Tyler's Undoing (29 page)

KYLE WAS WAITING for me on the front steps with an evil smirk. I couldn’t wait to see Tyler punch that look off of his face.

“It’s good to see you again, sis,” he called out.

Shutting my car door, I stormed up to him and slapped him across the cheek. His head snapped to the side, but his leer grew even bigger. I hated him. “How dare you do this to me. Why do you always have to tear people down to get ahead? Why can’t you do what normal people do and just work hard to be the best?”

He rubbed his cheek and sat down on the steps. There was no way in hell I was going to let him inside of my house. “There’s no fun in that,” he admitted slyly. “Besides, it was kind of interesting to see how protective Captain Fuckface was over you. The fool actually fell in love. I couldn’t have planned it more perfectly.”

“Planned what?” I snapped. “I love Tyler. I’m not going to let you come between us.”

Snickering, he leaned back on the steps and shook his head. “Do you honestly think Tyler’s going to want anything to do with you now? Obviously he doesn’t know who you are. If he did, he wouldn’t touch you with a ten foot pole.”

“He loves me, Kyle,” I spat. “He can’t blame me for wanting to keep my ties with you a secret. Anyone in their right mind would be ashamed of you.”
Don’t let him see your fear.

Kyle got to his feet, his smile gone as he approached me. “You’re ashamed of me?”

I stood my ground and lifted my head defiantly. “Ashamed doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m mortified. I know about the things you’ve done and it makes me sick.”

“Well, you want to know what makes me sick? You and Tyler. You’re my family, my
blood
. You’re supposed to be on my side. You’re going to pay for disappointing me.”

I stepped back to my car and opened the door. “Believe me, Kyle, I’ve been paying for years. Tyler may get angry at me for keeping the truth from him, but he loves me. I’m not going to let you win.” I got in my car and shut the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he shouted.

Flipping him off, I started my car and fastened my seat belt. “It’s about time I tell Tyler the truth!”

Kyle put his hands on the hood of my car and smirked. “I think it might be a little late for that, sis. He already knows.” He nodded toward the end of the street and that was when I heard the tires squeal. In my rearview mirror, I watched in dread as Tyler sped down my road and locked his brakes in my driveway.

“What did you do?” I shouted, getting out of my car. Immediately, the tears started to fall, especially when Tyler glared at me with utter disdain.

Kyle, on the other hand, smiled wide. “Oh, I just had Jaden pay him a little visit. I must say, he doesn’t look too happy.”

Tyler got out of his truck and slammed the door.

“Babe, you have to let me explain,” I pleaded.

“What, that you fucking lied to me?” he shouted, veins bulging from his forehead.

I rushed over to him, but when I tried to touch him he stepped back. It broke my heart. Lips trembling, I shook my head and cried, “No, I didn’t lie. I knew if you found out Kyle was my brother, you would think I was just like him. But I’m not! I need you to trust me.”

“Oh sis, you don’t have to keep pretending,” Kyle chided, coming to my side. “He already knows the truth. You succeeded. Now he’s just a played
bitch
. Let him go lick his wounds.”

Frantic and wide-eyed, I pushed him away. “Stop lying!” Then to Tyler, I clasped my hands in front of my heart, begging with tears streaming down my face. In his eyes, I could see he was letting his anger get the best of him. Yes, he was furious at me for lying, but he couldn’t see the truth. He couldn’t see my love for him, or that it was real. How could I get him to see it? “Tyler, please, don’t listen to him. I don’t know what Jaden told you, but you have to know I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you!”

Tyler snarled, “And you expect me to believe that?” He glared at my brother over my shoulder, completely dismissing me.

I was so close to him, yet so far away. He wouldn’t let me touch him, and the thought of never being able to touch him again, ripped my soul apart. I needed him.

Backing away, he pointed at my brother and growled, “If you think this got me down, Andrews, you’re wrong. I’ll be ready for you Saturday. You can count on that.” Opening the door to his truck, he got in and started it up.

Before I could rush to him, my brother grabbed a hold of my arm and held me back. “Let me go!” I screamed, trying to yank my arm out of Kyle’s grasp.

“Sorry, Kacey, but it’s for the best. He wants nothing to do with you now. I’m just trying to protect you from making a fool of yourself.”

I tried to fight him off, but his grip was too tight. Tyler backed out of the driveway and never once did he look at me. “Tyler! Tyler, please, you have to trust me!”

He kept going . . . and the farther away he went, the bigger the hole in my chest grew. I was alone for the longest time before he came along, and now I was alone again. I had nothing if I didn’t have him.

“Trust me, Kacey, it’s for the best. You deserve much better.”

Actually, I deserved what I got for not telling the truth, but I sure as hell was going to redeem myself. I refused to let my brother dictate my life and drag me down with him. I had to fight for what I wanted.

Pushing my brother away, I marched up the front porch stairs and unlocked the door, slamming it in Kyle’s face when he tried to follow me in. If there was anyone who was a master at persuasion, it was Bree. I needed her help, but in getting it, I had to be honest with her too. All of my secrets had to come out.

Reaching for my phone, I dialed her number and waited. She would just have to understand why I did what I did. Hopefully, she could convince Tyler.

MY PHONE WENT off non-stop after I left Kacey’s. I refused to listen to any more lies, so I threw my phone across the seat and sped down the road. I had to get away. Once I got home, I rushed inside straight to my room and packed as many things as I could fit in my duffle bag. There was no way in hell I could stay in town knowing Kacey would be everywhere I went. She even worked at the gym now. What was I going to do?

Her betrayal hit deep and I wasn’t going to give Kyle the satisfaction of knowing it broke me. Once I had my bags loaded in my truck, I started out of my driveway, but was blocked in when a little silver Honda pulled in.

Fuck my life. It was Bree.

I rolled my window down when she approached looking all pissed with her lip curled, and wearing a pair of Bugs Bunny pajama pants with a white tank top. “Let me guess . . . you were in on it too?” I snapped.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared up at me, tapping her foot. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Tyler. I didn’t know any more than you did. You need to stop running, and talk to Kacey.”

“Why? So she can feed me more lies?”

“Really? So that’s how this is going to go?” she scoffed, narrowing her gaze. “How is it that I can find out the truth just a few minutes ago and understand where she’s coming from? Can you blame her for wanting to keep her life a secret? Look where she comes from, Tyler. You may not believe her, but I sure as hell do. She’s been my best friend for the past year and never
once
did she tell me about her brother.

“Kacey just wanted to escape from the hell he put her through. Whatever Kyle said, it’s a bunch of horse shit. If you remember correctly, she tried to stay away from you . . .
you
were the one who pursued her. You know what else? I’m the one who dragged her to your gym that day. Why don’t you let that sink in for a while before you start acting like an ass?”

Turning on her heel, she stalked off, got in her car and sped out of my driveway.

I couldn’t listen to anymore bullshit. Reaching for my phone, I dialed my father’s number and waited on him to pick up. “Son, where are you?” he asked, answering the phone.

“I’m at the house, but I’m going to take off for a while.” I put my truck in gear and started out of the driveway. I had a long drive ahead of me.

“Running away from your problems isn’t the answer, Tyler, but if you feel it’s what you need to do, then go. I trust you’ll work hard this week to get ready for your fight.”

Gripping the steering wheel tight, I imagined it was Kyle’s neck in my grasp. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll make sure I’m more than ready.”

I hung up the phone and sped down the highway, the start of my nine hour drive to Santa Rosa. I had friends there who could help me and I was going to need it.

SINCE TYLER WOULDN’T answer my calls, I grew desperate and sought him out, stopping first at his house and then at the gym. When I walked in, everything was normal, people were working out and enjoying their day just like usual. My life, however, was crashing all around me. I didn’t know whether to come or go.

“Are you going to work, or are you just going to stand there?”

I turned around and there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, was Tyler’s father. He was dressed in a pair of black and gold fighting shorts with a plain white T-shirt drenched in sweat. He and Tyler looked so much alike, I wanted to burst into tears where I stood. They had the same blond hair and cut, even though Steven’s was showing some gray. They also had the same body type, tall and muscular. Luckily, I held the tears back and peered over at the empty desk . . . my desk.