Losing Kyler (The Kennedy Boys Book 2) Page 2

  I’m far too numb to even feel repulsed at that admission.

  The bedroom door swings open, and Alex walks into the room, surveying the scene with a wild, tearstained expression. I peer up at her through the filmy layer coating my eyes. She walks over to James, standing right in front of him, staring at him as if he’s an alien specimen. No one speaks and the air is fraught with tension.

  Slowly, her fists clench into balls at her side. A distressed whimper slips out of her mouth as she stares at her husband with fresh loathing. Tears roll down her cheeks as she slaps him. Once, twice, repeatedly, her slaps becoming more manic as she lashes out in rage. “You … you’re a monster! You make me sick! This whole time, I’ve been married to a pervert, and I never knew. Get out! You ruin everything! Just get out,” she screeches, slapping and shaking him.

  I’m horror-struck, staring at both of them as if I’m a mannequin.

  James just sits there, taking her abuse without complaint.

  Ky gets up, carrying me to the bed, and setting me tenderly on top of the duvet. He walks to his mum and tries to pull her off James. Her arms are thrashing about as tears coast down her cheeks. “Mom. Stop. This isn’t helping. Please,” Ky beseeches. Alex is weeping and yelling as James remains dazed and motionless on the bed.

  All manner of thoughts flit in and out of my mind, and I genuinely worry that I’m going insane. I tug my legs into my chest, leaning my chin on my knees as a new thought occurs to me. A new layer of confusion starts to take root. Something about all this still doesn’t add up. “Hang on here a sec,” I mutter, speaking to no one in particular.

  Alex’s sobbing has petered out and she looks utterly deflated. Ky keeps a firm grip on her as he watches me. Standing up, I pace the floor, my mind churning a hundred miles an hour. I flip scenarios in my head, and it doesn’t compute.

  I grip James’s shoulders, forcing him to eyeball me. “Something isn’t right, and I know you’re holding back. I can’t believe I didn’t figure this out before. I’m a few months older than Kyler so that explains how you could be my dad as well as his.” The words devastate me as they leave my mouth.

  My gaze dances between Alex and James. A look of sheer terror washes over Alex’s face and she turns a deathly shade of pale. I swallow the new lump in my throat as I crouch down in front of James. “But there is no way you can be Kaden and Keven’s dad if what you are saying is true.”

  “Holy. Fucking. Shit.” Kyler loosens his hold on Alex, pitching on his heels and stumbling awkwardly to the floor.

  Alex leans into the wall, barely holding herself upright. Her panicked eyes dart around the room, and she doubles over as if she’s winded.

  James rises, finally emerging from his trancelike state. “Top marks, Faye. You’ve discovered Alex’s big secret. Guess she’s not so saint-like either.”

  Chapter Two

  “Mom?” Ky peers up at Alex from his spot on the floor. “Is it true? They have a different dad?” Alex’s ashen face contorts in pain as she slowly nods. “And they know, right? That’s what the big falling out was about?” His chest visibly heaves as Alex bobs her head in confirmation again. Shock is quickly replaced with anger on Ky’s face, and I don’t blame him. Pushing off the ground, he unfurls his long limbs, standing to his full height. “Were you ever planning on telling the rest of us?” His words are suffused with righteous anger.

  “We were going to tell you on your eighteenth birthday,” Alex whispers, desperately clinging onto the wall for support. Keaton’s joking about Jacob and company in Twilight doesn’t seem so far off the mark now. Minus the paranormal aspects, of course.

  “Didn’t you stop to think that we’d a right to know the same time our brothers found out? Or what?” He throws his hands into the air. “You thought we wouldn’t notice the constant tension when Kaden and Keven show up or the fact there’s this big gulf between you?”

  “There’s never a right time to divulge something like that,” James supplies.

  “Or the fact that you were sleeping with your sister, right?” Alex snipes.

  James pins her with a sharp look. “You are in no position to cast stones. We’ve both kept secrets.”

  “And that, ladies and gentleman, is the crux of the issues in this family.” Ky’s tone is acerbic and he’s making no apologies.

  “Your mother wasn’t prepared to delve into her past until you boys were mature enough to handle it, and I supported her decision,” James admits, his mouth pulling into a grim line. “Parenting isn’t something that comes with a handy step-by-step manual. We try our best, but we don’t always get it right.”

  Ky snorts. “I’ll say. Your parenting skills suck.” He shoots a glare at his mom. “Both of you.”

  No one says anything and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Alex has a dazed look on her face as she stares off into space. Ky doesn’t hide his troubled expression, and James showcases a world-weary look of resignation that’s hardly new.

  “Where’s Kal?” I ask, breaking the prickly silence. “What’s happening?”

  James rubs a hand across the back of his neck, as if he’s only just remembering his younger son’s current predicament. “He’s being arraigned in the morning, and they insisted on keeping him in lockup overnight.”

  “Oh, God.” I’m distraught at the thought of my cousin spending the night in a jail cell. “Couldn’t you get the charges dropped?”

  “There was nothing we could do. A rape charge is a very serious charge, and no amount of money can buy his way out of this one.”

  “Lana’s gone,” Ky says, striding to my bedside locker. He retrieves the white envelope Lana’s father gave him. “They’re all gone. John asked me to give you this.” He hands the envelope to his mother.

  Alex opens it with trembling fingers. “It’s their formal resignation.” She tosses the handwritten page onto the floor.

  “He didn’t do it.” I grind down hard on my teeth. “I know he didn’t but something went down between them. Lana was in bits, and she was clearly hurting.”

  “You need to stay out of this, both of you,” James says, looking between us. “I know you want to help but the best way we can help your brother is by stepping back and letting the experts do their jobs. We need to let Dan and his legal team handle this.” An involuntary yawn escapes my mouth. “It’s late,” James adds, squinting at his watch. “Nothing will get resolved while we’re all tired. Get some sleep and we’ll pick this conversation up again in the morning.”

  “The others deserve to know about Kaden and Keven. You can’t expect me to lie to my brothers. I won’t do it.” Ky crosses his arms over his chest.

  James emits a frustrated sigh. “I know, son, but you have to understand how hard this is for your mother.” Alex stares vacantly ahead and I’m not even sure if she’s aware of the conversation going on around her.

  Ky’s face softens a smidgeon as he rakes in the broken shell of a woman clinging unnaturally to the wall. “I do,” Ky confirms, “but they have to be told.” He glances at me. “However, I don’t think you should say anything about Faye or your … relationship with her mother. Not until the tests have been done, and only if they prove your suspicions. That shit isn’t easy to hear.”

  “What do you want, Faye?” James turns his attention to me.

  “Although I hate the thought of more secrets, I agree with Ky. We shouldn’t say anything to the others about me unless we know for sure. The revelations about Kaden and Keven are going to knock them for six, and there’s no point heaping more stress onto the pile. Not until we know if it’s true.” I look down at my feet as a hideous fluttery sensation fills the empty space in my chest. “But I’d like the tests done as soon as possible.” I peer up at him. “I’m sick of all the lies. I need the truth.”

  James nods. “For what it’s worth, I am truly sorry for all you’ve had to endure, F
aye. And whatever the outcome, it doesn’t change anything about your position in this family. You will always be one of us. You will always have a home here with us.”

  Alex shifts away from the wall, averting her eyes as she smooths a hand down the front of her skirt. “I’m going to bed.” She exits the room without another word.

  Ky moves to go after her but James shakes his head. “She needs some space. We all do. It’s been a long night. Get some sleep and we’ll talk again in a few hours.”

  They walk silently to the door. Ky casts a final glance my way and his grief-stricken expression matches mine. His eyes convey all the things his mouth can’t say, and I have to work hard to maintain my composure while my insides crumple into a sodden, emotional mess. He steps out into the corridor, closing the door gently behind him.

  I crawl into bed, pulling the covers snugly under my chin as I curl into a ball, shivering profusely under the thick duvet.

  At some point, I manage to fall asleep, but it isn’t a peaceful sleep, and I toss and turn fitfully the rest of the night.

  Daybreak slips into my room through a gap in the gossamer curtains, and I wake up yawning. The events of the early hours swamp my mind. The temptation to bury my head under the pillow and ignore reality is hugely appealing, but I’d only be delaying the inevitable. I’d rather get all the breaking over and done with at once so I haul my exhausted body out of the bed and head into the bathroom.

  After I’m showered and dressed, I make my way down to the kitchen. When I step into the lobby, James calls out to me. “We’re up here, Faye.”

  That hideous fluttery feeling returns to my chest, and I climb the stairs on heavy limbs, as if I’m walking toward my doom. I step cautiously into the study, wiping my now sweaty palms down the sides of my jeans. Alex is dressed in her usual office attire, sitting stiff and uncomfortable in one of the velvet-lined chairs. Ky is standing in front of the fire with his back to me. His muscles are bunched and tense under his tank top. Low-hanging sweats drape over his firm, toned ass, and I have to deliberately force my gaze away. The urge to enfold him in my arms is strong.

  No part of my brain has gotten with the program yet, and I still crave his touch. I missed him in my bed last night.

  I sink into the other chair, sitting on my hands in a feeble attempt to thwart my longing. Sharp stabbing pains lacerate my heart like someone’s hacking at it with a penknife.

  James clears his throat. “I have spoken with Kaden and Keven, and they are en route here as we speak. We’ll hold a brief family meeting after breakfast to update everyone on the situation with Kalvin. Once he is back home, we’ll tell everyone the truth.”

  “Which truth?” Ky asks, turning around to face us. One look at his sleep-deprived face has my resolve crumbling. He looks as miserable as I feel. I wish I could wrap my arms around him, squirrel into his warmth and his scent, and allow him to ease the frayed edges of my sanity while I do the same for him. I press my hands into the chair beneath me, stabbing my nails into the velvety layer as I swallow the choking lump in my throat.

  “I’m going to tell your brothers the truth about Kaden and Keven’s parentage,” Alex confirms in a steady, assured tone of voice. “You were correct last night. They have a right to know, and this has gone on long enough. I’m fed up of all the deception, of how this family is falling apart before my eyes and I can’t seem to do anything to fix it. The truth needs to come out.”

  Breakfast is a dreadfully awkward affair, and I can barely eat a thing. The triplets are distraught at Kalvin’s absence, but James and Alex deflect their questions, imploring them to save them for the family meeting.

  I hop up when the bell rings, grateful to have an excuse to leave the stifling atmosphere. I open the door wide, expecting to see Kaden and Keven, and I’m thrown for a loop when I see Addison perched on the top step, decked out in virginal white, looking as innocent as an angel. “What do you want?” I growl.

  “What I always want.” She smiles sweetly. “Kyler.” Her eyes narrow to slits. “He’s mine.”

  “You’re delusional.” I roll my eyes. “I think he made his feelings perfectly clear last week. He wants nothing more to do with you, so run along now.” I move to close the door, but she wedges her foot in the doorjamb and darts into the lobby uninvited. Footsteps resound behind me. I glare at her. She’s got balls showing her face around here again and a right nerve pulling a stunt like that. If I didn’t dislike her so intensely, I might actually admire her.

  “I’ll deal with this,” Ky says, materializing at my side. His arm brushes briefly against mine, eliciting the usual flurry of tingles. “Go back into the kitchen.”

  “Grand. You take the trash out.” While I’m not happy to be dismissed, I’m close to my drama-saturation point, so I leave him to deal with his troublesome ex on his own.

  He returns to the kitchen five minutes later with a customary blank expression on his face. However, his shoulders are stiff as boulders and his fists are clenched so tight they blanch white with the effort.

  I catch his eye. “What?” I mouth.

  Subtly, he shakes his head, and some unnamed sentiment flows between us. His eyes lock on mine across the table, and I’m incapable of looking away. It’s as if the room around us has disappeared and he is all I see. A few locks of his hair have blown across his forehead and my fingers itch to run through the silky strands. My eyes sweep over the face that I know so well. Memories surge to the forefront of my mind, and I recall brushing the tips of my fingers along his stubbly jaw, rubbing my cheek against the velvety fluff on his cheeks, inhaling his distinctly masculine smell, my tongue darting out to taste the throbbing pulse in his neck.

  I don’t even realize that I’m crying or that everyone else has stopped talking until Keanu shakes my arm, bringing me back into the present. Every pair of eyes is focused on me and a faint blush creeps over my neck. I stare at Ky but he looks away, gazing at the floor, the walls, at anything, as long as it isn’t me. James coughs. “Faye. Do you need a minute? We were about to get started.”

  I tilt my head forward, letting my long hair fall around my face like a shield. “No. I’m fine. Sorry.” I bite down hard on my lip, relishing the pain, although it in no way compensates for the agonizing ache in my heart.

  “Let’s talk in the living room,” Alex says, sliding off the bench.

  I take a seat on the long couch alongside Keanu and Kent as the doorbell clangs for a second time. James returns with a sullen Kaden and Keven. Once everyone is settled, we all sit patiently, waiting for things to kick off.

  James rests his forearms on his upper thighs as he leans forward. “Your brother is being arraigned today. He is being formally charged with rape and sexual assault. Bail will be set at the district court, and we’ll be able to bring him home then. Dan is going to find the best criminal attorney to fight this, but the weeks and months ahead will not be easy.” He looks to Alex, sitting beside him on the smaller two-seater couch, but she resolutely refuses to return his gaze.

  “Is he going to go to jail, Dad?” Keaton asks, the strain evident in his voice. He can still barely look at me, and that only adds to my misery. Keaton only recently discovered the truth about Ky and me, and he couldn’t have made his abhorrence any clearer.

  We disgust him.

  He sits as far away from me as possible, casting surreptitious glances at Ky and me whenever he thinks no one is watching. Nothing gets past his shrewd eyes, so I doubt it has gone unnoticed that something is going on. My little episode at breakfast has seen to that.

  “Not if I can help it,” James replies through gritted teeth.

  “I say we hire a hit man to take Lana out,” Kent pipes up, shrugging his shoulders like it’s commonplace to suggest murder as a means of dealing with issues. “Problem solved.”

  James sighs. “That is hardly helpful and the case doesn’t solely rest on her testimon
y. Apparently, there’s other evidence.”

  “What evidence?” Keven asks, suddenly alert.

  “We aren’t privy to that yet, but we should know more after the pre-trial hearing. We need to sit tight until Dan and his team find out exactly what’s going on.”

  “Can we come to court too?” I ask. “To show our support? I can only imagine what’s going through Kal’s mind. He needs to know we have his back. That we know he didn’t do this.”

  “He knows, Faye. Kennedys always stick together in times of crisis.” Looking around the room at the disjointed postures and fractured relationships, it’s hard to trust in his statement. James’s shoulders lift. “We want to keep this as low key as possible so only Alex and I will attend the arraignment, but I’ll let him know you are all there in spirit. It seems unlikely that we’ll be able to keep this out of the media for long, so we’re in the process of hiring a security team to protect all of you and to man the property.”

  A chorus of groans breaks out in the room. “Ah, Dad. Do we have to go there again?” Keanu asks. “It was hellish last time.”

  “It’s a necessary evil, son. I’ll do whatever is required to protect my family.”

  Ky grunts, shaking his head in disbelief.

  James’s furious gaze slams into him. “Do you have something to add, Kyler?”

  Ky batters his arms, glaring at his dad. “Nope.”

  “Well, then, your mother and I better get going. We don’t want to be late.” He stands up, extending his hand toward Alex. She examines it like it’s germ ridden, rising to her feet unaided as she shoots another revolted look his way.

  Keaton looks like he’s on the verge of tears, and my heart breaks for him. He’s always been a sensitive soul, and I can tell how devastated he is by everything that’s going on. After Alex and James leave, I step toward him. “Are you okay?” Tentatively, I reach out and touch his arm, but he shoves me away.

  “Oh, now you care about me? What, because you’ve had some tiff with lover boy? Quit using me. We’re not friends anymore.” He storms out of the room leaving me with my mouth hanging open and my heart lying in tatters on the floor.