Kyran sat back down. “Why?”

Taylor lowered his eyes as he tried to swallow. “Can I get some water?”

“If you’ll talk to me, sure.”

“You’re holding the water hostage? That’s low.”

Kyran poured the cool water into a clear, plastic cup and held his brother’s head as he took a series of small sips. It was probably the nicest thing he’d done for him since they were kids, and that thought made him rather sad.

“I don’t know how to explain it so that you’ll all understand,” Taylor said after pulling his lips away from the cup.

“Well, you’re going to have to try. This is one hell of a fuckup, Taylor.” Kyran fought to keep his tone low and calm.

“How long have I been out?”

“A while. Scared the shit out of Dale.” Kyran inhaled and ran his hand over his head. “She found you. She fucking found you on the floor and thought you were dead. What the hell were you doing?”

Taylor closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before pressing the button on the bed to elevate the back of it. “No matter what I say, it’ll be wrong. No one will understand my reasons.”

Kyran raised his voice and pushed the sleeves of his shirt up. “I don’t know what your reasons are! So how can you decide what I wouldn’t understand? I’m not going let you keep dodging the bullet. We all knew you drank. We all knew it was too much, and every damn one of us assumed your issues were liquor based. How in the hell did you function every day? How much shit did you snort up your nose? Talk.”

“Not much to say.” Taylor shrugged. “I tried it once at a party about five years ago. I liked the buzz, so I took it again every once in a while.”

“Owing someone fifteen thousand isn’t ‘every once in a while.’ Don’t fucking lie to me.”

“Okay, so it was a little more than that. The money sort of got out of hand, though. I had no idea it had clocked up to that. A phone call here, a delivery there, and wham, I owe the guy fifteen grand. How is that even possible?”

“Don’t fucking ask me! Why don’t you have enough to cover it? Why did you need to go begging to Clara?”

Taylor winced. “Like I said before, a few phone calls and deliveries left me a little short.”

Kyran was starting to lose his temper. “That’s it? That’s your explanation?” He held Taylor’s chin between his thumb and index finger and squeezed until his brother gave in and faced him.

“Dude, you’re hurting me.”

“Dude
, I don’t care.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Taylor tore his chin away. He held his head in his hands as he cursed and moaned.

“You get what? That I’m pissed off with the way you behave? That I’m tired of doing all the work? Or that I just don’t understand why you snort that shit? Which is it?”

Kyran felt like he was about to explode. No matter how much he tried to talk himself down, it didn’t work. Taylor would always have the ability to light his fuse.

“I get that I disappoint you all. Every fucking one of you!” Taylor’s voice broke, but he didn’t stop. “But no matter what I do, it’s wrong. You took Dad’s side over mine when it came to the Landry project. You sided with Clara over the investment I brought to the business, and you stand there shoving your guilt onto me? You’re pissed at yourself because you didn’t care. I come to work out of my goddamned mind most days, and it’s okay with you as long as it was alcohol? You’re good with me being a drunk but not a junkie? Do you know how fucked up that is? Christ, you all believed Tori! She lied, and you accepted her bullshit as truth, never even asking for my side of things. I’m not gonna lie, I touched her but she gave |

me the okay. I’m not a fucking moron. I know what yes means. So,
that’s
what I get
, dear brother.”

Taylor’s doctor entered the room. “Can I ask what all the shouting is about?” He looked from Kyran to Taylor and back. Taylor began to cough and reached for the water but missed and knocked the cup to the floor. The doctor rushed to pick it up and pressed the buzzer to alert a nurse. “Well?”

“Family stuff,” the brothers said in unison.

“I see.” The doctor pursed his lips and shot Kyran a sharp look. “I suggest the conversation be left for another time. Your brother remains in serious condition, and elevating his heart rate is not a good idea until we’ve conducted more tests.”

The nurse came in, filled a new cup with water, and helped Taylor drink it. Kyran rubbed his bare forearms, ignoring the nurse’s raised brow as she noticed his tattoos. He hadn’t felt warm since before Dale had discovered Taylor at the office. The chill of dread would not leave him.

“I think you should go home and get some rest. Your presence here is not helping your brother’s recovery.”

Kyran nodded, turning back to his brother when the nurse left. “Don’t think I’m about to ignore the disaster you made with the Dolteen contract either. Dale told me.”

“She would,” Taylor said, his top lip curling.

“Don’t you fucking dare say anything about her.” He walked toward the door, his shoulders sagging with defeat. “You need to give me the details on the guy you owe money to. I’ll sort it out, but once again, you owe me.”

“And I bet you’re keeping track.”

If he hadn’t been so exhausted, Kyran would have argued with his brother. However, he was weary and in need of food and a shower. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Taylor didn’t respond.

But his words stuck with Kyran as he drove, and each accusation hit him hard. The more he thought about each point Taylor had made, the more confused he became. Kyran tried to recall the exact details of the Landry project and why he’d sided with their father. He also tried to focus on what had happened with Tori, questioning every aspect of the situation as he remembered it.

Kyran’s intention had been to go home and sleep, to block the last twenty-four hours out of his mind. He drove without thinking until he parked on an unfamiliar street. Kyran looked up at the windows of the apartments.

Dale had left the light on.

*****************

The knock at her front door wasn’t a complete surprise; Dale had expected it and didn’t need to ask who it was. She had
felt
Kyran even though she had been sleeping when the first knock woke her.

Walking to the door, Dale tried to tidy her sleep-ravaged hair by combing her fingers through the knots and tangles. She checked her appearance in the hallway mirror. The knocking became more insistent, and Dale decided she didn’t have time to change out of her shorts and tank top.

If she didn’t answer the door soon, Kyran would wake her neighbors.

It felt weird having him come here, to her home. They had always gone to his place or the club. Her apartment wasn’t large or luxurious, and the view was of the brick wall belonging to the next building. She had mold, problems with the water, and the furnace never worked for more than twenty minutes. Nevertheless, it was home. Her home.

Opening the door, Dale melted at the sight of him. Tired, upset, and in need of comfort. “Hey,” she said in greeting.

Kyran took a step forward and wrapped his arm around Dale’s waist and pulled her body against his. He buried his face in the crook of her neck.

“I’m sorry to come by so late. I didn’t know where else to go. I—”

“Shush.” She shuffled them back into her apartment without letting go of him. “There’s no need to explain yourself to me. I get it, Ky.”

He kissed her cheek, her forehead, and then the very tip of her nose.

“Thank you.”

He looked drained, and his eyes were bloodshot, as though he’d been crying. Dale wanted to ask if he had but worried about his reaction. She shifted from his embrace and walked over to her small kitchen to make coffee. Dale left him to wander around her tiny living space. Kyran seemed to take special interest in checking out her pictures and knickknacks.

When she turned to hand him a cup, she noticed he’d moved to the couch. Kyran was seated and resting his head on the cushions with his eyes closed. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

Dale stood in front of him, holding out the steaming mug. “Ky.”

Kyran opened his green eyes and focused on her but gave nothing away. She didn’t know what to do to make it better for him—to ease his heartache.

He saved her from such turmoil by crooking his finger at her. Without a second thought, she moved closer.

“My lap, baby.”

He’d called her
baby
once before, but Dale was certain he’d been unaware of the slip. Once again, she let it slide. Kyran sounded too tired to talk even if she were to raise the subject. So she did as he asked and climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips.

“Kiss me,” Kyran said.

“You need some rest and—”

“Kiss me, Dale. Please.”

Hearing the desperation in his voice, Dale lost her mind and brought her lips to his. She kissed him with everything she had—tender and slow, loving yet seductive. Kyran didn’t try to change it. He went right along with it, tilting his head further to the left so they could make the kiss deeper.

Lust raged through her body; the bone-deep need to soothe him overrode everything. Trailing her fingers down his neck, she felt the coarse stubble of his beard against her skin.

Dale longed to tell him everything would be okay, that Taylor would get sober. She didn’t. Something told her Kyran needed a physical connection, not a verbal one.

Not another word was spoken. Their fingers, tongues, lips, and bodies said everything they needed to. Dale and Kyran continued to kiss as they undressed one another. Dale hummed with desire and nibbled on Kyran’s neck, withholding the words that would declare her love for him. The sensations flowing between them would be enough for now.

“Take your shorts off,” Kyran whispered.

Without question, Dale shifted off his lap and stood before him. She shimmied her cotton shorts down her legs, taking her panties with them.

His sharp intake of breath broke the silence as he gazed at her naked form.

Leaning forward, he kissed her stomach. Dale lifted her leg and attempted to straddle him again. He caught her ankle in his hand and placed her foot on his thigh. It left her open to him, her aroused sex clear for him to see. Following his gaze, Dale knew what his next move would be.

Dale whimpered when he lowered his head to her pussy. Her knees buckled and her head spun the more attention he gave her. Dale’s stomach began to spasm, but just when she thought she was about to come, Kyran slowed his tongue before pressing it hard against her clit.

“Holy hell.” She gripped his head and held him in place.

Kyran’s tongue continued its assault, licking and swirling across her sensitive nub. Dale lost all conscious thought, forgetting about the world beyond her couch. Dale could feel beads of sweat start to break out across her forehead from the intensity of her orgasm and the strokes of his tongue.

Her sounds of passion increased, turning into a growl of complaint when Kyran reared his head back.

“I have to be inside you, Dale. I need you surrounding my cock and making me forget.”

Easing her foot to the floor, he kissed her navel and nipped at her abdomen. With a mind of their own, her hips thrust forward, wanting him to do more delicious things with his dirty little tongue, but Kyran was set on another position. One just as satisfying.

He undid the buttons of his fly and pulled his cock from his underwear. Dale watched him, fascinated as he took it in his grasp and pumped it three times. His seed seeped from the tip. It was one of the most erotic things Dale had ever seen—one she wanted to watch until he reached orgasm. But even though his knuckles paled from his tight hold and his face contorted with emotion, she realized he wasn’t going to allow her that sight just yet. She knew he wanted to bury himself inside her and use her body to escape from his troubles.

Kyran looked into Dale’s eyes and slowed his hand on his cock. With his other hand he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and retrieved his wallet. Kyran pulled a condom from inside it and sheathed himself, all the while never breaking eye contact. Dale smiled at him. Her heart swelled with unspoken affection as she climbed back onto his lap.