Chapter 24 Tyrell
TYRELL
“It’s really late, brother. You’ve got to get yourself some sleep.” I try to wrap up the call for the fourth time, but Cyrus is not having it.
He’s in such a chatty mood after a fun night out with some friends.
They went to the movies, then out for ice cream afterward. He’s never usually allowed sugar this late at night, and now I know why Mama is always so strict.
“I can’t sleep. I’m too… I’m… I’m pumped up, Ty. That movie made me pumped up.”
“You really liked it, huh?” I grin into the phone screen, laughing at my brother’s expression.
“I want… I’m gonna be an action star. I want to be an action star.”
“You’d be a great movie star.” I nod, knowing better than to be practical with the guy. He just wants to dream, and I’m gonna let him. “And those explosions didn’t scare you too bad?”
“Nope.” He grins, looking all proud of himself. “They were big, and they just… they’re just pretending. It’s… Mama says it’s called… it’s special.”
“Yeah, special effects. No one actually gets hurt.”
“Mama said.” Cyrus nods and repeats himself a few times. “Mama said, Mama said.”
He’s getting tired. I can sense it. He’s got these little tics that give him away. As soon as his left eye starts twitching, I’m wrapping up this call. An overtired Cyrus is hard to deal with, and Dad’s still recovering from his accident. They don’t need any more pressure.
Faking a big yawn, I stretch my arm wide and tell him, “I’m getting tired. I’m gonna have to go soon. I’ve got training in the morning.”
“You gonna lift weights?”
“Yep.”
“Next time you’re home, can you… can we… I want to lift weights.”
“Yeah, I can take you to the gym with me.” I smile. “That’ll be fun. You can show me how strong you are.”
“I’m strong.” He lifts his arm, curling it to show off his bicep. His body is vibrating with the effort, and I grin.
“Brah, you are. Look at that. Bet them girls you went out with tonight love how strong you are.”
Cyrus starts giggling. “Nah. They’re my friends, Ty.”
“Yeah, but you like Gwen, though, right? She’s pretty.”
His laughter increases, getting loud and adorably childlike. “She is pretty. She’s—”
“Hey, big man!” Grady calls up the stairs. “You got a visitor.”
I pop off my pillows, sitting up with a confused frown.
“Right now?” I shout.
“What is it?” Cyrus asks.
Looking at my phone screen, I pull a funny face. “I’ve got a visitor. I better go.”
“No, wait. Can I… can I see? I want to see. Let me… let me see.”
“Uh…” I stand up, tugging the waistband of my sweats as I walk to the door with the phone still in my hand.
“Is it… is it a girl?” My brother starts grinning. “Are you gonna have all the…” His voice drops to a whisper. “Are you gonna have all the sex?”
“Cyrus,” I reprimand him, and he starts to giggle.
Rolling my eyes, I fight my own laughter. “Okay, bud. Let’s go see who it is.” Trotting down the stairs, I glance up from my phone and come to a stop halfway down the stairwell.
Dani.
What’s she doing here?
And why does she have to be so gorgeous?
I mean, she’s always been beautiful, but she’s been getting prettier by the day. And then I kissed her, and she turned into the most stunning creature on the planet.
Now I can’t take my eyes off her as she inches to the bottom of the stairs and waves up at me. “Hey, Ty.” Her smile is sweet and kind of nervous. It tugs me down the stairs, but I’m still looking for my voice.
“Who is it?” Cyrus asks.
I blink, glancing at my phone while Dani’s face lights with a smile.
“Are you talking to Cyrus?”
“Who is it? Who is it?” My brother starts bouncing, making the phone jiggle in his hand.
“It’s, um…” I lick my lips. “It’s Dani. Do you remember Dani?”
“Let me see!” Cyrus practically wails.
Dani laughs, her face lighting as I spin the phone so she can talk to my brother. “Hi, Cy-Cy.”
Damn, Atlas always used to call him that.
“You might not remember me, but I met you a few times. In high school.”
“Hi, Dani.” He gives her the sweetest smile, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t remember her, but… the way she’s interacting with him right now is making my heart do weird shit.
“…went to the movies.”
“Wow. That’s awesome.” She smiles. “Did you have a good time?”
“Yeah. I did. And it’s really late now, and I’m not… I’m not asleep yet.”
“That’s because you’re a young man now.” Dani nods. “A college student, right?”
“Yeah, I go to college. That’s what… that’s what I was doing. Tonight. I was… I was with my college friends.” He sounds so proud, and I can’t help smiling as I try to catch Dani’s eye.
“I’m really happy for you.” She grins, finally looking at me with that brown gaze that…
Yeah, I’m in trouble.
I wonder why she’s here. What she’s come to say.
Clearing my throat, I spin the phone back to face me. “Hey, brother, I better go, okay? It’s time for me to hang out with Dani now.”
“Are you gonna have… will you be doing all the sex?”
“Cyrus.” I bulge my eyes at my brother, but he starts giggling, which makes Dani snort, and all I can do is shake my head at this super-awkward situation. “Okay, I’m hanging up. Go to sleep.”
“Night-night, Dani.”
“Good night, Cyrus.”
“I love you,” I tell him, just before ending the call.
“Love you!” he yells, and I hang up before he can say anything else that is completely inappropriate.
“Sorry about that.” I cringe, tucking the phone into my back pocket.
Dani lets out an awkward giggle, then waves her hand through the air. “That’s okay. It’s nice to see he’s so happy.”
“Yeah, he’s doing really well.” I reach for the banister, needing something to hold on to. Having spent the day obsessing over last night’s kiss, my head is spinning with her standing only a few steps down from me.
I’ve been trying so hard not to feel like shit about what went down. I even passed on her details when Rhys texted me to get them. It fucking slayed me, but I did it, knowing Dani’s happiness is more important than my own.
She’s seriously the last person I expected to see here tonight.
Maybe she thinks we need to talk about what happened. That’s obviously why she’s here, but… what the hell is she gonna say?
Am I about to see her for the last time?
Or is this the start of something I desperately want but I’m not sure how to handle?