by Erin Trejo
Stay With Me
erin trejo
Stay With Me
erin trejo
Copyright © 2020 by erin trejo
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
1. Callan
2. Shane
3. Callan
4. Shane
5. Callan
6. Shane
7. Callan
8. Shane
9. Callan
10. Shane
11. Callan
12. Shane
13. Callan
14. Shane
15. Callan
16. Shane
17. Callan
18. Shane
19. Callan
20. Shane
21. Callan
22. Shane
23. Callan
24. Shane
25. Callan
Afterword
1
Callan
Everything is a clusterfuck right now. No one was who we expected them to be. To learn that the people you trusted were really your enemies really tore me apart. I tried to put up a good front for my brothers but in reality, it’s hit me pretty hard.
I always knew the plan to kill our dad was inevitable. He was ruining us, ruining our family. He was tearing me and my brothers apart. I don’t think that’s what’s really bothering me though. There’s something more and I can feel the secrets of the past as they linger in the air.
We’ve since moved back into my dad’s house. It’s far bigger than ours was and the fact that there is so much paperwork and books to go through, it just made sense. Now I’m not so sure. The evil, the darkness that surrounded him seems to be creeping into me while inside these walls. I don’t think Steele or Knox feel it the way I do. I don’t know what it is or what’s happening, but I have a bad feeling things are going to go from bad to worse before we know it.
“What the hell is your problem?” Steele asks as I drop onto the couch and lean back. I don’t feel like dealing with his shit today.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been a dick since we moved back here. Is that what it is? You don’t want to be here?” I roll my eyes and sit up, resting my elbows on my knees.
“I’m not a baby, Steele. If I want to leave, I damn well will.”
“By all means little brother, get the fuck to it then. No one wants to deal with you stomping around like a little bitch,” Knox chimes in. I flip them both off before pulling my joint out and lighting it up. Inhaling deeply, I let that sweet sticky goodness coat my lungs and take away the edge that I’m feeling.
“Seriously, what is it, Cal?” Steele asks watching me.
“I don’t know, Steele. I feel like there’s something inside of me that’s coming unhinged.”
“You’re turning into us,” Steele says casually as if it’s not a big deal. To them, they’ve always had this arrogant bully type quality but I’ve never had that. I’ve always been the calmer, nicer of the three of us and yet there is something nagging me now.
“God fucking help me,” I grumble and bring the joint back to my lips.
“We need to talk anyway,” Knox adds.
“About what?”
“Now that Dad is gone, college isn’t a necessity. I for one am not continuing,” Steele says. That isn’t a shock to me. I didn’t figure he would, although running this family, running all the companies has never been his thing. He never wanted a part of it and I totally understood, but now? I don’t know.
“I’m sticking it out. I’ve already started, and I might as well finish my degree.” They both look to me with raised eyebrows.
“Plan on leaving Rolling Springs?” Knox asks the question that is sitting on the tip of both of their tongues.
“No. I don’t want to give up football just yet, either.”
“Or seeing Shane every day.” Steele chuckles.
“I’m still unsure of all that,” I add. Both of their heads snap back to look at me. They didn’t expect that answer.
“What? You know that was all Dad, right?” Steele, the voice of reason when it comes to anything related to our dad, states.
“Was it though? She seemed to slink off pretty easily,” I remind him.
“You dumped her, man. You treated her like shit. What did you expect her to do?” This is from Knox.
“I don’t know. Question me? Ask why I did it? I don’t fucking know.”
“Girls don’t want to question that shit,” Whisper says as she strolls into the room with a bottle of whiskey in her hand. I watch her bring it to her lips, taking a long pull.
“Why the hell not?” I ask looking up at her. She walks over and sits, making herself comfortable in my lap as Steele growls from across the room.
“You left us. Why would we want a reason for it? All we know is that you did it and now we hate you for it,” she says slurring her words. It’s been nice having Whisper around all the time. It’s not that I like her in that way but she’s an all-out great person. Not that she isn’t sexy as hell and gorgeous she just isn’t my style.
“You might want to get off his lap now,” Steele growls once more. Whisper rolls her eyes and adjusts herself in my lap. My cock thickens in my jeans. I’m still a man even if she is my brother’s.
“Nah, Callan likes me right here.” Whisper takes another drink, Knox laughs.
“I’m serious. You wouldn’t even wonder why a guy broke up with you?” I ask her. She shakes her head.
“I’ve never had a boyfriend, Callan. I wouldn’t know but I do know that every single time I was moved from one place to another, I wondered. I wondered why they didn’t want me but once I got older, I realized it really didn’t matter anymore. People come and go in your life. You can’t spend that time asking questions. You’re wasting time.” Wrapping my arms around her waist I pull her back against my chest and relax into the couch. Whisper curls up in my arms and rests her head on my chest.
“Thanks, Whisper.”
“For what?” she asks, looking up at me.
“Being you. Being here.” She smiles and nods slightly when Steele’s chair hits the wall. Whisper and I laugh right before she’s being jerked off my lap. He doesn’t give her time to speak, just tosses her over his shoulder, spanks her ass, and carries her out of the office.
“You never answered,” I say to Knox.
“What? About school?” I nod. “I honestly haven’t thought much about it, Cal. Everything has happened so quickly. I hate school but I kind of agree with you. The degree could come into play later on especially with all the damn companies.” Hearing him admit that makes me grin. Knox isn’t as stupid as he likes to pretend to be.
“It’s a good move. I mean fuck, we’re all only a year apart but Steele is taking lead for now and I think once he gets tired of it, we’re going to have to step up. I know this isn’t what either of you wanted,” I tell him.
“It’s not but it’s also life. This is our lives now. The businesses, the family. All of it. I think we all need to work together on this shit whether we like it or not.” I nod because I totally agree with him. We have to step up and be the men we were meant to be.
“I’m going to the studio,” I tell him as I shove off the couch and stand, stretching my arms above my head.
“It looks
like you need to hit the gym.” He laughs nodding toward my abs. I flip him off causing him to laugh harder.
“Don’t you want to go stalk Leddy?” I ask as I head for the door.
“Not right now. I’m taking a nap!” I watch my brother as he sprawls out on the couch across the room, closing his eyes.
Maybe being in this house isn’t going to be as bad as I think it is.
2
Shane
I answer the phones and sit at a desk. This has become my weekends and after-school gig. Alder Dance Company. Who the hell would have thought I’d end up working for them? I surely didn’t. Now, this is the only place I go aside from school.
“You’re here early,” Leddy says as she strolls in the front doors. I look up and smile at her as she drops her bag on the floor and looks over her shoulder.
“You okay?” Quickly her head snaps back in my direction, her smile back in place.
“Yeah, I’m good. Any of the guys here yet?” she asks. I shake my head.
“Not yet. Just me,” I tell her. She nods and bends down to grab her bag when Callan walks in. He moves quickly, rushing in behind her and grabbing her hips in his hands. Pressing his cock against her ass, she laughs and stands up quickly.
“You Alder men are such horn balls.” She laughs as she looks over her shoulder at him.
“We can’t help it when we see a nice ass in a pair of leggings. Maybe you should rethink your wardrobe.” His eyes sparkle with mischief until he looks over at me, then it all disappears.
“Or maybe you should use your hand a little more in the shower.” Callan nods but his eyes stay on mine. They almost seem darker than normal.
“I’ll see you in class,” he says quickly before walking away.
“What the hell was that about?” Leddy turns back to me.
“I have no idea. He’s been like this since they moved back into their dad’s house. He’s distant.”
“Don’t let him push you away, Shane. You know how these guys are,” she says pointing at me.
“I know. I just didn’t think we would be back to this,” I admit.
“He’s dealing with some stuff. All that shit with his dad and Whisper, it has to weigh pretty heavy on him too, you know?” She’s probably right. Although he was fine for the few days we were out of Rolling Springs, as soon as we were back everything changed. I thought we were closer, talking more but now he’s just as distant as he’s ever been. It stings a little to know the one person that you crave to have on your side isn’t there anymore.
“I know.”
“See you after class. We’ll get lunch,” Leddy says before turning and heading down the hallway. I drop back into my chair and look at the computer screen in front of me blankly. I don’t know what’s gotten into Callan or why he’s pushing me away but maybe Leddy’s right. Maybe I need to push back. The phone rings and when I glance down I realize that it’s coming from one of the rooms and I grab it quickly.
“Yes?”
“We need some towels down here,” Callan says quickly before the line goes dead. Rolling my eyes, I shove out of my chair and grab the towels from the closet, carrying them down the hall. When I step into the room Callan’s in, he surprises me. He slams the door shut behind me and in seconds, the towels hit the floor and I’m pressed against the wall. My heart beats out of my chest as he breathes against my neck.
“Where’d the bruise come from?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You think I don’t know when you wear extra makeup, Shane?” he hisses, his warm breath fanning against my flesh.
“Maybe I just felt like wearing extra today,” I tell him while trying to keep my breathing even. It’s a chore when he’s this close to me.
“You’re lying and you know how much I hate that.”
“You’re different,” I say, clearing my throat. Callan pulls back and looks me in the eye, his gaze full of confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re different. What’s going on with you?” I risk the chance and ask. I need to know. I can’t do this hot and cold thing he has going on.
“There’s nothing going on with me. I’m the same as I’ve always been.” He takes a step back and my stomach drops.
“No, you’re different.”
“Then maybe I’m becoming who I was meant to be, Shane! What difference does it make?”
“You don’t want me anymore do you?” Taking the chance and asking is hard for me but the fact is, I need to know. If he is going to be like this, I’m not so sure that I want to be with him.
“Oh, I do want you,” he says stepping back into my space.
“You don’t act like it.”
“I want you to the point it makes me sick. I want you and I hate it. Don’t you get that part?” His jaw is locked in place and nothing he’s saying makes any sense. I start to step around him to leave when his hand grips my hip roughly. So roughly that I wince. “Don’t walk away from me.”
“You do it to me all the time.” Shoving his hand away, I move around him and head out of the room as quickly as possible. Flying down the hallway, I’m back at the desk when Whisper walks in. She eyes me for a long second before leaning over the counter. She flicks my hair over my shoulder, brushes her fingers down my cheek and sighs.
“Why do you look so sad?”
“Callan’s being a dick.” She laughs at my choice of words.
“He’s been different lately. I don’t know what his problem is,” she adds, seeing the look on my face. I know Whisper knows something is going on, but no one knows what.
“Yeah, that’s an understatement.”
“Did you talk to him?” she asks.
“Does him pinning me in the room count as talking? Or the fact that he said he wants me and that makes him sick?”
“He said that?” she squeals, her eyebrows shooting up.
“His exact words.”
“That asshole! I’ll deal with his ass!” she says standing up straight and grabbing her bag. I nearly laugh when I see the look on her face. She’s pissed.
“Don’t you dare. It’ll make it worse. I’ll deal with him later.”
“You sure? I don’t mind kicking his balls into his throat,” she says in a serious tone. In fact, I know she would. This is why I like Whisper. She takes no shit from anyone.
“Maybe next time.” She smiles and shakes her head before walking down the hall. When she stops, she looks over her shoulder at me and says, “Go a shade darker next time.” I automatically know that she’s talking about my makeup job. Nodding, I sit back in my chair and sigh. This is going to be a long day.
3
Callan
“Who the hell invited her?” I ask Knox as he unloads the coolers out of the back of the truck.
“Whisper,” he says. Should have known. Those two are best fucking friends anymore. I didn’t want Shane here. Although the bonfire is for anyone that wants to come, I was hoping she wouldn’t. There’re things that I’ve learned about her over the past week and I don’t like it. Something doesn’t settle in me the way I thought it would.
When Shane first moved to Rolling Springs, she was a lost little girl. Hell, she still is, but we had no reason to suspect she was anything other than what we saw so we didn’t do much digging into her life or family. They seemed quiet enough and kept to themselves and that served them well in our town. Now? Now I feel like I missed something with her, and I went in search to find it out. Her truth? Her truth is public record although I won’t share a word of it with my brothers, not unless she forces my hand. I know her secret and it rips my heart out of my chest too. When I saw the words printed on paper, I almost lost it. Now she will be on the receiving end of my rage and anger. She needs to know what it all feels like. What she did.
I shake my head and try to calm my nerves when Steele slaps a hand on my shoulder.
“You okay?”
“Fine.” Brushing him off, I grab a beer from the co
oler and walk toward the fire that’s barely burning. Grabbing the gas, I pour some on and watch as the flames lick the night sky. I’ve missed these bonfires. Dad didn’t like them much. He didn’t like that we’d invite half the town to join in either. He thought the elites; the founding families needed to stick together and keep everyone else out. That’s not how we felt though. We wanted more out of life. We wanted to mingle and see the people. That’s why Steele decided to do this.
“Hey,” a voice says next to me. I turn and look over at a girl I’ve seen around school before. I don’t know her name because she isn’t one of us.
“Hey yourself,” I smile.
“I’m Gina. Thanks for inviting everyone. It’s weird going to school with you guys and not really knowing who you are,” she says as I raise an eyebrow. This is true too. We don’t mingle well, or at least we haven’t in the past. Gina is pretty. Brown hair that she has tied up on top of her head. She isn’t bad looking if I’m being honest.
“Callan,” I say extending my hand. She takes it in hers, a blush spreading across her face.
“Everyone knows who you are.” She smirks.
“Suppose that’s true but I don’t know you. Why don’t you come sit with me?” Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Shane. She’s watching me intently through the flames that flicker in the sky. Gina nods and walks with me over to a set of chairs. I motion for her to take a seat and then pass her a beer.
“You’ve been here for a few years, right?” I ask watching her nod as she takes a long pull from her bottle.