Fall To Pieces: Broken #2 (The Broken Series) (4 page)

I was still sulking when the car pulled up outside the familiar two story house on 13th street.

Goddamn Kyle, and his stupid freaking money.

I wanted to pay my own way- I didn’t have a clue how- but he’d just gone over my head on a decision that included me again. He couldn’t freaking buy his way out of his problems. I was so sick of him throwing his money around. I didn’t want a dime.

Mike killed the engine and opened his door. I grabbed his arm quickly. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

Mike coming inside was a terrible idea. Kyle would freak. I was ninety-nine percent sure he wasn’t at home, but I didn’t want to take that one percent chance and risk another fight. I’d had and seen enough of those
, to last me a lifetime.

Oh, I was going to speak to him about paying my hospital, but not right away. I needed to speak to him with a clear head and calm temper. Right now, I had neither of those.

Mike frowned at me incredulously. “Are you joking? You think I’m letting you carry those cases yourself?” He scoffed and climbed out of the car.
Oh boy.

Moving around to the trunk, Mike swung my duffel bag over his shoulder and held my suitcase in the other. “No way are you carrying these bags
, Lee. You’ve just had surgery and you’re pregnant. Not a chance.”

I reluctantly got out and walked up the driveway to open the door. My fingers shook as I placed the key in the lock and turned.

My key still worked, a small relief.

I hadn’t been totally sure if Kyle had changed the locks or not. I didn’t know where his head was at, or where I stood regarding my living situation for that matter, and I knew that was my fault for banning him from the hospital and refusing to talk to him, but at the time it had seemed like a good idea to give myself a chance to lick my wounds.

But now that I was away from the protective blanket of the hospital, and faced with the cold hard reality that was my life, I was thinking that I may have been ridiculous in my assumption that I could avoid Kyle.

Standing in the doorway of his house, it hit me, that all I had been
doing was delaying the inevitable.

I must have stood there for a long time mulling it all over because Mike walked around me and pushed the door open.

“You can change your mind you know,” he said gently. “You don’t have to stay here, Lee. Come home with me. I have a ridiculously comfortable futon in my apartment.” 

I mightn’t have known where I stood with Kyle, but I wasn’t stupid enough to take Mike up on his offer.

Accepting Mike’s invitation to stay would be as hazardous as moving home to Montgomery, except in this instance, it would be Mike’s health in danger, not mine.

I inhaled a shaky breath and shook my head. “I’ll be okay.”

I stepped into the hallway. It looked the same as it had the last time I’d been here-if not a little cleaner.

Yes, it was the same small hallway, the same red bricked house, just a different Lee.

The girl I had been the last time I was here, was worlds apart from the woman I was now.

Six weeks mightn’t be a long enough transitioning time frame for an average person, but loss, grief, and impending motherhood had certainly sped up the process for me.

“I’ll just take your stuff up to your room,” Mike said quietly as he headed for the stairs with my bags.

I made my way into the kitchen, amazed at how different everything looked, when it was exactly the same as always.

I filled the kettle with water and turned it on. I supposed the least I could do for Mike was give him a cup of coffee. Leaving the kettle to boil, I wandered back through the hallway to the living room.

“Bruno?”

No barking, weird...

I had expected my old chocolate lab to greet me when I walked in the front door. Usually, he had that sixth doggy sense and knew when I was close by.

Walking back through the kitchen, I slid the patio door open and stepped outside.

The small
, snow covered garden was empty. It was just as well, since it was freezing outside. I would have been seriously pissed if my roommates had left Bruno outside in these temperatures.

They might be used to this weather, but Bruno and I were southerners. This amount of snow and ice was alien to us.

I pulled my old green coat around myself tightly. 

“You looking for someone?” 

My heart stopped, and then kick started in my chest, hammering furiously against my ribs.

I swung around slowly, trying to quell the sudden and extreme burst of emotion charging through me from the sound of his voice.

It did no good though; the moment our eyes locked I was a mess. A vicious tremor rolled through my body.

I thought over a month away would prepare me, make me somewhat immune, but no, I was still every bit affected by him.

Kyle stood at the back door, legs parted, cheeks flushed from the cold.

He looked every inch as handsome as I remembered; more, dressed in gray sweat pants and a blue hoodie. His sharp blue eyes were focused on me, and his dark hair was hidden under a gray beanie hat.

I briefly wondered how he could stand the cold, wearing only a hoodie. It wasn’t exactly warm in Boulder during the month of February, but my thoughts were interrupted by the sight of what Kyle was holding.

In his left hand was a leash, connecting to the collar of my dog.

My eyes darted back to Kyle’s face and I clasped my hands together, in a bid to ease the trembling.

He tilted his head to the side, eyes locked on mine, burning me. “Hey, baby.”

His voice was like melted chocolate to a fat kid. And I was a fat kid, and he was my cake.

Dangerous cake
. I needed to remember that, but all the anger I’d been feeling on the drive home had evaporated, and all I was left with was an uncomfortable ball of nerves in my belly. Well, that and some serious appreciation for the sheer beauty of him.

Stop thinking like that, stupid.

“Hi,” I replied meekly.

Bruno whined as he pulled on the collar, trying to drag Kyle towards me, but Kyle held him back, his eyes never leaving mine.

I frowned.

Since when did those two get along? The last time I’d seen those two together
, Kyle had been getting the
‘I want to use your ankle as a chew toy’
scowl from my dog. Obviously things had changed around here.

Kyle crouched down beside Bruno, wrapping an arm around his neck affectionately.

“I know you’re excited to see her, boy,” he said to the dog, petting him. “So am I. But we gotta be careful with her, she’s growing my baby in that belly of hers.”

My breath caught and I turned away from him quickly to wipe the tears from my eyes.

How could he do it so easily? Rip down my defenses and tear my heart open with words.

“So, you and Bruno are walking buddies now?” I asked, when speaking became manageable. My voice was thick with emotion, betraying the lightness of my question.

Kyle smiled crookedly, his eyes twinkling as he stood up and stretched. “Yeah, he’s kinda growing on me.”

The dimple in his cheek deepened, softening his masculine features, making him look more his twenty-two years.

Jesus, he was so attractive. I hoped the baby inherited those dimples.

Turning around, Kyle slid the patio open the door open and nudged Bruno inside, while I averted my eyes from checking out his tight little butt in those sweats.

Oh, I was so doomed
.

Closing the door on Bruno, he strode toward me, not stopping until his sneakers brushed against mine.

I tried to take a step back, but I couldn’t move a muscle. All I could do, was stare up at the man my heart and soul were screaming out for, but my brain distrusted so vehemently.

His gaze swept over me lazily, and it took every piece of my self-control to stand there and let him. His searing appraisal of my body affected me no end.

“You’re back,” he stated, looking me over once more, his eyes lingering on my midsection for a moment, before returning to my face.

I let out a breath and nodded. “I’m back.”

“You look good, Lee.”

I hovered awkwardly. So we were going to make small talk? I could make small talk.

“Thanks,” I said, twiddling my fingers nervously. “But we both know that’s not true.”

The pregnancy glow that everyone talked
about had skipped me. I was pale and washed out and swollen.

Maybe, if I was as tall as Cam, I could take the extra poun
ds more gracefully, but my five-two full figure already had enough cushioning. Adding baby weight to the mix, made me look more like a small sausage than a glowing first time mom to be.

And Kyle, he looked…perfect.

He stretched a hand out and brushed one of my wayward curls behind my ear. His touch burned me.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, cupping my cheek.

I briefly allowed myself to lean into his touch. I missed this. I missed him. I hated myself for my weakness, but it was there, prominent and urging me toward him.

He let out a sigh. “I’m so fucking glad you’re home, princess. I’ve missed you like crazy. I didn’t know you were getting out today, I would’ve…” 

“Lee, I put your bags in the second room on the right, that’s yours right…Oh, hey, sorry, I didn’t realize he was here.” 

Kyle’s entire body stiffened at the sound of Mike’s voice and I jerked away from him, moving towards where Mike was standing at the door.

“What the fuck is he doing here Lee?” Kyle demanded.

He moved quickly, planting himself firmly between me and my escape route.

And so it begins.

“Kyle, calm down,” Mike warned.

I stepped around Kyle, only to find myself sandwiched between the brothers, one cool and quiet, the other vibrating with angry energy.

“Is your name Lee, asshole?” Kyle shot back before focusing his attention on me. “Why is he in my house, Lee?” 

I took a steadying breath. I was not getting into this macho crap. “He is my friend, Kyle. He gave me a ride from the hospital, that’s all. Don’t make a big deal out of this.”

Kyle’s nostrils flared and hurt flickered in his eyes. “Why didn’t you ask me to pick you up? Or ask Cam? You never said…Told Cam
, you were being discharged.” 

I shrugged and stepped sideways, dodging both men. I went inside. If they wanted to freeze their butts off outside, well
, good for them.

I caught Bruno’s paws with my hands just as he jumped at my stomach. I staggered back slightly, the weight of Bruno knocking me off kilter.

“I just didn’t, okay,” I muttered. “I thought it would be better if Mike dropped me home.”

“Better for whom? Goddammit, Bruno, get off of her,” Kyle cursed as he rushed towards me, pulling Bruno away.

“I’m fine, Kyle, I won’t break.”

The look on Kyle’s face said he wanted to argue that statement, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

I couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the pained look in his eyes.

“Well,” Mike said brightly, closing the patio door. “The family reunion has been fun, but I gotta hit the road. I’ve got a shift at the hotel in an hour.”

He wedged between us -
I can only assume on purpose
-as he walked out of the kitchen. “Call me later, Lee, if you need anything.”

I muttered a thank you and Kyle strung out an impressive array of f-bombs. 

Kyle glared at me. “You are not calling him.”

I felt myself stiffen. “I’m sorry
, but was that a question? Because it sure as hell sounded like you were telling me what to do. You don’t get to order me around, Kyle, not anymore. Mike is my friend. He is trying to be supportive.”

Kyle stepped away from me and hissed. “He’s not your friend
, Lee. He is fucking with you to get to me. That’s the only reason he’s sniffing around you.” 

I shook my head and turned away from him. “Oh my god, can you hear yourself?”

I walked away from him and headed towards the stairs.

“Where are you going? We need to talk about this. Lee?” Kyle shouted. 

I swung around to face him. “My room, is that okay with you, or do you want me to leave, too?” 

Kyle stepped back, like I’d just punched him in the gut. “Of course I don't. This is your home,” he said in a shocked voice.

I nodded stiffly and continued upstairs, stomping extra hard on the steps, childish, but it made me feel better.

“I don’t want him in my house again
, Lee.”

I paused at the top of the stairs and turned around. Kyle was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a pained expression.

“And I don’t want you to tell me what to do,” I seethed. “We are not together. Oh, and FYI, Kyle, I can pay my own damn bills. I don’t want your money. Not one dime. You got it?”