Break My Fall (27 page)

I knew she would be inside.

She never missed a party at our house.

If Mike was able to put two and two together, then it wouldn’t be long until everyone at work realized I had slept with the boss.

I wanted to run.

I could not stay with Mike.

I did not want to blur any lines, and I wouldn’t feel safe.

“No, no I’ll be fine Mike I swear,” I said, opening the car and stepping out.

He was around to my door in a flash.

“Alright, let me walk you to your room at least. Otherwise my conscience won’t let me sleep tonight.”

I examined his face; he seemed genuinely concerned about me.

My heart swelled.

“Okay” I whispered, “Thank you Mike”.

KYLE

She brought him back with her.

I could not believe it.

Lee had brought that douchebag into my mother-fucking house.

I saw her walk through the front door and go upstairs with him.

Pure rage boiled through me, and I wanted to throw her over my shoulders and take her away like a damn caveman.

I flipped out and punched the refrigerator in frustration.

It creaked in response.

My knuckles throbbed, and I welcomed the pain.

People around me were staring.

Let them look, if they didn’t like it they could get the fuck out.

There was only one person whose opinion I cared about, and right now, she was upstairs with that backstabbing little shit.

I knew I had been a dick; showing up drunk at the hotel, but I had to talk to her.

I should have spoken to her sooner, explained to her so she could understand why I couldn’t give her more.

Told her the fucking truth about Rachel, but the fear of her reaction kept me away.

She’d hate me if she knew the truth; if she knew what I had done.

I should have said something though and not have left it go so long but, goddammit I was torn.

Rachel had me by the nut sac, and Lee by another organ I didn’t know worked until she walked into my life.

Fuck, she was like a buffet placed in front of a starving man. I was starving for her.

I figured she would be upset with me, but I didn’t expect her to react the way she did.

I had seen the look in her eyes and it chilled me to the bone.

The devastation.

The disgust.

Lee hated me, and I had no one to blame but myself.

I bet that little shit loved this.

He was probably filling her up with lies right now.

“Hey man you alright? What did the fridge ever do to you?”

Derek stood next to me.

His voice was light, but his eyes were narrowed in concern.

Was I okay?

Fuck no. I was ruined.

I could not talk to him; I needed to talk to Lee.

I made for the staircase, and a hand pulled me back by the shoulder.

“Don’t Kyle, leave her be man. She’s been through enough already,” Derek warned, “She’s not like us. She can’t handle your shit.”

I turned and squared up to him.

I was a half-foot taller than he was so I had the upper hand.

“What the fuck do you know about her?”

I was shaking with anger.

I knew my beef wasn’t with Derek, but right about now any one would do as a punching bag.

“A lot more than you do by the sounds of it asshole,” he answered calmly.

What in the hell was he talking about?

“Do tell.”

I was right in his face, my head bent down in his.

I grabbed his shirt in my fist, and I had to give it to him, Derek didn’t flinch.

He was used to my bullshit moods by now.

I had taken enough of them out on him over the years.

“Kyle man, breathe.”

I couldn’t.

My chest was close to exploding.

The thought of Lee upstairs with that rat bastard Mike made my blood boil.

Yeah that jackass and me had some bad blood.

The thought of him in her room made me go for the stairs again.

Derek dragged me back again.

“Dude, I’m on your side,” he panted, as he tried to restrain me, “I know you hate him man, I hate him too. But now is not the time to air your dirty laundry, you need to sober up.”

I was bucking against him, trying to break free of his bear hug.

The fucker had me pinned and he knew it.

People were definitely staring at us now.

I stopped struggling and slumped, my voice cracked.

“She’s up there with him Derek. She’s fucking up in her room with HIM.”

Derek nudged me, pointing towards the staircase.

I felt like all my prayers were answered.

Mike was at the bottom of the staircase.

Lee sent him away.

He smirked at Derek and me. I barged over to him.

“You gotta problem big brother?” Mike asked, smirking, rat bastard.

“Keep walking asshole,” warned Derek, who had stepped in between the two of us, “Preferably into busy traffic.”

Mike smirked, “Tell Lee, I said goodnight, she should sleep well after…”

He turned to walk out and I lunged forward.

Derek pulled me back,

“Kyle, he’s not worth it, come on man, he’s just trying to fuck with your head. Don’t let him win again.”

Derek held me back long enough for Mike to close the front door behind him.

“That mother fucker better not step one foot inside my house again,” I warned, “I mean it Derek, he comes in here again, and I’ll finish what started two years ago.”

LEE

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay here Lee? My offer still stands,” Mike said as he leaned against my bed.

At first, I thought it was sweet that he walked me to my room, but now I was beginning to get creeped out.

I did not want company, not tonight, and Mike was lingering.

“I’ll be fine Mike,” I said opening my door.

I was dropping major hints.

“But thank you so much, you’re too good to me.”

Mike’s smile faltered for a second, then slipped back into place.

He walked over to where I stood by the door.

“I want to be more than good to you Lee; I like you, a lot.”

He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

I froze.

“I just want you to know you have other options, there’s better out there than Kyle Carter.”

He left, and I swear I could not move my feet even if I wanted to.

What in god’s name had just happened?

Chapter Twenty-four 

LEE

I slept badly last night,

I had been worried Kyle would come to my room.

I need not have bothered; he never came.

For some strange reason, I was upset about that fact.

I was better off though, he was wasted last night, and usually when there was alcohol involved, our discussions went one of two ways.

Either we broke out in a massive argument, or we ended up ripping each other’s clothes off.

I couldn’t stand the thought of feeling used again, so I guess it was better this way.

I was up, showered, and dressed by eight thirty, which was pointless because I was off work for the weekend, two whole days to myself.

I didn’t know what to do with myself.

I heard his bedroom door creak open on my way down the stairs.

“Lee, wait up.”

I thought about running but there was really no place I could go.

I was going to have to suck it up and face him.

“What do you want Kyle?”

I looked back at him.

He was closing his bedroom door.

“I was thinking we could do something today?”

I frowned at him, as he tied the buttons on his red and black plaid shirt.

I tried not to stare at his bare stomach, or the line of dark hair near his belly button, disappearing under the low-slung jeans he had on.

It was harder to ignore now that I knew where that treasure trail of hair led…

“You haven’t spoken to me in a month Kyle. Why do want to do something together now?” I asked when he reached the step above me.

His eyes were bleary, and had dark circles under them.

I guess that’s what he got for getting so trashed last night.

“You have the day off, I have the day off. Why not?”

That was the most disappointing reason that could have come out of his mouth.

I shook my head, and walked down the rest of the stairs.

I needed to get out of here; go for a walk and clear my head.

I’d planned on apartment hunting today, but honestly I didn’t have enough to rent a room let alone a whole apartment.

“No, wait, wait,” Kyle rushed after me, yanking me back from the front door.

“That was stupid; I didn’t mean it like that.”

I exhaled loudly.

I was getting tired of his games.

“What did you mean Kyle?”

“I just want to talk to you Lee. I want to spend some time with you, where it’s just you and me. Can you give me a chance to fix this?”

His blue eyes sliced through me, and my resolve wavered.

“What did you want to do?” I asked quietly.

My brain was screaming at me not to do this; my heart was compelling me to hear him out.

He smiled down at me and opened the door, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

I dragged my gaze away from him.

“I’ll let you decide,” I whispered, grabbing my coat off the back of the door.

KYLE

She was in my truck.

This was good.

It meant I had time to explain things.

But so far, the only words that had come out of my mouth were; ‘you’re welcome,’ when she thanked me for helping her with her seatbelt.

I tried to focus on the road, but my eyes kept drifting over to the passenger seat.

Goddammit she looked adorable, wrapped up in her khaki coat.

She had the hood pulled up and the furry bit framed her face.

She looked like an Eskimo.

The sexiest fucking Eskimo I’d ever seen.

“You cold?” I asked, trying to break the ice.

She turned to face me; her nose was red.

“Yeah, I guess I’m not used to the Colorado weather,” she replied, giving me a tight smile.

“This is mild Lee. Wait until the snow comes.”

She shuddered and I couldn’t help chuckle.

She looked so damn cute.

“So have you any plans for Halloween next week? Trick or treating?”

What a stupid fucking thing to ask.

God I was a douche.

My plan was to keep her talking long enough that she would feel comfortable and open up to me again.

I needed to know what Cam had meant.

It wasn’t curiosity anymore, it was compulsion.

I had to know.

“I’m not a big fan of Halloween,” she replied quietly, “I’ve never been trick or treating.”

I looked at her again, she was frowning.

“What? Never?”

Lee shook her head, “No, have you?”

Even I, the kid who’d be passed from pillar to post had been trick or treating as a kid, albeit my costume had usually consisted of a black bin liner over my shoulders and a dollar store mask.

Still, I had done it every year until I grew out of it.

Kids loved trick or treating.

“Yeah I went as a kid. Why didn’t you Lee?”

She shuffled around in her seat, fidgeting with her hands.

“I was never allowed,” she said softly.

She looked so sad, I wanted to reach out and hold her hand.

But I was too scared that she’d reject me.

“Why?”

I couldn’t help myself.

I wanted to know more.

I wanted to know everything about her.