CHAPTER 15

S ara

He was watching me.

I’d had the sense I’d been followed since making the turn leaving the neighborhood. I’d had no reason to think that. There’d been no glaring signs like a car following too close or revving up to get around me as I drove.

But I’d felt it deep within my bones.

I’d kept the creepy-crawlies since two nights before, still positive someone had been in the apartment. Nothing else had occurred. No weirdness at work or odd phone calls. The threat Jerry had mentioned lingered in my mind, but he hadn’t shown up at the club the night after the incident. I’d been determined to corner the man if he had.

I’d thought about calling Gina, but it had been painfully obvious she hadn’t wanted to talk to me. What if she’d been hurt? It was more likely she’d tripped given her inebriated condition. Still, my mind was working overtime.

The entire situation was odd, so much so that when I’d pulled into the police station, I’d finally felt a sense of relief.

Until I embraced why I’d been forced to drive there in the middle of the night in the first place.

My brother.

I could kill the kid. Maybe I would, but after I got him home.

Even though I’d wanted to allow him to stay in jail at least for one night. With his one phone call, he’d acted as if he was already being bullied. How the hell was that possible? My brother stood at over six foot three and almost two hundred pounds. I’d bought it, taking the last of my savings to bail his ass out of jail.

As I parked near the apartment building, I glanced into the rearview mirror once again.

No one was following us. But goddamn I could feel his presence, the masked man. Just like the Phantom. Only they couldn’t be the same person. Zach was far too important of a man to engage in playing an early game. Maybe. Being uncertain added to my anxiousness. I couldn’t just go up to the man and ask him if he’d broken into my apartment. Whoever had, his scent had lingered on my skin for hours. Either that or I was having some kind of psychotic break.

Maybe I was just on edge because of the night’s festivities. Ha. If this was what was considered fun, I didn’t think I could handle anything else. Tom had already stripped the schedule down, which meant at least four hundred dollars less a week. At this rate, I’d sink into oblivion within a month.

“Are you going to talk to me?” Kyle whined.

“Nope.” I popped the P on purpose.

I almost ripped the keys from the ignition, ignoring Kyle altogether as I headed into the building, immediately taking the steps two at a time.

There was enough pent-up anger I could float at his point.

He trudged up the stairs behind me, constantly grumbling under his breath.

“You’re fucking good at the silent treatment.” Kyle was sullen, his usual temperament. He was lucky I’d bailed him out in the first place instead of leaving his ass in jail so hopefully he could learn a lesson.

“Watch your language,” I barked in return just before I climbed from the car. I’d gotten the call around midnight. Now it was after nine and I’d yet to take a shower, already considered late for work. And dear God, nights like I’d just experienced had reminded me why I needed to keep both jobs at all costs.

“You’re not my mother.”

“It’s a damn good thing. And don’t you dare mention her. Not once. We talked about that.” I tromped up the stairs to my third-floor apartment, so exhausted from the horrible experience I could barely get the key into the lock. He was hovering right behind me, shifting from foot to foot. When he was off his ADHD meds, which he frequently was since he’d declared they made him more nervous, not less, he was always antsy with far too much energy.

That’s why he’d gotten himself into trouble.

He’d done so before only this time, his prank had gone against the University president and he and his buddy had been caught, the man not taking too kindly to finding a pig left unattended in his office.

I’d seen the pictures, the destruction horrific.

“She’s my mother too.” His tone had taken on a sad quality and I felt like an uncaring ass. “Or was.”

“I know. It’s just… Just don’t right now. Okay?”

“Sure.”

I adored my brother. He was all I had as far as family was concerned. It had been just the kid and the witchy witch as he’d like to call me against the world after our parents’ deaths. He was bright, so very intelligent that there was little that truly held his interest. Sadly, his antics usually hid his brilliance.

He took over unlocking the door, grumbling under his breath as he did. He thought I was overreacting. I knew he could receive some serious jail time since the prank had been labeled a felony.

“Why are you so bent out of shape?” he asked after tossing my keys carelessly onto the small foyer table before immediately heading into the kitchen.

I trailed behind him. I’d been so furious that I’d fumed the entire time I’d been sitting at the precinct. I’d never been pulled over for a traffic ticket, for God’s sake. I’d seen more assholes parading by me the night before than I ever wanted to see again.

“Why? You’re seriously asking me why?” I tried to tell myself that he was just a kid, especially when he grabbed the milk carton from the refrigerator, not bothering with a glass. Only he wasn’t. He was a grown man about to turn twenty-two. His big sister couldn’t protect him any longer like I used to be able to do.

“Yeah, why?”

“Because I had to spend my night off in a police station surrounded by criminals, forced to call a bail bondsmen so I could bail you out of jail because you and your buddy got caught doing something… outrageous.” I could barely spit out the words, I was so furious with him.

“You’re overreacting just like you always do. It was harmless.” He returned to the pittance of what I called a dining room, staring down at the collection of bills.

“Yeah? Is that why Mr. Jarvis decided to press charges? Is that why he tossed you out of school? What if he doesn’t let you back in? Have you thought of that? Three months until graduation and you maybe fucked it all up. My God. Do you know what that will mean for you?”

He barely glanced in my direction and shrugged. “So what? I’ll get a job. What’s this shit?” He held up a portion of the stack of mail and I almost snapped right then and there.

“Bills. What do you think? Oh, right. You don’t pay them. I do. You don’t have a job. I do. Two of them.” God, I’d never been so mean to him in my life. But the hospital was threatening to take me to court. I already had so many dings on my credit record I’d never be able to buy a car or a house. Yeah, right. A house. In my dreams.

“Like I said, I’ll get a job. I’ll help you pay this stuff.”

This stuff. When he’d almost needed his leg amputated because of a hockey injury of all things, I’d managed to contact the best orthopedic surgeon in the business, convincing him to take a look at Kyle’s leg. I’d whittled down the amount, but with shitty insurance at the time, things had quickly gotten out of hand.

I was close to tears and fisted my hands against my eyes to keep from exploding. I was tired from life, not just the incident the night before or the sleepless nights I’d gotten for two years after our parents were… after they’d died. He’d taken the brunt of the horrible time in our lives, turning his sadness inward when I’d had to try to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.

I was so used to working two jobs so he could have a chance at a normal life I didn’t know any other way.

“A job? You’ll get a job? Just like that?” I asked, breathless from attempting to control my emotions.

“Yep. Why not? It’s easy.” He left the milk on the table, grabbing an apple from the bowl. I’d tried so hard to make the little apartment special, but I just couldn’t do it any longer.

Easy.

The single word hit me harder than any nasty retort he’d issued over the years, worse than what any man had said to me at the club. It was as if my own brother, the kid I’d kept from going into foster care by lying about my age, even forging documents and running as far away from our lives as possible didn’t care. At all.

He grabbed my notebook and it was all I could do not to slap the kid and I’d never laid a hand on him. That wasn’t me.

“The Obsidian Society?” he asked.

“What about it? That’s my private stuff.”

“Whew. You’re interested?”

His eyes held concern. “Yes. No. Maybe. Why do you care?”

“That’s dangerous shit. Have you played Dark Nights?”

“Not really, have you?”

“Sure, lots of times,” Kyle admitted.

“How do you know about the Obsidian Society?” I folded my arms, trying to allow my anger to slide into nonexistence.

He shrugged as he did half the time we had a conversation. “A buddy of mine. His dad applied as a contestant. I guess men and woman can apply. My buddy said the shit was brutal and he’s not supposed to be talking about it. Like they chased his dad naked through a forest and shit. That kind of crap. They had masks on too. You know, the glow in the dark kind you see at Halloween?” He was laughing, acting as if his buddy was nuts.

I was intrigued.

“What? That’s not possible,” I told him. Suddenly, all my thoughts about masks reared back into the forefront of my mind.

“I dunno. My buddy doesn’t lie. I guess his dad was pretty freaked. Needless to say, he didn’t win the competition. I hope you’re not considering that shit. You’ll never make it past the first test. Hell, I can’t get there. Too brutal, sis. Anyway, I’ll get a job and get these bills paid within a couple months.” He left the milk right where it was and headed to his room.

Rage tore through me as it had never done before. I slammed my fist against the wall with enough force that a picture was pitched to the floor.

Shocked, he spun around, completely unused to seeing me this way. I was the quiet one, the voice of reason. I’d been the one to listen to his rants over the years, nightmares that had plagued him to the point I’d fought to get him into seeing a psychiatrist. Another reason I needed my job at the Blackwell Group. The fucking insurance.

“What did I do now?” he demanded and that was it. It!

“You will go back to that goddamn university where you will apologize to Mr. Jarvis. You’ll fucking grovel if that’s what it takes, promising you’ll never do anything that stupid again. And you will pay for the damage to his office yourself. Not by my checkbook. Do you fucking hear me? You will not be expelled from school. You will graduate before you look for a job and if you don’t like it, tough. I’d had it with you acting like a child while I’ve been working my butt off to try and give you everything possible. Everything. Fucking… everything.”

I’d never lost my temper with him this way. I’d never gotten so close to breaking down completely. The look of horror on my brother’s face brought shame to my mind, but I remained angry. I was finished with anyone taking advantage of me. I wanted to live. I deserved to enjoy life. I just couldn’t take it any longer.

I dropped my head into my hands and leaned against the wall, sobbing as silently as possible. I had to get control of myself. This was so unlike me. I was a terrible sister.

Kyle remained quiet. What could he say to the hysterical woman standing in front of him? I finally jerked my head up, sucking in my breath. His look of horror had shifted into one of surprise. But I wasn’t entirely certain I’d gotten through to him.

“I need to take a shower and get to work.” My statement was perfunctory, as emotionless as I could make it. I passed by him without being able to look him in the eye. The worst thing was that he’d laughed so hard as he’d told me what had happened. He held no remorse. Where had I gone wrong in raising him?

I stopped just outside my door, hoping he’d stop me, say something. Anything. He didn’t. I closed the door, even locking it, which was ridiculous.

Then I flung myself onto the bed.

Now even my little brother was acting as if I wasn’t good enough to play a goddamn video game. How fucking hard could it be? He had no understanding of the sacrifices I’d made, the lies I’d been forced to keep. He’d been oblivious to most of them and I’d purposely kept it that way. I’d wanted the little boy to try to have a normal life.

Every penny I’d had in savings had gone to Kyle’s bail. Yes, I’d get a portion back if everything went well, but there would be court costs and attorney’s fees. Kyle never kept his part-time jobs for long. He had grandiose ideas, acting as if he’d soon be making six figures so he could take care of me.

He had no clue as to how difficult the real world could be. None.

Sniveling wasn’t going to help me achieve my goals. I would discover everything I could about the Obsidian Society and somehow manage to be a part of whatever selection process they used. I could envision it now. All the glorious perks. A high six-figure salary, a fancy office, a couple of estates and cars. All mine. And a lifelong membership that meant job security.

I was almost giddy at the thought, even if at this point the society was still based on rumors.

Time for a shower. I’d have a calmer discussion with Kyle later. Then we’d make a plan. He was not getting kicked out of school. Period.

Only fifteen minutes later I was ready for work. My hair was in the usual tight bun, my makeup little more than mascara and some lip gloss, and my outfit just about as conservative as possible. I looked nothing like Wild Kitty.

Thank God for that.

My eyes were tired from the long night. I grabbed my glasses, which was what I usually wore to the office instead of contacts. Staring at a computer screen all day usually gave me a headache. Besides, the glasses were slightly tinted, hiding the color of my eyes. Right now? I was grateful for that. I’d need to lay very low for a while.

Until Zach forgot all about me and our crazy night.

Perhaps today I was a little haphazard in my appearance, but being late wasn’t the best concept at this point. I worked in administration, my boss not a very nice woman to work for. I grabbed my suit jacket and headed out my bedroom door, stopping in the hallway just outside Kyle’s door.

He lived on campus, but would always have a room in my home. He was my brother. My only flesh and blood.

I knocked on the door, trying to smile instead of snarling. A full two minutes passed. I knocked again. Nothing. “Kyle? I need to leave for work.” When he didn’t respond, I opened the door.

There was no sign of him.

Groaning, I headed toward the kitchen and living room, finding nothing but a note on the kitchen counter.

Sissy

I’m sorry. I’ll do what I can.

Back soon.

Out with buds.

K

I dropped the note, laughing almost maniacally. He had no clue what I’d gone through and honestly, I wouldn’t be able to push it down his throat nor did I want to.

That didn’t mean my heart didn’t ache and for the first time in well over a year, I wished my parents were alive.