“Sebastian started acting out after our father died. He partied. Drank, smoked weed. All of it.
“I thought it was just a phase that would pass. But he’s never been able to get over our parents’ deaths or the emotional abuse he suffered from our father.
“I don’t know how to help Sebastian. I don’t think I can help him. I know I should give up on him, but I can’t keep fighting for him when he keeps screwing up.”
His voice trembles and breaks, as tears slip down his cheek.
I grab his head and cradle him against my chest, crying as well. I open my mouth numerous times, trying to find words to comfort him, but there are no words. Nothing I can say will make any of it better. I want to say Sebastian will get better. With help, he’ll clean up his life. But I don’t know that.
So instead, I get out of the car, walking tenderly on my injured foot to Kade’s side, and I lead Kade out of my car and into the house. His eyes are sad, but he doesn’t fight me. Tonight, it’s my turn to take care of him.
I guide him slowly to his bedroom until he’s sitting on the edge of the bed. Then, I remove his shoes. Followed by his jeans and shirt.
I remove my running shorts and bra, and pull on one of his T-shirts before climbing into the bed next to him and snuggling against his chest.
This is the first time I’ve slept in his bed, since the first time he fucked me. Tonight isn’t about sex. Tonight is about comforting a man I’m falling for.
14
Kade
Larkyn is an angel when she sleeps. Her head is curled up against my chest as her arm and leg are draped over my waist.
I’ve never slept with a woman in my bed before without having sex with her first. It was exactly what I needed. A night holding a woman I care about.
But it makes my feelings for her confused. What am I supposed to do now?
Tell her I’m falling in love with her, and I want to try a relationship for real? Or keep trying to push her away every time we do something that moves toward getting too close?
I run my hand through her sweaty hair. My lips curl up. She really does reek. She never showered after her race yesterday. She just curled up in my bed with me and made my pain go away.
If I were a better man, I’d spend the day telling her I love her and want her to be mine. I’m not a better man though. I barely even have enough emo
tions to care about my brother. I don’t have enough to share with her too. I lose my temper often. I love my job too much to have time with anyone else. And my brother is a mess. I don’t want to bring her into my troubles.
A loud snore escapes her.
I laugh. So much for being an angel.
And then the slow puddle of drool starts slipping from the corner of her mouth onto my chest. Usually, I would be disgusted. But there is nothing that Larkyn can do to make me turn up my nose at her.
I want to lie in bed with her all day, until I’m covered in drool and have heard every one of her cute adorable sounds she makes as she sleeps. But I need to deal with Sebastian. If Larkyn helped me realize anything, it’s that I need to be tougher on Sebastian. And that ultimately, it’s up to him, if he wants to change or not. As much as I threatened never to see him again yesterday, it’s just not true.
Although, if he comes near Larkyn again or lays a hand on her, I’ll punch him so hard he ends up in the hospital.
So with a heavy sigh, I carefully lift Larkyn’s arms and legs off of me and slip out slowly, replacing my body with a pillow for her to wrap herself around. She smiles in her sleep, but otherwise doesn’t stir.
It’s early, but Larkyn usually gets up early, so I’m surprised she doesn’t wake up. I grab my phone and type a quick message to her, so she knows I didn’t abandon her. But then I hit delete.
If Larkyn wakes up without a message from me, that’s a good thing. Last night, we shared too many emotions. Too many tears were shed together. Too much love was sparked between us. I have to keep my promise. That at the end of the year together, we will part as friends who spent a very enjoyable year together. Nothing more.
I slip out of the house without making a noise, jump into my McLaren, and take off toward Sebastian’s apartment. I get to his door and pound on the door with my fist. He better fucking be here.
I don’t hear anything at first, but my second round of pounding must have woken him up, because I hear loud stomps as he walks to the door. He opens it wearily, and I see the bruising that has formed around his eye. His eyes are still bloodshot from the alcohol. I take one whiff of his breath and know that he isn’t hungover. He’s drunk. At least he didn’t drive anywhere. I took away all his cars and made sure to freeze his account for any payments larger than a thousand dollars, so he can’t buy a new one.
I storm into his apartment and make myself comfortable on his couch. I need to calm the hell down if I’m going to survive this without killing him.
Sebastian takes his time walking over to a chair opposite me, stumbling into a seat before he picks up a beer and starts drinking from it.