Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I frowned. Who would that be at this time of day? Had Trevor, the surprising mother hen, ordered something else for me. I owed him a hundred thank yous at the very least. Grinning, I hurried to the door, but it wasn’t a delivery waiting for me.
“Kenny,” I said, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. He’d kept his distance, not visiting Alex since the night I nearly punched him at the hospital. I owed him an apology for my behavior, but with my attention entirely on Alex, I hadn’t taken the time to issue one yet. “Come in,” I said, stepping away from the door.
“Thanks.” He stepped in with quick, jerky movements.
For a moment, we stood in the foyer staring at each other in silence, but Kenny fidgeted, shifting side to side, wriggling his fingers at his side and chewing his bottom lip. He’d dressed similarly to the other night in baggy jeans and an oversized hoodie. I had the instant urge to feed him a huge meal and offer him a place to sleep. His visible cheekbones, hollow eyes, and pale skin spoke of someone who wasn’t taking care of themselves and hadn’t been for a long time.
The anger I had the other night tried to worm its way to the forefront of my mind. His poor choices led to Alex’s injuries. That was just the truth of the matter. But life was never so black and white, and the uncontrollable fury I felt the other night had faded and softened..
“Do you want to sit?”
He nodded.
“Follow me.” I glanced toward the couch but decided to head into the kitchen instead.
“Nice place,” he mumbled as he trailed behind me into the kitchen.
“Thank you. Take a seat. Can I get you anything?” I asked as we entered the kitchen. “A drink? A snack? A four-course meal?”
He grunted, wringing his hands at his waist. “Water’s good.”
I eyed him as he slid onto a stool at the island. “I wasn’t kidding. I’m not much of a cook, but I’ve got some stuff I can heat up fast.”
“Oh, uh, nah. I’m not too hungry right now.”
“Hmm.”
I slid a glass of icy water across the island. He accepted it with hands whose nails had been bitten to nubs. “I’m serious. My appetite is screwed up right now. I know I look—”
“Like shit?” He had the same dark hair and eyes as Alex, but that’s where the similarities ended, especially now that he clearly hadn’t been taking care of himself for probably months.
He grunted, but it almost sounded like a laugh. “Yeah.”
I sighed. We were dancing around the issue, and someone had to break the ice. I assumed he’d come to feel me out and see if I’d let him visit his brother or continue to be a dick to him.
“Look, Ken—”
“I need help,” he cut in, lifting his dull gaze to meet mine.
Usually, I considered myself quick on my feet, but his easy admission shocked the hell out of me. “I… you do.” It wasn’t a question but a firm statement of fact. He’d been spiraling down at a rapid pace for far too long. “What can I do for you right now?”
Shifting his gaze, he huffed, then shook his head and whispered something.
“What was that?” I leaned in.
“I need money,” he murmured so low I almost needed him to repeat himself a third time.
I drew back, blinking.
He found my gaze again, but this time, he let me see the utter shame burning in his eyes. “They say some people need to hit rock bottom before they are willing to ask for help.” He shrugged. “I guess I’m one of those people. Alex…” He swallowed, and a tremor ran through him. “Alex getting hurt because of me was my rock bottom. And now I’m here begging his boyfriend for money to pay off my fuck-up. I had no idea I could go lower than rock bottom. B-but here I am.”
He picked at the skin of his fingers while he spoke. I suspected he also bounced a knee, as his whole body vibrated on the stool. As I watched him, he seemed to catch himself, stilling all the fidgets. “Sorry. I… um… I haven’t used anything since the day after Alex got hurt, so I’m a little twitchy right now.”
The day after. I could only imagine what his night had been like after he’d left the hospital. Most likely, he didn’t remember anything from the oblivion he’d succumbed to that night.
“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”
He shrugged with a snort, averting his gaze again. “It’s the least I deserve,” he mumbled.
The sad admission had my heart aching for him. I sighed and rounded the island where I slipped onto the stool next to him. “Ken, that’s not true. It’s not how I feel, and I know it’s not how Alex will feel when he wakes up.”