Page 36 of Between Brothers

“We?” Dad grunted.

“He’s been seducing her,” my mother proudly boasted.

The belly laugh that old bastard gave made my fingers curl into a tight fist.

“‘Sedu–‘” The laughter started again. The cocksucker had tears when he side-eyed me. “He still ain’t figured how to convince both his nuts to drop, and you think he’s gonna sweet talk Forty’s fuckin’ daughter into being a willing sacrifice to my cause? Am– Am I the only one that ain’t huffin’ air duster in this motherfucker?”

He gave up on both of us and stared imploringly at Roy.

“Be so fuckin’ for real, right now.” He sighed, flopping back in his favorite chair.

Dad looked so defeated, and we hadn’t even started.

My mother’s hand swam down my chest, rubbing a reassuring circle high near my collarbone.

“Did you get her home on time, Kingston?”

I snorted, the sound distorting into another snuffed laugh, “I took her home as late as I could, as loud as I could, and then Forty saw me scaling his house. Dad convinced him it wasn’t me, so my nightly visits are probably shot from here on out.”

The stress melted from my father’s face. He sat there looking like he was waiting on me to announce that I was kidding.

“You ain’t seeing her every night,” he attempted to call my bluff.

“I’ve seen her every night, for the past week. Been in the bedroom, second floor with her for–” I tipped my head left to right, “Three nights at least, but no, I only shared the bed with her once.”

She was unaware of every moment, but that was between us.

I was savoring every moment of his disbelief.

And it was far too sweet to ruin.

“Don’t play with me, boy. You’re fuckin’ serious?”

“She’s letting me take her out again tonight, I need to get some sleep.”

“W–what about Pac?”

I tipped my chin at him and my gaze gravitated toward my brother, “Pacman and I are scheduled to paint a house tonight, but Roy is going to go in my stead. He can do Pac, I’ll do Kennedy…”

“Both in one night?” My mother sounded unsure.

“Crippling.” My father nodded. “Make it happen.”

Chapter Sixteen

Rude Awakenings

Kennedy

A dull ache greeted me the next morning. When I opened my eyes, the sunlight trickling through my bedroom window instantly made a pounding start behind my left eye.

I groaned and pulled the covers over my head.

It was nice and cozy, just what I needed to help me drift off to sleep and wake up in better shape.

A solid, patient knock began against my bedroom door. The kind that got louder with each connection and promised not to go away unless I responded.

I didn’t mean to bark, but every knock caused the pain to climb to another level.