Nancy has been crushing the pain-reliever tablets and giving them to me. I feel better. Still incredibly sore but able to walk now without being in so much pain.
“You get lost when you went out?” I ask him, pulling up the seat next to him.
He doesn’t even look at me as he mutters, “You should be in bed.”
Nancy places a plate in front of me that is stacked with pancakes with blueberries in them, and they smell amazing.
“I feel better and am taking it easy. And do I have permission to leave?”
He raises his eyes from the papers in front of him and locks them on me. “Why?”
“I have to see Edward today about a job.”
“You’re injured.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s just an interview to see what type of job he can find for me,” I tell him.
“I’ll take you.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. I’ll come back.” I huff. “I mean, why wouldn’t I? You don’t plan to kill me…yet, your words, not mine. And I have great food to eat, no weddings I have to sneak into, and a safe and comfy bed. You bet your ass I’m coming back, even if that means putting up with you.” I smile and take a huge bite of the fluffy pancakes. His eyes follow the movement before he shakes his head and looks away.
“Do you know how to drive?” he asks.
“I do.”
Kyson takes something from his pocket. He places a set of keys on the table, and I see the BMW logo. “You can take the car.”
“Wow, you’re like my sugar daddy.” I smile.
“No, just take the car and don’t damage it.”
“Fine, whatever. What has your attention anyway? Can I see?”
“No,” he barks. I don’t bother leaning over, I don’t want him to think I am snooping. I want to stay until I no longer can.
I just hope to God he doesn’t change his mind and kill me in the meantime.
The interview goes amazing. Edward is super lovely and is willing to put me in so many roles with just one positive word from Lady McBeth. He tells me he runs a lot of her businesses, and if she said to give me a job, it’s mine. I choose a job working in one of her high-end retailers, happy to learn the ins and outs if they will train me. Edward brushes it off like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
I wish it were.
It’s been so long since I’ve had a job I want to celebrate. But I have no money, and the clothes I’m wearing are items Nancy found for me. They fit, sort of, but the skirt is too loose, and I’ve had to tie it up to keep it from falling. The shirt was easily fixed, though. I am still wearing Kyson’s Harley shirt, but it’s tucked up under my bra to look like a half-shirt.
With my uniform in hand, which is basically the brand’s clothing, complete with shoes, I pull up to Kyson’s, excited to share the news with him and Nancy, but the house is dark. Placing my shoes and my bag of clothes down, I go up the stairs. I don’t really know which is his room, as I haven’t snooped, but I go to the room next to mine and knock.
“What?” a voice calls from inside the room. I push the door open slightly and hear the shower turn off.
“I have news. I got a job. And I can’t wait to start. Do you think I can borrow your car until my first paycheck comes in? Then I can at least afford the bus. I mean, I’ll pay you back for gas and such. But I can’t right now, as you know. Please?”
I see a shadow appear in the bathroom doorway. I don’t have a clear view, but I know the person is naked.
Why would Kyson walk out naked when he knows I am in here?
He steps farther into the light, and as he does, I see that he may look like Kyson, but that is not him. I remember this man slightly from that night but barely. He is covered in ink, and he’s looking at me like I’m his next meal. Even though I can tell from the light of the wardrobe that his cock hasn’t even twitched.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware—”
“Are you fucking my brother?”
Brother? Ah, that makes sense.
“What?”
“We met. You were drunk in the back of our car, but we met. I’m Kenzo.”
Oh, yes. I vaguely remember him now. And how they killed that man. Damn, you’d think his face would be forever burned into my memory. I guess trauma and booze do a number on the memory.
“I’m amazed you’re still alive if he isn’t fucking you,” he continues.
“He never told me you are…what? Living here? Driving his car?” He doesn’t bother covering up as he steps closer to me. I’m trying incredibly hard to look everywhere but at him. However, it’s hard when he’s naked and oh, so toned.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I answer truthfully.
“Do you want to fuck him?” he asks, stepping even closer. If his cock were hard, it would touch me right now. I notice small cuts on his body, which you wouldn’t see unless he was close because of how much ink covers his body.
And it feels wrong, really wrong, to be this close to him while he’s naked.
“I should go.” I step away, but he reaches for me, his hand gripping mine. I look down at my hand wrapped in his inked fingers.
“He’s probably warned you that we hate when people run.” I try to pull my hand free, but he holds my wrist tight. “Do you want to run?” When he says it, a smirk touches his lips.
“Yes,” I say, not bothering to hide it.
“Good. That means you have sharp instincts.” He lets go of my wrist. “Now, where is my brother?”
“Here.” We both turn to see Kyson enter the bedroom. His eyes track me from head to toe, and his lips quirk at the shirt I still have on before his gaze moves to his brother. His jaw locks, and his eyes turn to thin slits. “Why the fuck are you naked?” he growls. Then he turns back to me. “Why the fuck are you in my room?”
“I was coming to tell you the good news, but I found your brother here instead,” I tell him. I step back and almost fall, but Kenzo manages to catch me by snaking his arm around my back, and I scream from the pain.
“Fucking let her go.” Tears start to leak from my eyes, but I hold back the rest that want to claw their way out. Kenzo removes his hand and lets me go. I smell Kyson in front of me before I see or feel him. “You need more pain medication. Told you, you should have stayed in bed.”
I pull away at his all-consuming touch. “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Was just the way he caught me.”
“You’re crying,” Kyson says as I wipe my eyes.
“It was just a reaction. I’m fine now.”
He walks out without another word.
I turn to face Kenzo, who is standing there, still naked, watching me with curious eyes.
“Interesting,” he mumbles, more to himself than me.
“I’m fine.” I wave at him.
“Show me your back,” he says. I turn around, and he grabs my shirt before I do and lifts it. “You’ll heal. But it will take time.”
“I know that. I’ll be fine.”
“Famous last words,” he says as he goes into the closet. I hear a few things move around before he comes back out wearing a pair of pants. I look at him now because it doesn’t feel as weird as it did when he was naked. His chest, neck, and hands are all covered in ink. It’s like he doesn’t want any skin left uncovered.