by Jerry Cole
“Sounds like he had her wrapped around his little finger.” Kyron commented.
“I guess.” Eric shrugged. “It’s a complicated thing, love. I don’t think any of us can really understand it.”
Kyron said nothing. Eric remembered that Kyron had been struggling with dysfunctional parents himself. His father had been an abusive drunk, although he never hit Kyron once Kyron reached puberty, mostly because Kyron could fight back. But his mother had taken the brunt. She had also been a drinker and not very attentive to Kyron. In essence, Kyron had been left to fend for himself pretty much since the start of high school. If anyone understood dysfunction in families, it was him.
Eric then wondered if anyone had told his grandparents about the murders. He had been so dazed that he had forgotten to ask. They would know by now, and Eric was sure he would be getting phone calls to find out about his wellbeing. Eric blinked back the tears. He could do with a hug from his grandma right now.
“Look,” Kyron put the water bottle aside, “I know you’ve probably had some rest at the hospital, but you need to get some sleep. Proper sleep in your own bed.”
“I’m fine.”
It was then that Eric yawned loudly. Kyron raised his eyebrows.
“I can see that.”
“And I need to get into work. I’ve missed a full day already.”
“No, you don’t. It’s practically the end of the work day. And I’ve already called in to them to say you’re taking some time off.”
Eric stared. “When did you do that? And why?”
“This morning. And you do need some rest. No one’s going to think bad of you if you have a break after what you saw.”
He was right. And Eric wished that he wasn’t. The thought of a decent night’s sleep in his own bed without being bothered and prodded by nurses to check that he was still alive was tempting. If he went in now, he would more than likely be shooed out.
It was Saturday tomorrow, so he had the weekend to try and get back to a relatively normal state. Eric wasn’t sure what that was, but he would give it a go. Even if the image of his dead mother and sister were still haunting him.
“I…” Eric swallowed. Now he was going to sound like a wimp. “Can you stay? I’ll understand if you can’t, but…”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Kyron’s eyes never left Eric’s face. “I’m staying right now.”
That sounded more erotic that it should have. And Eric didn’t think he would be able to move from behind the counter, not when his cock was at full attention.
This was going to be harder to handle than Eric thought.
***
Kyron knew he should get another agent to keep an eye on Eric. Sit outside and watch the house. From what Raquel had said earlier when she called him, Eric was possibly a target and he could be next. But Kyron couldn’t bring himself to call someone else.
It had to be him guarding Eric and no one else.
What the fuck was going on with him? Kyron had found himself attracted to men before—that was nothing new—but with Eric it was something else. That hadn’t happened before. Had it? Kyron didn’t know. All he knew was he wasn’t about to walk away from Eric. Not now.
Kyron had to tread carefully. He had been told during his training that everyone had to stay objective, not to get personally involved. Kyron had always thought he could handle that—he had managed on base when he worked for the intelligence bureau for a short time—but none of the people involved had been Eric.
Eric was something else.
Kyron did a check of everything in the house while Eric headed to his room. Everything was locked up tight, and Kyron noted that the security system Eric used was the same as the one at the Schoenauer house. It was one of the best. If that had been on when the killers got in, maybe Eric’s family would be alive now.
That was the thing. How did they get in? There was no sign of a break in, and Louise hadn’t mentioned someone coming to the door. The first she knew there was someone inside was shouting in the lounge. Kyron had been in that house before, and everyone used the doorbell. That could make anyone’s ears ring. You’d have to be well and truly deaf to miss that doorbell, or even when someone knocked.
How had she not heard anyone coming in?
A chill went through Kyron as a thought came to him. Was it an inside job? Had one of the people inside the house let them in? That would make sense, as would taking all the cell phones so they couldn’t trace a call or text. The FBI’s tech team were on with searching the cell phone records, but that would take time.
Had Richard or Ruth gotten a couple of people to come in and murder their father? Or, more chillingly, had Judith? But that didn’t make much sense. They had ended up dead as well. Kyron was just clutching at straws.
Then again, maybe he wasn’t. That did put Eric back in the frame. He could have hired some people to take out his dad, but then they went trigger-happy.
That didn’t sit well with Kyron, either. Eric wasn’t there, so he wouldn’t have been able to let them in. And he would have made sure his mother and siblings weren’t touched. It was all about his dad.
Kyron’s head was hurting as he tried to figure it out. That was something to put to Raquel. They needed to talk to Louise again. If she had heard someone at the door, then that meant a home invasion. If she didn’t, it meant something a little more sinister.
The night was quiet enough. Kyron’s car was finally brought to Eric’s house shortly before midnight, and Kyron took his overnight bag into the spare room. He could hear Eric snoring gently from his room at the far end of the condo. At least he was fast off.
Kyron wished he could sleep that easily. It took him several hours to drop off because his mind was constantly whirring. It had annoyed his previous partners that he would be tossing and turning while they were trying to sleep, but whenever he got up to do something, so he didn’t disturb them, they complained about him being up and about. Kyron couldn’t win.
It was much easier to be single and sleep alone. There wasn’t anyone to bother.
But it was lonely. Kyron had got to the point where he wanted to find someone to settle down with, start a family. A family that wasn’t torn apart by drink and people who should never be together. But that wasn’t going to be easy when his job was erratic and his sleeping habits. Whoever got with him eventually would have to be very patient with him.
To his surprise, however, shortly after Kyron closed his eyes, he found himself drifting off. He did briefly wonder if he was that tired, he was simply passing out before sleep claimed him. The next thing Kyron knew was opening his eyes to find light coming through the window between the gaps in the blinds.
When had it suddenly gotten light? Kyron checked his watch. A little after six. He had been asleep for close to six hours, a record for him. And very quickly. Feeling a little better for it, Kyron slipped out of bed and dressed. He wanted a shower—from the smell of him, he needed one—but Kyron could hear Eric still asleep and he didn’t want to abuse Eric’s hospitality by using his shower.
Instead, Kyron headed into the kitchen and ferreted around the cupboards. Eric had a well-stocked kitchen, which was perfect. He had always liked his food. Kyron got to work, putting bacon under the grill with the sausages and breaking eggs into the frying pan. He put some bread into the toaster and started to grate a potato. Eric had always loved his pan breakfasts in the morning. Kyron had enjoyed them as well. He wasn’t Judith Schoenauer in the kitchen, but he could make a good breakfast when needed.
“Hey.”
Kyron looked around. Eric was coming into the kitchen, his hair ruffled and stuck up on one side. He was wearing a white vest and blue shorts. Kyron had to stop himself from staring. Eric was certainly a fine-looking man, and he clearly looked after his body. Even loose-fitting clothes did nothing to hide it.
Kyron realized where his thoughts were going and the fact that he hadn’t answered Eric. He cleared his throat and managed a small wave.
Eric yawned, rubbing at his eyes as he approached the counter island.
“I thought you’d gone. I heard the front door open and close last night.”
“I said I’d stay.” Kyron put the potato he had chopped up into a smaller pan and stirred them, sprinkling in some herbs. “I was going to wait for you to wake up before I used the shower. If that’s okay with you?”
“Sure, go ahead.” Eric was watching Kyron’s efforts with a mixture of surprise and confusion. “When did you learn to cook? You hated it, from what I remember.”
“I used to.” Kyron reached for the coffee pot, pouring out two cups. “When you’re in the armed forces, you learn to cook. It’s part of taking care of yourself, especially in the navy. Cooking becomes a bit of a priority at times.”
“Any better than you turning toast black and boiling eggs dry?”
Kyron grinned.
“I still can’t boil an egg.”
“Even with all this?”
“Even then.”
Everything was practically ready. Kyron left the potatoes where they were and put the rest of the food onto two plates. Then he placed one plate with a coffee cup in front of Eric.
“See for yourself if it’s any better. You need to get some food into you. I don’t recall you eating when we got here.”
“I don’t think I did.” Eric sighed as he picked up a fork Kyron had left on the island. “I was more exhausted than hungry.”
“Then eat.”
Kyron picked up his own plate and sat on one of the stools across from Eric. His stomach growled as the aroma of the plate wafted up his nose. Taking a gulp of coffee which made him grimace—he needed to get a taste for the stuff—Kyron began to eat. Across from him, Eric was wolfing the food down, barely stopping to breathe. Kyron chuckled.
“Careful, Eric, or you’re going to choke.”
“Oh.” Eric swallowed, his cheeks going red. “Sorry.”
“No need to be. I’m glad you found my culinary skills good enough to eat that fast.”
“It is.” Eric reached for his coffee. “And I’m impressed. The navy certainly did some good to you.”
“I’ll let my commander know.”
Eric laughed. Kyron felt something twist in his gut. Damn, that laugh was arousing on its own. Was that even possible? He hadn’t realized it was. Dragging his eyes away from the gorgeous man sitting across the counter, Kyron concentrated on his own food. He needed to keep his mind on the case, not on how attractive one of their main witnesses was.
His brain didn’t seem to be doing as he wanted, however.
“What was it like?”
Kyron started. Eric was watching him curiously. Kyron cleared his throat and picked up a piece of toast.
“What was what like?”
“Being in the navy?”
Kyron grunted.
“Hard work. But it was what I needed. A sense of peace, so to speak. A feeling of belonging somewhere and being wanted. Something I didn’t get before.”
“Didn’t you feel wanted when we were friends?” Eric asked.
Kyron winced.
“That came out a bit wrong, didn’t it?”
“Essentially.”
“Friends, always. But family? My parents were more concerned with who won the next fight between them than taking care of me. And even though my dad’s actions were bad, and he often ended up in jail, Mom always defended him. She was blinded by him and refused to see the truth.” Kyron shook his head with a scowl. “I wasn’t having it. The navy brought me the stability that I needed.”
It had been one of the best things in Kyron’s life. Everything was set up for him after learning the skills needed in the navy. He had a stronger footing in the world after going there.
“Do you talk to your parents at all?” Eric asked.
Kyron snorted.
“Not a chance. I do talk to my sister. She says last time she checked, they’re still together.”
“Really?”
“I’m afraid so. Dad’s currently in jail for attempted murder.”
Eric dropped his fork, catching it before it bounced off the counter and onto the floor.
“Shit. Who did he try to kill?”
“Teresa and her daughter Selena.”
Eric’s mouth was open as he stared at Kyron.
“He tried to kill Terri? For what? Terri’s a sweet girl, from what I remember.”
“And she still is, but she’s got a tone of feisty in there as well. Selena comes first. Her husband is one of my navy buddies, and he’s still enlisted.” Carl was brave enough to stand up to Kyron’s father, who hated it. “He and Terri got in an argument, and Dad went for her with a knife.”
Eric whistled.
“Fuck. What about your mom?”
“She’s meant to be the doting grandma.” Kyron said bitterly. “But because she’s always defending Dad and she visits him all the time, Terri’s refused to let her anywhere near Selena. No contact with her granddaughter as Mom refuses to come to her senses.”
“If she won’t after losing her son due to her husband’s abuse and then her daughter and granddaughter, I doubt she’s going to change.” Eric shook his head with an expression close to dazed wonder. “And I thought my family was fucked up.”
“Different types of fucked up.” Kyron munched on his toast, prodding the bacon with his fork. “Why did you get back in contact with your dad?”
Eric paused. He sighed and lowered his fork, rubbing at his eyes.
“It wasn’t him I was getting back in touch with. It was Mom, Richard and Ruth. I saw them at family gatherings, but never any other time. Dad wouldn’t allow it, and he wouldn’t allow us to be alone.”
“Richard and Ruth were adults.”
“Didn’t matter to Dad. They were his kids. They did as they were told. Richard and Ruth had seen what had happened to me and were too scared to go up against him.”
Kyron could see his point. He would have been in the same mindset if he had witnessed the same thing.
“And you say your dad was the only person who had a problem when you came out?”
“Yep. My grandparents were surprised, but they came to terms with it. I was more relaxed after I confessed everything, and they said it didn’t change me as a person.” Eric swallowed hard. “They loved me regardless.”
“You really have some gems as grandparents, don’t you?”
“On both sides.” Eric made a face. “I wish Dad was more like Granddad. I don’t know what mold he came out of, but it certainly wasn’t one Granddad had lying around.”
Kyron could help but laugh at that.
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“Dad was always talking about molds and how we needed to fit what we were given.” Eric ran a long finger over the edge of his coffee cup. “Richard was starting to say the same thing the last time I saw him. I think he was beginning to believe all the bullshit Dad spewed after nearly thirty years.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Kyron reached for his cup. “Louise told me she broke up with him that night.”
Eric grunted.
“I was half-expecting that. Although I was surprised it lasted as long as it did.”
“Why? What’s wrong with Louise?”
“Nothing. She’s a good girl. Good company. It’s Richard I was talking about.” Eric shook his head. “Richard had been complaining for the last few months that Louise still wouldn’t have sex with him, even after a year together.”
Kyron had not been expecting this. He spluttered and the coffee went down the wrong way. Putting the cup aside before he dropped it, Kyron slapped his chest as he coughed. Eric chuckled.
“I never thought I’d make you react like that.”
“I never expected you to come out with that.” Kyron took a deep breath. His eyes were watering. “Richard really said that to his family?”
“Yep. Uncle Jake was joking about stealing Louise away sin
ce she was a gorgeous girl and Richard said he could have her and maybe she’ll put out for him.” Eric shrugged. “As far as I know, they still haven’t slept together.”
“I…” Kyron was still trying to come to terms with the new Richard. It wasn’t correlating with the Richard he had once known. “Maybe Louise is old-fashioned. No sex before marriage.”
“In this day and age?” Eric pointed out.
“It’s rare, but it can happen. Nothing wrong with that.”
“There isn’t, but Richard found it a problem.”
Kyron snorted.
“If it was the old Richard, then he would have put up with it because he loved Louise. You put up with almost anything for the person you love.”
“Even if their behavior is the vilest possible?”
Kyron spread his hands.
“That’s where the line blurs for most people. They don’t know when to walk away. Knowing when to step back and know you can’t do anything can be difficult and some people bury their heads in the sand.”
“Much like our mothers?” Eric said solemnly.
Kyron couldn’t agree more with that. Eric looked at the clock and began to wolf down the rest of his breakfast.
“Speaking of not doing anything, I need to get ready for work.”
“What?” Kyron frowned. “I thought I said you didn’t need to go in. And it’s Saturday.”
“You work Saturdays, and I do if I’ve got work to finish up.” Eric scraped up the last of the fried egg with some beans. “Either I go into the office and do something, or I go crazy at home. Working will help me take my mind off things.”
He did have a point, but Kyron didn’t like it. The condo was a safe place, and it was easy to keep track of things when it was just the two of them. But going into Eric’s office? He couldn’t deal with all the variables there on his own.
“We don’t know if you were meant to be one of the victims that night, Eric.” Kyron laid his hands on the table. “My boss doesn’t want you to be left alone until we know for sure that you’re not going to be killed as well.”
Eric rolled his eyes.
“Well, thanks for making me so much better. I’m going on, Kyron. Don’t argue with me on this.”