“I can come with you.”
She met my gaze. “There is zero chance I want you seeing the hellhole my parents live in.”
“I used to be homeless. It can’t be worse than that.”
“Oh, it can.”
“Okay, we’ll talk about it on Sunday.” I figured I had three days to talk her into it. How bad could it be?
15
Brianna
* * *
I got to what we called the “shop,” which was a commercial space where Marla did all the cooking and stored supplies, exactly two minutes after four, and I caught the amused look Kiki gave me. She knew I’d been with Declan because I’d texted to let her know I wouldn’t be home. She probably had a million questions. It was going to be a busy night, though, and another night of working in heels. I could and would do it, but it killed my feet and made me grumpy. I was also hungry because we’d stayed in bed until the very last minute.
My insides warmed as I thought about all the sex we’d had today. I’d really been missing out on having guys go down on me, and it was now my favorite thing. Well, if I was honest, everything he did was my favorite thing. Even the butt stuff that made me uncomfortable. I’d almost asked him to do it again earlier today, but had lost my nerve.
“You better tell me every detail!” Kiki hissed in my ear as we loaded the van.
“Later,” I whispered back.
“Hey, sis.” Noah gave me a grin that reminded me of the teenager he’d been before the drugs. I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Hey. Have you been home at all? Do Mom and Dad have any food left?”
He grimaced. “I went home to get some clothes and there wasn’t much. I should probably buy some for them, huh?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m going over on Sunday and I’ll go to the grocery store.”
“I’ll go with you. It’s not fair that you take on everything.”
“I’m super proud of you,” I whispered under my breath. “How’s it going? Are you sober?”
He gave me a half-shrug. “I have to do a shot of vodka before work or I get the shakes but Kiki found some CBD stuff that takes the edge off so it’s better than it was.”
“No drugs?”
“No. I swear. Just alcohol.”
I nodded. “Well, I’m really proud of you. Keep it up, okay?”
“I know you don’t think I should be involved with Kiki, but I’m into her. I’m trying not to fuck it up so I can be straight for her, you know? She’s good for me, sis.”
“I know. She’s one of the best people I know. But it’s hard to focus on someone else when you need to be focusing on yourself.”
“That’s just it—I don’t have any reason to get better for myself. I’m a fucking loser ninety-nine percent of the time. But with Kiki, I’m not.”
“You’re not a loser. Addiction is a disease, not a personality trait.” I leaned over and gave him a quick hug. “Now get to work. We can talk tonight if you want.”
“Okay.”
* * *
Tonight’s gig was one of Marla’s, so Priscilla wasn’t around, which made everything a lot less stressful. I was done relatively early and headed home. Dunkin needed a little attention, and I did have a few bills to pay and laundry to do. Hopefully, Kiki and Noah weren’t noisy in the bedroom because listening to my kid brother have sex was at the very bottom of my list of things I ever wanted to experience.
I changed into yoga pants and a tank top and pulled out my phone to text Declan, since I’d promised to check in.
BRIANNA: I’m home from work. What are you doing?
DECLAN: Thinking about you.
BRIANNA: You’re sweet. I was thinking about you too, but I’m too tired and hungry to do anything about it.
DECLAN: What if I came over and brought takeout? I could give you another massage.
BRIANNA: Now?
DECLAN: Well, you probably won’t be tired and hungry in the morning…
I looked around the apartment and grimaced. There were dirty dishes in the sink and we didn’t have a dishwasher. My bed was unmade and god only knew what the bathroom looked like.
BRIANNA: Kiki and Noah will probably be here.
DECLAN: I can bring food for them too.
I drummed my fingers on the table. I could wash the dishes real quick and make sure there wasn’t anything too embarrassing in the bathroom.
BRIANNA: Okay.
I texted him my address and then started washing dishes. Kiki was terrible about keeping up with them and I almost always wound up doing them. To be fair, she did most of the other cleaning in the house since I worked two jobs and she only worked one. I also did the cooking when we were home, which she loved, so it worked out okay. I just hated coming home to an entire sink full of dishes with caked-on food that had dried out.
Luckily, it only took about ten minutes to clean up the dishes, sink, and counters, and then I hurried into the bathroom. Sure enough, there were towels on the floor and one of Kiki’s bras hanging on the doorknob, so I picked up everything and tossed her bra in her room. Which was also a mess. That wasn’t my problem, though, and I shut her door before going into my own room. There was a pile of folded laundry on my bed that Kiki had thoughtfully done and I quickly put it away and straightened the sheet and comforter. I didn’t spend a lot of time in my room so it didn’t get too messy.
I’d just run a brush through my hair when I heard the knock on the door and I went to open it. Declan stood there with two huge bags from a local burger joint and a tray with four sodas.
“You’re the best,” I said, taking the bags from him. “And hi.” I leaned up for a kiss.
“Hi.” He smiled.
“Kiki and Noah are on their way. Do we want to wait for them to eat or get started?”
“It’s up to you.”
“I’m starving,” I admitted.
“Okay.”
We settled in the living room and unpacked the food. I popped a few fries in my mouth, chewing happily.
“I didn’t have time to eat after I left your place,” I told him. “My stomach growled so loud I thought the guests might hear it.”
“Next time, I’ll make sure you eat before work,” he said, taking a bite of his burger.
“Hey!” Kiki came in smiling, with Noah right behind her. He held a nondescript brown paper bag that I suspected had a bottle of something in it, but he’d been doing well lately so I wasn’t going to say anything. Not in front of Declan anyway.
“Kiki, you know Declan. Noah, this is Declan. Declan, my younger brother.”
The guys shook hands.
“I thought Kiki was yanking my chain about my sister dating Bash James,” Noah told him. “This is epic.”
“Your sister is awesome,” Declan replied. “Why wouldn’t I date her?”
“Right on.” Noah sank into a chair and stole one of my fries.
“Get your own,” I told him, pushing a bag of food in his direction.
“This was really nice of you,” Kiki said, sitting next to Noah and opening the food.