Page 39 of Between Brothers

“Right.” I reluctantly agreed, even if I thought he was wrong.

“The last test we took after initiating the IV showed that you were up to one hundred and five. So, you’re within normal range now, and without complaints of pain or discomfort. I’d like you to return for more blood work in one week, and follow up with your primary care physician within one to three days, as well. If you have any of the symptoms I mentioned earlier, I want you to eat a snack. If it does not improve promptly, I want you to return to the hospital or an urgent care center. Don’t worry, all the symptoms and instructions will be listed on the discharge papers. I’ll send a nurse in to disconnect your IV and we’ll get you out of here. Does that sound like a plan, Kennedy?”

“Yes,” I latched on before anyone could redirect the man.

I felt fine, and I needed answers that weren’t going to be found in that room.

Like, what the hell was Kingston Crowe doing in my backyard last night, for starters? Maybe if I hadn’t spent half the night wondering, I might not have woken up with a migraine!

Chapter Seventeen

King of Games

Kennedy

Dad tried to direct me to the sofa, but I wasn’t having it. I knew if I surrendered to the idea of napping in the living room, I’d get no rest at all. He’d be in there worrying over me.

Or worse, he’d have questions about Kingston that I didn’t know how to answer.

I hid in my bedroom, studying the ceiling and examining my feelings. I’d spoken to guys here and there since school, but I never offered enough of my time to become serious.

The word relationship was a long stretch for anything I’d involved myself with. I dated Liam Evans for nearly two years before my mother’s accident. We had plans to go to the same university and start a life together.

Then I declined my scholarship and sent him off without me.

He hated me for betraying our future, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. My family needed me.

I smiled, thinking back to my conversation with Roach, the night of Roy’s welcome home party.

Was I as bad as her, living for others while my twenties wasted away?

Maybe Kingston was right. Maybe I did owe it to someone to give him a chance…

I owed it to myself.

Once I came to that conclusion, my face slowly pinched with confusion.

Roach…

What the hell was Roach doing with my dad and Paxton?

The tension left my face at once and I shot off the bed. I flew down the stairs so fast, my feet scarcely had time to make contact with the creaky, old steps.

I had to hear it for myself.

There was no napping, no time for delay. I had to hear every fucking detail of how Paxton had finally left that skank Sabrina.

I had to hear it right this very second. I didn’t give a damn who he was with, as long as it wasn’t that nasty heifer.

“That’s not Paxton,” I blurted out, when I gripped the base of the staircase, and rounded at the bottom.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

And yet I couldn’t look away.

I stared, nearly slack jawed while my mind raced to come to terms with the fact that it wasn’t Paxton’s arms Roach was snuggled in right now, but my father’s.

“Definitely not Paxton,” Dad confirmed, a smug grin resting on his stubbled features.