Always (Follow Me #6)

Chapter Nine

Again, I don’t answer.

I don’t answer because her words make me think.

I’ve told her she’s a challenge, and she is. But in this moment, she has challenged me more than she ever has before.

I know myself. I’ve been to hell and back, and I know who I am, how far I’m willing to go for what I want, and what my limitations are.

So why does her question perplex me?

“I think I have my answer,” she says.

Still, I say nothing.

“You’ve looked in the mirror, haven’t you?” she continues. “Just as I have. And you’re not exactly sure what you see.”

“To the contrary, Skye, I know exactly what I see.”

“Do you? Or do you only think you know? What are you hiding, Braden?”

Again her words make me think, but instead of answering, I push my hands into my pants pockets. “I could ask you the same question.”

“You could, but I don’t have an answer. I came here to find one.”

“And you can’t believe that maybe I came here for the same reason?”

“You have no history here. That belongs to me. You want to find yourself? Start in South Boston. Start with Addie.”

Addie. Why does it always come back to Addie? I’d prefer to forget that Addie even exists. “Damn it, Skye—”

“Scratch that. Addie came much later. Start with your father, Braden. Start with your mother.”

My jaw tenses again. “Damn you,” I say between clenched teeth.

“Damn you, too,” she counters. “Fucking damn you.”

Then my lips are on hers again, without even a semblance of gentleness. It’s harsh. It’s painful, even.

And it’s magnificent.

We stand in her parents’ front yard, our mouths fused together, and I’m ready. So ready. Ready to demand that she strip for me and make love right here, in front of the house where she grew up. Where she probably played in those cornfields.

She breaks the kiss and pushes me away. “Stop it.”

“No.”

“Yes, you will. Have your forgotten my parents are inside? Easily watching us through the window? My dad is probably loading his shotgun about now.”

Steve has a shotgun?

I’m not sure why I find that surprising. He probably has several.

Damn. I shouldn’t have come here.

I draw in a breath. “This was a mistake.”

“You bet it was. You crossed a line, Braden.”

She’s not wrong, but people in glass houses… I scoff. “ I crossed a line? Have you forgotten how many lines you’ve crossed? Stealing a piece of mail from my house? Barging into my office and demanding information?”

“We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. But since you brought me into it, the last time I checked, I never showed up at your father’s home unannounced. That’s a major line.”

I don’t reply. I can’t argue her point.

“What are you really doing here?” she asks for the umpteenth time.

I shake my head. “I don’t honestly know, Skye. All I know is I was on the plane, ready to go to New York, and I told the pilot to change the flight plan.”

It’s not a lie. Though I had originally planned to come, something came up in New York. I figured it was a great excuse to hit the club, try to remember who the hell I am…

Then, midair, I changed my mind again.

“You didn’t know I was coming here?”

“No. I swear I didn’t.”

“Then why? Seriously. And don’t tell me you were worried about me or you were trying to understand me.”

“That’s actually the truth.”

“No, that’s the truth you told yourself so you could live with yourself for making this decision. I want the real truth.”

“I’m telling the truth. Or at least, the partial truth.”

“What’s the rest of it, then?”

“I don’t know. I just know…” I rake my fingers through my hair once more. “I’ve never felt this way before. It’s…unnerving.”

“Felt what way?”

I wrinkle my forehead. Purse my lips. Then I look away from her. “When did you talk to my brother?”

“Interesting pivot,” she says. “It’s not even slightly related to my question. But I’ll play along. He called me an hour ago, while I was in the cab coming here.”

“I see.”

“He says you’re miserable without me.”

Damn it, Ben! Brothers are supposed to have each other’s backs. Miserable?

I hate the truth of it.

“This is why relationships aren’t in the cards for me. I have a problem with misery of any kind.”

She laughs. “You think that makes you unique? No one likes to be miserable.”

“I like it less than most.”

“You do? Because you, the great Braden Black, know how misery affects everyone else on the planet?”

“Damn it!” I’m tense again, so tense my body is trembling slightly from the rigidness.

“This is getting nowhere,” she says. “I’m going back in.”

I offer her a half smile. “Your mother invited me to stay for dinner.”

I meet her gaze. It’s almost a glare.

“It’s a free country. Stay.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

She lets out a huff and chuckle. “Since when do you care what I want? Suit yourself.” She walks toward the door.

I’m staying.

I’m staying because I want to experience a meal at her parents’ house.

I’m staying because I’m here and because I can.

I follow her. She pulls open the screen door and then the main door.

Steve and Maggie are no longer in the living room. Skye walks through the foyer and into a small kitchen.

“Will your friend be staying for dinner?” Maggie asks.

“My friend? Mom, this isn’t some guy I brought home from school. This is a billionaire.”

“I know that, dear. Everyone knows who Braden Black is. What we didn’t know is that you and he were…”

“Together? We’re not.”

“But you were.”

“Only for a few weeks.”

I clear my throat. Does Skye realize I’m right behind her and hearing the conversation? “Is the invitation to dinner still open, Mrs. Manning?”

“Of course it is. And please, call me Maggie.”

I nod. She told me that, but now that Skye is here, I felt I should be a bit more formal.

“Why don’t you join Steve in the basement? He’ll be happy to pour you a drink.”

“I’d enjoy that. Does he have Wild Turkey?”

Mom laughs. “It’s only his favorite.”

I nod and walk toward the stairs to the basement. “Can I get either of you anything?”

“Sure,” Skye says. “I’ll have a Wild Turkey, too. Bring Mom a vodka and seltzer.”

I nod again and walk down the stairs.

“I see we have a lot to talk about,” I hear Maggie say to Skye as I descend.