Let it Burn (Unbreakable Ties #3)

PROLOGUE

TREVOR

Years ago...

“They’re late.”

Trevor sighed and moved his queen on the chessboard. “They didn’t say when they’d be back, so how can they be late?”

Andy shrugged. His thick glasses always looked like they were about to fall from his nose, yet somehow, they never did.

Trevor glanced at his watch, also wondering where his parents were. The drive to the group home should have taken around two hours, and they had set off early this morning. He hoped things hadn't gone south. Robert had taken care of the adoption’s legal aspects in advance, and the man rarely left room for mistakes.

Trevor’s family had spoken for months about making such a drastic move, and after a long and discreet search, they found someone who agreed to help.

What if he double-crossed us?

Trevor pushed the thought away. They hadn’t done anything illegal; simply bent the law as far as they could without snapping it.

“Your turn,” Andy said.

Trevor glanced at the board. Andy was an average chess player and painfully predictable. Often, Trevor would make deliberate mistakes to give his little brother a chance, but Andy rarely seized the opportunities.

They sat on the wide front porch, the evening breeze warm and sweet. Out here in Connecticut’s countryside, it tended to feel like a secluded bubble. Trevor had grown up wishing to live somewhere more exciting, but after living for a bit in Boston last year, he’d hurried back home, where there were no strangers to deal with and pretend to tolerate.

“Do you think he’ll like me?” Andy asked.

The childish way in which he spoke made it easy to forget that there were only two years between them. “Of course he’ll like you. Just... you know, take it easy. Give him time to get used to us.”

“Okay. I always wanted a little brother.”

Trevor frowned. “He’s sixteen, a year older than you.”

Andy shook his head. “I was here first, so he’s the little brother.”

“Sure, let’s go with that.”

Out of all the things that worried Trevor about the adoption, Andy was high on the list. He could try talking sense into his brother till the cows came home, but Andy danced to the beat of his own drum, and that drum was out of tune as fuck. Some of Trevor’s first memories were of his little brother bringing him animals he had caught and killed. It had taken Andy way too long to understand that Trevor wasn’t a fan of carcasses in his room or in general.

Andy suddenly straightened, squinting behind his thick glasses.

Trevor turned around, his lips stretching into a smile at the sight of the approaching Mercedes. He stood up, not yet able to see Daniel in the back seat.

“Is he with them?” Andy asked and got up to his feet.

“Not sure.”

As the car drove closer and took a turn toward the garage, Trevor finally managed to catch a glimpse of the figure in the back seat. “They have him.”

Andy started to walk toward the garage, but his natural clumsiness caused him to hit the small table and knock down the chessboard on the floor.

Trevor rolled his eyes and walked on. When they reached the garage area, the car had already parked outside. Kim got out and patted her immaculate dark hair. She smiled at Trevor. “Darling, we’re back!”

You don’t say.

Robert looked tired. The man hated long drives, and Kim hated driving at all. But the last thing Trevor cared about was Robert or Kim.

Daniel climbed out of the car and pulled out a worn suitcase. He wore a black jacket that seemed too short, likely something he had owned for years. His blue eyes darted around restlessly, his posture stiff and alert.

Kim said, “Daniel, this is my oldest, Trevor. Isn’t he dashing?”

Daniel seemed confused by that. He cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you.”

“And this is Andy, my youngest.” She whispered, “You’ll get used to him.”

“Hello, Daniel!”

Trevor jumped. Andy could go from zero to a hundred in a blink of an eye.

Daniel scanned the house in awe. “Is this all yours?”

“It’s yours now too, honey.”

Trevor didn’t appreciate his mother’s generosity with the family fortune, but he kept it to himself since this was a day of celebration.

“Boys, take Daniel to his new room,” Robert said and began walking toward the house. “We will eat dinner in one hour.”

“Come on,” Trevor told Daniel. “Let’s get you settled.”

Daniel walked next to a beaming Andy, and Trevor hurried to hug his mom, who whispered, “Isn’t he gorgeous?”

He whispered back, “I got hard the second I saw him.”

She kissed his cheek. “Good boy. Now, go make your new brother feel welcome.”

*

“What do you think?”

Daniel looked around, his face hard to read. “It’s big. I mean, it’s great. Thank you.”

Trevor glanced around. This room was far from big, but it was the closest to Trevor’s room and had a strong lock on the door.

“You didn’t have your own room before?” Trevor sat on the swivel chair next to the desk. It gave him a good view of the sunlight reaching Daniel's face, making his eyes bluer and his hair glowing in gold.

“I had my own room when I was little.” He put his tattered suitcase on the bed. “In the group home, we are six kids per room.”

“You mean were. And damn, six? Did you all share a bed or something?”

Daniel twisted his lips. “We each have—had—our own bed.”

“Well, I guess that’s something.”

“Do you like your new room, Daniel?” Andy asked from the doorway. His voice tended to carry a high pitch when he was excited.

“Yes, thank you.”

“You can put posters on the walls if you want. I have twelve. Posters, not walls.”

“Okay, maybe.” He began to put his things in the closet. “Do you have a high school close by?”

“My old high school is pretty far away,” Trevor said and moved to sit on the bed next to Daniel’s suitcase. “I was there for one year and couldn't switch to homeschooling fast enough. I finished my exams last year.” Barely.

Daniel turned to Andy. “Where do you go to school?”

“Hmm, here!”

“Then you are also homeschooled?”

“Just like you’ll be.” Trevor winked.

A flash of concern crossed Daniel’s eyes. “Your parents didn’t tell me that.”

“Must have slipped their mind. Consider yourself lucky; school sucks.”

“I like it.” His voice was barely a whisper. “I’ll talk to them about that.”

Trevor held back a smirk. Good luck with that. “Did you have a girlfriend at your old school?”

“No.” Daniel returned to his suitcase.

“Why not? I’m sure you had them running after you.”

Daniel shrugged, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

“How about a boyfriend? Makes sense, really.” Trevor smiled. “Living together with all those horny boys.”

“No boyfriend,” Daniel said impatiently.

“Then what did you guys do for... you know?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“We managed.” Daniel picked up his neatly folded pants and placed them in the closet.

Trevor chuckled. “Well, you have your own room now, so feel free to make up for lost time.”

Daniel ignored him and put more items of clothing in the closet until all that was left were underwear and a stack of photos. Trevor picked up a red pair of underwear and spread them in front of him, failing to find any white stains. “I didn’t think you were a briefs guy. Medium size? Well, I guess that’s better than small.”

Daniel grabbed the briefs. “Funny.”

While he finished putting his underwear in the closet, Trevor signaled Andy to leave them alone. Andy stuck out his tongue and left.

“Mind if I look at these photos?”

Daniel turned to him. “Please be careful.”

“Of course I will. Damn, that’s you? You were adorable!” And he meant it. Trevor liked babies as much as he liked rats, but baby Daniel was as cute as a button. “Is this your mom?”

“Yes.”

“Is she...?”

“When I was six.” He said that as a fact, without emotion, but Trevor saw through the act.

“Sorry to hear that. She was so freaking hot.”

“Hey!” Daniel’s eyes blazed, momentarily making Trevor worry he might get attacked.

Daniel blinked his anger away and snatched the photos from Trevor’s hand. He placed them in one of the closet drawers. Once there was nothing left for him to do, he crossed his arms and scanned the room, clearly tense.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Trevor tapped on the bed. “Come here. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m just nervous about all of this.”

“You are?” Daniel came to sit on the bed, his hands on his knees, fingers thin and elegant.

“Damn right I’m nervous. A new brother? That’s wild!”

Daniel wet his lips. “Why did... I mean, why did your parents want to adopt someone my age? It’s not common.”

That was a loaded question, so he settled for crap. “They have so much, and they wanted to help someone less fortunate. None of us has the energy to run around after a kid, so we went for someone your age.” He lowered his voice. “You are potty trained, right?”

That got a little smile out of Daniel.

“You know you’re lucky, right?”

Daniel seemed more lost than lucky, but he still nodded. “I know, but your parents haven’t seen me before. There are usually meetings with the adopted family in advance, and I didn’t speak with anyone from social services about this.”

He might be sharper than I gave him credit for.

“Why would you want to go through all that hustle instead of skipping to the finish line?”

Daniel seemed unsure of how to answer. He had clearly been raised to follow the rules, while Trevor was used to waving them in passing.

He dared to wrap his arm around Daniel’s shoulders, who tensed but didn’t push him away. “I know it’s a lot, but we’re so happy to have you here. Stop wondering, ‘Why me?’ because that’s pointless.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“There you are.” Kim entered the room and smiled at them, wearing a black evening dress that sat a bit too tightly. “You two make for the prettiest picture. Daniel, did you unpack?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t you ma’am me, young man. It’s either Kim or Mom.” She squinted at the closet. “That’s all you had to unpack? Oh my. First thing tomorrow, we’re going shopping. Trevor will help—he has an eye for fashion.”

“Guilty!”

“You don’t have to.”

Kim took a step forward and raised Daniel’s face. “You’re a part of this family now, and I won’t have you looking like... well, a common orphan.”

Ouch. Trevor could feel Daniel flinch.

“Not to mention, you have the perfect physique to pull off some great outfits.” She clapped. “Now, both of you go wash your hands for dinner. Daniel, we have a few friends joining us, important clients of Robert’s. I’m sure that you’ll make a great first impression. They are dying to finally meet you!” She turned around and left the room.

“What did she mean by finally?” Daniel asked warily.

Trevor shrugged and didn’t bother answering. He’d find out soon enough.

*

This is such a mess.

Trevor carried Daniel’s limp body into the living room and placed him carefully on the couch. Kim would be pissed at having Daniel’s sweat soak into the expensive fabric, but Trevor wasn’t about to carry him up to the second floor. His back and shoulders were killing him.

He leaned down to inspect the bandaged cut on Daniel’s thigh. He had used Daniel’s shirt for that, and it successfully stopped the flow of blood.

“Go bring him orange juice,” he told Andy, who hurried to the kitchen. Trevor couldn’t believe he had allowed Andy to play his little games, although Daniel would likely not see them as such when he regained consciousness.

He sat on the carpet, close to where Daniel’s head was slumped to the side, his face stark white. The slow movement of his bare chest indicated he was alive. When he'd come rolling down the hill, Trevor almost shit his pants. The idea had been to spook him a bit, not to break his neck.

He stroked Daniel’s pale cheek, worried about the consequences of this fiasco. They had been careful around him ever since the adoption, testing his boundaries without going too far. After today, Daniel would likely try to escape, which meant things would need to change fast. Allowing him the same degree of freedom as before would be too risky.

Andy came back with a glass of orange juice. Trevor took it and drank.

“I thought it was for Daniel.”

“It was, but he obviously can’t drink. Go bring him another one for later.”

Andy huffed and left.

Trevor returned to gaze at sleeping Daniel, then jolted when his father said, “What happened?”

Robert came closer. His hair was sandy, whereas Trevor’s was black like his mother’s. Robert's grandfather had made the family fortune by working closely with the Nazis before escaping Europe in the nick of time. Kim, however, was pure Texas, as she loved to point out whenever possible.

“I asked, what happened?” Robert towered over Trevor, who still sat on the carpet.

“He fell down a hill.”

“Did I ask you to simplify the story?”

Trevor exhaled, feeling vulnerable at his father’s feet. “We played a trick on him. He wasn’t supposed to fall. Then...”

“Yes?”

“Then Andy poked around Daniel’s cut a bit.”

Robert clenched and unclenched his fists. “And was Daniel awake while you allowed your brother to do that?”

“Yes.” Trevor was a kid again, about to get locked in the attic or beaten bloody. Knowing he deserved it only made it worse.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, although his father hated mumbling. “It was stupid. I was stupid.”

Andy entered the room with a glass of juice.

Robert gave him a stern look. “You couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

Andy looked down. “Sorry, father.”

Robert turned to Trevor. “You promised to watch over your brother and keep him in line. Maybe we should—”

“Stop. Please. It won’t happen again.” His father had been threatening to send Andy away to “get help” for years, only stopping from doing so thanks to Trevor vowing to keep his brother in check. Kim hadn’t been much help, saying that maybe Andy would be better off somewhere else. Trevor sometimes wondered why he even loved that selfish woman.

Despite today’s fuckup, the only way that they were sending Andy away was over Trevor’s cold, dead body.

Kim entered the living room and gasped. “Oh no!”

“He’s fine,” Trevor hurried to say. “It was an accident.”

“I tried to make him better, Mom!”

“I’m sure you did, honey pie.” Kim came closer and watched Daniel through fake eyelashes. “He looks so angelic, doesn’t he? Raise his head.”

Trevor did, and Kim sat on the couch, placing Daniel’s head in her lap. She ran her fingers across his bare chest, raising goosebumps on his skin.

“This can turn into a disaster,” Robert said.

“I’ll keep a closer eye on him.” Trevor watched his mom’s traveling fingers, mesmerized and painfully jealous. “I won’t let him run.”

“Why would he run? It was just a little accident.” Kim didn’t know the full story, but she had never been a fan of the little details.

“We can’t downplay this,” Robert said irritatedly. “He has barely been here for a couple of weeks. Is it too much to ask for this family to act normal for a while longer?”

Kim rolled her eyes. “You know how much I hate that word. Common people are normal. If you wanted normal, you should’ve married that Lauren girl like your mother wanted.”

Robert pinched the bridge of his nose, while Trevor held back a smile.

“You know I’m right, Kimberly.”

“Of course you are, love, but what’s done is done. I trust that you will figure out how best to handle this.” And just like that, the burden of fixing this mess had been lifted from Trevor and put on his father’s shoulders.

Kim winked at Trevor, and he sent back a silent kiss.

Daniel stirred, his eyes moving behind his eyelids. They all remained around him, tensely watching as he slowly regained consciousness. He blinked a few times before his eyes locked on Trevor, then he jolted and tried to move away.

Kim held him down. “Relax, dear. You’re safe.”

Daniel seemed even more startled when he realized he was lying shirtless with his head in Kim’s lap, her hand still on his chest. He looked down, narrowing his eyes at his bandaged leg.

“Andy, do you have something to say to Daniel?” Robert asked.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Trevor said.

“Daniel, you’re practically a grown man.” Robert's voice was a bit gentler. “If your brothers want you to do something reckless—refuse.”

“I did refuse, but they wouldn’t listen. They made me fall, and—”

“Did they shove you down the hill?”

“Well, no.”

“Then please keep your accusations to the truth. Trevor and Andy were very upset when they brought you here.”

“I sure was!” Andy called.

Daniel smartly let it go and glanced at his leg. “I need a doctor.”

“A nice shower and some painkillers will fix you right up,” Kim said, leaning a bit lower, the bottom of her breasts resting on Daniel’s head.

Classic Kim. Trevor held back a chuckle. The look on Daniel’s face was priceless, his mouth hanging like a fish.

“It hurts,” he said in a small voice. “Not just in my leg.”

“Go get him some painkillers,” Robert told Andy, who hurried away.

The room grew quiet. Daniel lay stiffly, his eyes darting as if searching for the exit sign. Kim continued to stroke his chest, bluntly ignoring his obvious discomfort.

“I want to sit,” Daniel said in a hoarse voice.

“You’re still weak, hon. You should—”

Daniel roughly pushed himself away from Kim and slid to the other side of the couch. He crossed his arms and looked at the floor, his jaw set. “I would like a shirt.”

“Go wash yourself first.” Kim sniffed and made a face. “Was it not common for boys in the group home to use deodorant?”

Ooh, snap.

Daniel held his arms tighter around his chest, his face no longer pale due to his growing flush. “We used deodorant.”

“Good. Hygiene is very important in this house. You—”

“Kimberly, enough.” Robert placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “The kid has been through a lot.” He took the orange juice Andy had brought and gave it to Daniel. “Drink up, son.”

Robert Mitchell had very few fatherly qualities, and this was clearly an act meant to put down the fire. Still, it irked Trevor to see this display of warmth toward someone who had only recently got here.

Andy came back with a bottle of painkillers. Robert took two pills and handed them to Daniel, who drank them down with the juice.

“Trevor, help your brother reach the shower.”

“I don’t need help.” Daniel gave Trevor a warning look.

“Your brother did you wrong, and he will make it right. From now on, he's to ensure you are acclimating properly.”

In other words, Trevor would be keeping an extra eye on Daniel’s every move, making it the best punishment he had ever gotten.

He rose to his feet and offered Daniel his hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll feel better in no time.”

Daniel reluctantly accepted the help. He grimaced and leaned against Trevor to avoid putting pressure on his wounded leg.

“Make sure he washes beneath his arms,” Kim called when they were about to reach the stairs.

“I’ll sponge him myself!” When Daniel tensed, Trevor whispered, “Relax, I'm joking. I’ll only watch.”

*

Trevor was so goddamn bored. He had been sitting outside of Robert’s office for the last two hours, waiting for Daniel’s study session to finish. It had been a long time since Trevor had to sit through one of those unpleasant affairs, and Andy had never been invited because what was the point?

But things were noticeably different with Daniel, who was quickly turning into Robert’s dream pupil.

Trevor tried to focus on the horror book he was reading when Andy came over holding a silver box.

“What’s that?” He put the book down.

“I got it from Amazon.” Andy sat and handed Trevor the box.

He opened it and picked up one of the needles. “Do you really need so many?”

“They’re a bit different in size, see? I can pick whichever I want for different places.”

“Daniel might freak out.” Trevor returned the needle with the rest. To be honest, the last three months had made Daniel much less prone to freaking out over anything.

“I’ll tie him down before I start, silly.” Andy took back his box and held it close like a treasure.

“Don’t push it, okay? He’s been stuck there with Robert for over two hours. He’ll likely be a wreck when they’re done.”

Right on cue, Daniel’s cry of pain sounded from inside the office. Trevor wondered if the reason was a belt, a paddle, or a slap.

“Yeah, maybe wait for tomorrow,” Trevor told Andy, picking up his horror book.

“Why do I always have to wait? He can sleep in my room tonight.”

“He’s sleeping in my room.”

“Then I can play with him there. Pleeeese.”

Trevor considered that. He had indeed been unfair to Andy about sharing their brother. He never expected to feel such ownership toward Daniel, but the feeling was undeniable. “Okay, fine.”

Andy hugged him tight, smelling like Doritos.

“Calm down. I didn’t invite you to move in with us.” But he didn’t push Andy away because the hug felt nice.

“Did you take your pills?”

Andy let go and made a face. “I hate them. They make me feel funny.”

“I know, but you promised.”

Trevor had tried those pills himself because he thought they might give him a buzz, but they made him feel detached from himself, as if someone else was at the wheel. He understood Andy's reluctance, but that had been the deal they'd struck with their parents.

“Take half the pills,” he whispered to Andy. “They wouldn't know.”

Andy smiled. “Okay.”

Another cry of pain from inside the office. This time, Trevor could hear the sharp impact of the belt.

Andy got up with his silver box. “Let me know when I can come over.”

“Will do.”

Trevor opened the book but couldn’t get through a single page before Kim came over, still in her tennis clothes. He sighed and lowered the book. “Yes?”

“Are they done yet?”

“Almost.”

“The party is tomorrow evening, and it would be embarrassing if Daniel had bruises.”

Trevor snorted. “I think your guests wouldn’t mind. It's not like they don’t leave some themselves.”

“I guess you’re right. You know I always get nervous before these things.”

“Why? You’re a natural.”

“A natural faker, dear, as a lady ought to be. Will you make an effort to be nice?”

“I always make an effort, but they bore me.”

“Everything bores you. Even as a kid, no toy could keep your attention for more than a minute, and I bought you the most expensive toys, obviously.”

“I still turned out okay, didn’t I?” Although he was rather lost in the greater scheme of things, not ready to start college, and severely lacking in the friends department. It wasn’t hard to understand his father’s disappointment.

Kim touched his cheek. “You are perfect, and you know it.”

“You have to say it.”

“Do you know me so little?”

Trevor smiled. Kimberly Mitchell spoke her mind, like it or not.

“I’ll make sure he’s ready for your guests tomorrow, and I’ll do my best to be nice.”

Kim leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. “You’re my favorite for a reason.”

The office door opened ten minutes later, as Trevor was enjoying the first bloody scene in his book. Robert and Daniel walked out, with Robert looking pleased and Daniel looking like he hadn’t slept for three days.

“Were you waiting here this whole time?” Robert asked.

“Yes.”

“I wish you’d find better use of your time.”

“I was reading literature.”

Robert glanced at the book cover and rolled his eyes.

Everyone’s a critic.

“Are you two done?” Trevor asked.

“Yes. Our lesson today was intense but highly educational. Your brother is a brilliant young man.” He sounded as though Trevor should be proud or something.

Robert turned to Daniel. “Would you like a steak for dinner?”

“Yes, sir.”

Trevor held back a smirk. Robert could have offered Daniel to eat shit, and he would have gotten the same monotonic response.

“Good, I’ll let your mom know.”

“What was it this time?” Trevor asked once Robert left.

“Social Contract Theory. Thomas Hobbes.”

“Thrilling. Come on, let’s unwind.” He wrapped his arm around Daniel’s shoulders and led him up to his room, although it was practically their room by now.

They stepped out onto the wide balcony. The sun was setting in the distance, covering the wide valley in a golden blanket. Trevor sat down on a plastic chaise lounge, while Daniel stalled.

“That bad, huh? Show me the damage.” Trevor reached for his stash underneath the small table.

Daniel turned around and pulled down his pants, revealing his lovely, bruised ass.

“Could have been worse.” Trevor started to roll a joint, his fingers moving on their own by now.

Daniel pulled up his pants. “I got the dates wrong.”

“Yeah, it’s always the damn dates. Who even gives a shit? Try to sit.”

He did, grimacing but managing.

“Here.” Trevor handed the lit joint to Daniel, who took it and drew in a lungful.

“Take it slow, it’s strong.”

Daniel blew out smoke and leaned his head back, his features softening under the glow of the setting sun. With his eyes closed, he handed the joint back to Trevor, who took it and inhaled. He used to get high on much plainer weed, but his body now demanded a higher quality.

Daniel rested his bare feet on the table, the metal tracker firmly wrapped around his right ankle, connected to the house’s security system. Although an extreme precaution, they had little choice after he had twice tried to escape. He even called the police once, but the sheriff was a good family friend, and Daniel had gotten into serious shit for that.

Things were more stable these days, largely thanks to Trevor’s calculated efforts. He was tough when he needed to be and compassionate when Daniel hovered over the breaking point. Even with the tracker on, Trevor didn’t trust Daniel's submission; fire still burned in those blue eyes.

“You remember the party tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Daniel plucked the joint from Trevor’s fingers and took a drag.

“I’ll get you ready.”

Daniel made a face. “You make it sound like you’re doing me a favor.”

“Aren’t I? I always make you enjoy it.”

“I don’t want to enjoy it.”

Trevor shrugged. “Then don’t. It’s your body.”

“Is it?”

Good point.

“I don’t understand how your parents even know so many twisted people.” The joint had loosened Daniel’s tongue a tad too much.

“It is indeed a mystery, and you better be careful about using such language with any of them.”

“I’m not stupid.”

“Never said you were. Robert's star pupil can never be anything less than brilliant, right?”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

“Oh, Andy will come over later to play a bit.”

Daniel sharply turned his head toward Trevor. “Why the hell for? I didn’t do anything.”

“So? He’s your brother, and he has rights.” To soften the blow, Trevor added, “I’ll stay here to keep an eye on things. You know I’ve got your back.”

“You never have my back,” Daniel mumbled, crossing his arms. “And you should get Andy help before he gets even crazier. Those pills he's taking are a joke.”

With a growl, Trevor grabbed Daniel’s hair and pulled him closer. “What did you call my brother?”

“You know damn well he’s crazy. Even your father said so.”

Trevor saw red. He held tighter to Daniel’s hair, causing him to hiss in pain. “When did he say that?”

“Never mind.”

“When did he say that?”

“He says that all the time.”

Trevor let go and composed himself. Self-control. It was all about self-control. One thing he’d learned well from his father was never to allow his raw emotions to dictate his actions. Common people did that, and Trevor was anything but common.

“If you ever say something like that to Andy’s face, I’ll break your legs.” Trevor held Daniel’s gaze. “I’ll start with your toes, then move up to your ankles and knees. You’ll be crawling around here like a worm. Do you get me, Danny?”

“Yes.” He looked away as they both breathed heavily, the air between them tense and smelling of weed.

Trevor forced his body to relax. He had made his point. Nobody called Andy crazy, even though it was the God-honest truth.

*

Kim glowed in her long, red dress. She loved hosting these small gatherings, calling them “My naughty little parties.” Trevor got the naughty part alright, but when he usually attended parties, they tended to include more than a few middle-aged couples in fancy evening wear. Still, his mother had insisted on his attendance, the same way she had insisted on Andy staying in his room.

These sorts of gatherings have been going on for a few years now, with Kim arranging for male escorts to entertain her wealthy, naughty guests. But getting those men wasn’t unique or scandalous enough, which had been the main reason Kim had warmed up to the notion of adopting Daniel.

Years ago, Trevor had asked his mom if he could try to be the party’s entertainment in exchange for money. His father had been getting stingier with him even back then, and quality drugs didn’t come cheap.

Kim responded by slapping Trevor hard across the face. He couldn’t blame her since that hadn’t been one of his brightest ideas.

Trevor glanced at his watch eagerly. Dr. Eliot was due to arrive soon, and he had promised to help Trevor out with some pills. Nothing extreme, just enough to keep him mellow when his anxiety hits. Back in the day, he used to get pills by sucking the doctor off in his clinic, but now he had Daniel as a bargaining chip.

Trevor sat holding a glass of wine, watching his father struggle through conversations with people he didn’t like despite managing their finances. Robert locked his eyes with Trevor and made a gun shape with his fingers, pretending to blow his own head off. Trevor responded by pretending to hang himself, which granted him a rare smile from his father.

He’s been happier in the last few months than he has been in years, but not because of me.

Daniel made the man happy by being an improved version of his two sons, his reward for struggling with Trevor’s rebellious nature and Andy’s... “Andyness.” But a happier Robert was a good thing, regardless of the cause.

“I’ll go check on our little star,” Kim announced to the room and walked out, her heels like annoying hammers against the floor.

Dr. Eliot and his wife arrived a minute later. As expected, the doctor finished a quick round of polite greetings before making his way to where Trevor sat on the far side of the room. He settled next to him on the sofa. “Hello, young man.”

Trevor snickered. “Come on, doc. You had your cock in my mouth enough times to start using my name.”

“As tactless as ever, I see.”

“You have them?”

The doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out the box of pills. He casually slid it into Trevor’s waiting palm when no one looked.

“How many is that?”

“Twenty. You’ll get another ten once I’m done with you know who.”

The doctor and his missus were wealthy, but not enough to guarantee some private time with Daniel, and definitely not before the rest of the wealthiest guests had their turn. Kim divided Daniel’s time based on how much her guests could provide value to her husband’s business, like a true capitalist.

“Why do I need to wait until you’re done with him?” Trevor asked annoyingly. “Are you questioning his abilities?”

“Heavens no. But last time, I only got to enjoy him toward the end of the party. He was a used rag by then.”

“My help can only get you so far. You know how Kim is.”

“I do, but I also know that you are more than capable of moving me up the list tonight.”

“For ten pills? Mmm.”

The doctor sighed. “Fifteen.”

“Deal.”

The living room doors opened. Kim entered with a wide smile. She lived for those moments. “Sorry to keep you all waiting, but you know how he insists on being perfect for you all.”

Trevor chuckled into his drink.

Kim stepped out of the way to give room to Daniel. Trevor straightened, holding his breath. Daniel’s white, feathery wings must have been heavy, being almost as tall as he was. They strapped around his shoulders, leaving the rest of his torso completely bare and glittering with baby oil. His tight, white shorts snugged his narrow hips perfectly.

Next to Trevor, Dr. Eliot straightened, adjusting his erection underneath his neat pants.

Kim led Daniel to say hello to her guests. Those giant wings were bound to turn into a hilarious environmental hazard, already coming close to knocking down a few wine glasses.

“Move me up the list,” the doctor said eagerly.

“Sure thing, doc. For an extra twenty pills.”

“Twenty? You little... fine. You’re worse than your mother.”

Trevor laughed at the compliment and finished his wine. These parties weren’t so bad, all things considered. And later, he would take exhausted Daniel up to their room, where he would hold him tight and whisper how amazing he was, how brave and how special.

What else were brothers for?