Kyle's Return (24 page)

Four Days Later

ACCORDING TO THE Chief of Police, Alex was smart
and wasn’t leaving paper trails anywhere. He was a ghost.

“Have you told your family what’s going on?” Tyler
asked.

I shook my head. “I didn’t want to burden them with
my problems. I moved out here to be with them, but so much time has
passed, I don’t feel like I belong. I feel at home here with you
and everyone else. You’re all that matter to me.” My gaze landed on
Kyle who was in the ring with Zane. “Thank you for letting Kyle
take up so much of the ring time. Zane seems like a good guy.”

Tyler chuckled. “Oh, he is. I could tell he was
beefing up but I didn’t know he was interested in fighting. I think
he’ll be a strong match for Kyle.”

The door to the gym opened and Kacey walked in, her
face beaming when she noticed Kyle in the ring. “Is that Zane?” she
asked.

He pulled her in for a kiss. “Yep, and Kyle’s
training him. I agreed to let him have more ring time.”

She turned her gaze to Kyle and watched them for the
longest time before focusing on me. “So how are you and my brother
doing? He seems to be really happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen
him like this, even when we were kids.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy either. But
we’re doing great. I love him.”

“What are you doing here so early?” Tyler asked
her.

“Well,” she began slowly, “I thought maybe we could
go on a double date.”

He narrowed his gaze. “With who?” Biting her lip, she
glanced at me and Tyler followed her line of sight. “You want to go
out with Kyle and Megan?”

They’d been back from their honeymoon for almost two
weeks and she’d barely seen Kyle during that time. I thought it was
a great idea. Kacey nodded and smiled wide. “Is that okay? I
thought it would be fun to go out on the town and maybe ride the
rollercoaster at the Stratosphere like we did for our first date. I
had a blast that night.” She focused on me. “Would that be okay
with you?”

“I think it would be great. I’ve never been on the
rollercoaster.”

“Awesome, then it’s settled.”

Kyle made is way up behind Kacey and put his sweaty
arm around her, glancing back and forth at us. “What’s
settled?”

Kacey cringed and held her nose. “You, Megan, Tyler
and I are going on a double date tonight. And please make sure to
take a shower beforehand.”

He bellowed out a laugh. “Why, do I stink? I think
I’ll go out like this.”

Kacey elbowed him in the side and laughed. “Be my
guest, but I’m pretty sure Megan will agree with me.”

I held up my hands. “Hey, that’s a sibling quarrel.
Leave me out of it.”

“You’re such a traitor,” she grumbled with a smile.
Then moved to Tyler to give him a kiss and backed away toward the
door. “All right, I’m going to go home and take
another
shower since my brother rubbed his stink on me. I’ll see you all
later.”

Once she was gone, Tyler talked to Kyle and Zane for
a few minutes before coming over to me. “Why don’t you and Kyle go
home and call it a day. Kacey and I will meet you two later.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying.”

“I’m sure, now go. You’ve done more than enough by
staying here overtime.”

Grabbing my bag, I pushed in my chair and rushed over
to Kyle and Zane. “Tyler says we can go home early,” I announced
excitedly.

Zane fist bumped Kyle. “All right, I guess that’s my
cue to go. Same time tomorrow?”

Kyle nodded. “Yep, and be prepared. I took it easy on
you today.”

“Sounds good. You guys have fun on your date
tonight.” He winked at me. “I can see why he turns the girls down
at the club.”

“He better or I’ll kick his ass.”

“I think the phrase he used last time is when he has
someone like you at home, he doesn’t need anything else. Isn’t that
what you told Grady?” he asked Kyle with a sly grin on his
face.

I looked up at Kyle. “Aww, did you really say
that?”

“Of course, it’s the truth.”

Zane chuckled. “And this time, I’m really going to
go. I don’t do the mushy stuff.”

I rolled my eyes. “I bet you would if you found the
right girl.”

He picked up his gym bag and snorted. “Yeah, right. I
like being single. I’m not like ol’ man river here,” he said,
nodding toward Kyle.

“I’m thirty, dickhead. And just for that, I’m going
to hand your ass to you in the ring tomorrow. You’re going to
regret your words.”

Zane smirked and started for the door. “Whatever you
say, old man.”

Chuckling, Kyle shook his head. “I’m going to have my
hands full, aren’t I?”

“Yep, I’d say so. Now let’s get out of here.” We said
our goodbyes to Tyler and rushed out to the parking lot. “I’m
looking forward to our date tonight. I bet it’ll be nice for you to
be around Kacey.”

We hopped in his truck and started on our way to my
house. “It will. I haven’t talked to her much since she got back
from the honeymoon. At least she wants to spend time with me.”

When we got to my house, Greg’s yellow sports car was
in the driveway. “We might be hanging out at your house this
afternoon. Nic can be kind of loud when she’s—”

Kyle grimaced and shook his head. “I get the picture.
If you want, you can grab a change of clothes and we can head over
to my house.”

“Sounds good to me.” I got to the front door and
opened it, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw them watching TV.
“Hey guys,” I announced.

Greg waved his hand in the air and smiled. “What’s
up, Megan.”

Nic jumped up off the couch wearing a pair of pink
pajama shorts and a T-shirt. “You’re home early. I wasn’t expecting
to see you at all today. I have to work tonight until closing.”

“We’re not staying long. I came to get a change of
clothes. Kyle and I are going out with Kacey and Tyler
tonight.”

“Awesome. I hope you guys have fun. We’re just going
to hang out here until we both have to head in to work. But Friday,
I’m free. Why don’t we have a girl’s night?”

“I think that would be a great idea,” Kyle cut
in.

“So do I,” Greg agreed, sitting forward. “She keeps
talking about how much she misses you.”

I knew why Kyle didn’t want me with him. He was going
to be at the club fighting, and if Alex was there, it’d put me at
risk. Either way, I was going to go and see if he showed himself.
“All right, it’s on. Girl’s night on Friday.”

Nic squealed while I walked down the hallway to my
room. I wanted to watch Kyle fight and I wasn’t going to let
anything stand in my way.

“How many times do you think they’re going to ride
that damn rollercoaster?” I asked.

Tyler and I watched Kyle and Kacey as they got back
in line to ride. “I guess as many times as they want. I’ve never
seen Kacey so happy. Who would’ve thought having her brother back
would change things as much as they have.”

Throughout the whole dinner, they talked about random
things, mainly about his recovery and what their mom did to him.
Kacey was heartbroken and I could tell she was trying to make up
for not being there. “Do you still hate him?”

Sighing, he averted his gaze to the glowing Vegas
lights. “If I hated him, I wouldn’t let him work at my gym. I just
hope this path to reform lasts; especially for Kacey’s sake, and
for yours. You seem to really care about him.”

I bumped him with my shoulder. “I do. He means a lot
to me. I’m just worried about what he’ll do to Alex if they ever
meet. I don’t want to see him in jail, or worse.”

Kyle and Kacey bumped into each other, laughing as
they got off of the rollercoaster for the millionth time. “Whatever
he does, it’s his choice. If Alex is stupid enough to come after
you again, he’s going to have more than just Kyle going after him.
That fucker will get what he deserves.”

Yes, he will. And his payback will come from me.

“I think we’re done. I don’t think my stomach can
handle another ride,” Kacey said, laughing.

Kyle chuckled and put his arm around my waist. “I was
afraid she was going to upchuck her dinner on me.” Then he nudged
me. “You about ready to call it a night?”

“I am, if you are.”

He leaned down toward my ear and nipped it. “I’m
ready to give you a ride.”

***

“WHERE DO YOU want to go?” Nic asked. It was our
girl’s night out and we were dressed and ready to go.

“I figured we could get something to eat and then, I
don’t know, catch a movie or something.”

Nicole followed me out the door, beaming. “Sounds
like fun. I texted Greg if it wasn’t too late when we got back that
I’d see him. Hopefully, you don’t mind.”

“Nope, because I’m pretty sure I’ll be seeing Kyle.”
Actually, we
would
be seeing him tonight. Nic just didn’t
know it yet.

We got in my car and started on our way to the city.
“I figured as much. You two are inseparable.”

“So are you and Greg,” I laughed. “I take it things
are getting serious?”

She shrugged. “I guess so. I mean, we have sex and
it’s fun, but we don’t talk about our relationship. I don’t want to
appear needy so I just don’t even bring it up.”

“Maybe you should,” I suggested.

“Eh, I might. I like the way things are right
now.”

I didn’t believe her, but I let it go. We were past
the stage in life where casual relationships were the thing. I
wanted to find something real, someone I could be with for the rest
of my life. I found that person in the most unlikely form
imaginable.

I was craving Italian food so I drove us to our
favorite spot for dinner. My stomach was in knots the entire time,
but I put on a fake smile like I wasn’t about to cause the next
World War. Kyle was going to be pissed. After dinner, we got in the
car and I took a deep breath. It was eight o’ clock, which meant he
would be fighting in about an hour. Once we made it across town,
it’d be about time.