Breck exhaled, shoulders sagging.
“Breck.”
“I got it,” he grated. “I understand.”
“Good. Just trying to help you succeed.”
“Right,” Breck muttered, coming to a stop at his car.
His dad’s message had come through loud and clear.
Play it safe. Keep his nose clean. Nothing controversial.
In other words, any drive-by’s past Kai’s dojang were officially canceled.
— TWELVE —
Kai pulled up to Scott’s place at 9 o’clock sharp, parking his car across the street for lack of spaces. If he didn’t know better, he’d think that his buddy was throwing a party.
He eyed the vehicles parked in front of the house. A soft-top Jeep, a black Nissan Altima, and a yellow Porsche Coupe. Scott’s muscle car was in the driveway next to Max’s truck.
Kai shut off the engine, grabbed his small black duffel, and climbed out of his ride. A Hennessey Camaro Exorcist. Sleek black-on-black exterior with a streak of red. One thousand horsepower. Twin turbo. Zero to sixty in less than three seconds.
He eyed Scott’s Challenger. They really should race sometime.
Shifting his gaze back to the house, he exhaled, then crossed the suburban street. He needed to get in the right headspace for tonight’s event—not just meeting but giving a test drive to his brand-new sub. Sean Matthews, the young novice that Max was ditching. Why he agreed to take on his hand-me-down, he still wasn’t sure.
He supposed, on some level, he felt sorry for Sean. To be given away like that couldn’t have felt good. And in that sense, he could empathize. He’d been cast aside, too, by a man he’d thought had loved him. But Ryan hadn’t. He’d merely enjoyed Kai’s company. His warm, willing body when nights got cold.
If Kai was honest, though, he’d have to admit that he agreed to take Sean for another reason, too. He was lonely. Craved companionship. But not just the company of any man. He wanted someone he could trust. Talk to. Confide in. Laugh with.
Love.
Not that Sean was that someone, but Kai could still be his friend. Help him get over Max and show him variety. Sean, in turn, could remind him that there were other opportunities out there. And that not everyone was an asshole like his ex.
A symbiotic relationship with perks. And who knew, maybe one day it’d grow into something more. Although in truth, Sean wasn’t even remotely his type. But Scott liked him, and from what Kai had seen, the kid seemed nice. Down to earth. And remarkably beautiful.
Not in the way he liked them, though.
Sean wasn’t beautiful like Breck.
Then again, not many were. As if it honestly even mattered. He and Mr. King Man just didn’t fit. Breck was too pretentious. Too caught up in himself. Besides, God only knew when Kai would ever even talk to him again.
Not that he couldn’t see him. With the senior starring in Mason’s prestigious Patriot’s basketball team, Kai could technically catch a gander every week. Which wasn’t to say he did. Although, he had been to several games throughout the season. Even despite the way Breck had left things between them last fall. For lack of a better excuse, Kai had gone to indulge himself. To see Breck in his element. Watch him effortlessly run the court. Which Kai supposed equated on some level to having succumbed, justifying each consecutive game he went to as being ‘the last one.’
To his surprise, they’d been rather entertaining—minus the obnoxiously blaring game horns and mammoth crowds. It’d been worth it, though, to experience Breck in action. The senior was skilled. Was a force to be reckoned with. Kai’s respect had inched higher with each passing game. More often than not, he’d actually felt pride for the kid. Breck was an even more amazing athlete than he’d originally assumed.
Sighing, he arrived at Scott’s front stoop, scaled the steps, then grabbed the door’s big brass knocker and rap-rap-rapped.
Scott opened things up. “Kai. Good to see you, man.”
Tad stood behind him with his crew of friends.
Kai stilled as he spotted Breck. Not the person he’d planned on seeing, but Tad was with Scott now, so he supposed it made sense.
As always, he looked amazing. A sight for sore eyes.
Kai forced his gaze to Max as he appeared on the foyer’s stairs.
He didn’t look happy as he made his way down. “Kai. Thanks for coming.”
Kai tipped his chin and stepped inside. “My pleasure.”
Scott shut the door.
Kai glanced back at Breck. He didn’t look happy either, but in more of a perplexed sort of way. Which made sense. Kai was Scott’s friend, after all, so why would he be there on Max’s behalf?
His stomach clenched. He didn’t like this. Breck would ask Tad what was happening. Tad would know because of Scott and, thus, would undoubtedly tell him. Problem was, Kai didn’t want Breck to know. He’d jump to conclusions, get the wrong idea. Would think that Kai wanted this with Sean when, in actuality, that wasn’t really the case. God knew, he’d much rather be doing this gig with Breck.