Sicko

“I have nothing to say,” Jade mutters. “Actually, can I be excused?” Mom flicks her wrist, agreeing and Jade shuffles out of the dining room, my eyes never straying from her. When she jogs up the stairs, I watch as her ass bounces with each step.

I bite my lip and grin. If she wasn’t my foster sister, I’d have that parked on my shit for at least two business days.

“Kyle?” My mom points at my old man.

He looks at me, and I look at him and all of that awkward bullshit that happens anytime someone is in trouble.

“Mom? I’m twenty-fucking-two years old. I don’t need you stressing. I survived on my own, with my brothers, for four years.”

“That’s beyond the point, Royce! I have been so stressed. You have—” Her tears start coming, and it’s the first time I look at her. Really fucking look at her. She has aged drastically since I left. Wearing her hair short, wrapped around her jaw. Wrinkles line the curves around her eyes, but we all know she gets injections on her forehead.

“Sorry, Ma… wasn’t the plan.”

“So what happened?” Mom asks, finally bringing her eyes to me.

“I can’t talk about that with you.”

She sighs, standing and clearing the table. “Well, I hope you at least visit more often.”

I stand with her, gazing to my old man who is watching me carefully. “Been a very empty house without you, boy…” Dad, on the other hand, looks good for his age. But then, he always fucking did. If only the good looks and charm can hide what lingers beneath the savage businessman that is Kyle Kane.

I punch his arm, a little on the rough side. “How much are you benching?”

He shakes his head and laughs. “More than you.” I go into the kitchen and help Mom with the dishes.

“Where’s Louise?” I ask, wondering where the maid is. She always walked her old ass around our house doing all the shit my mom was supposed to be doing instead of shopping with her friends.

Mom sighs, putting dish after dish into the washer. “I let her go not long after you left. I didn’t want to make the same mistakes I did with you with Jade too.”

Her eyes go out to the front of the house where the excessive garage curves around. “She screamed for you every night for the first year, waking up in a sweat. Then it just stopped. Like she gave up.”

My lips pinch together. Wish I could say I gave a fuck, but I didn’t. I felt for the young Duchess, not the one that’s sitting her pert little ass upstairs now.

“Yeah, well, shit changed…”

Mom brings her hands up to my cheeks. “Don’t be a stranger. That’s an order. And when you’re ready, I’m here if you want to talk about whatever happened.”

“Sure thing, Ma.”

Not going to fucking happen.

After helping Mom clean up, I say goodbye to them both and then head out to my bike. Swinging my leg over my Dyna Glide, I kick start her to life and listen as she rumbles underneath me. Putting a cigarette into my mouth, Jade’s bedroom light catches the corner of my eye. The only light that’s on on that level. I blow out a cloud of smoke.

One day soon, your ass will be sitting in my clubhouse, and it won’t be by choice.

“Are you happy that we’re finally attending the same college?” Sloane mutters, pushing her sunglasses over her eyes as she floats on top of the water, courtesy of our inflatable unicorn. We had plans to go out tonight, but I squashed them after Royce’s appearance a few days ago. He has thrown me off balance.

“I am.” I kick my legs in the water to get farther away from the edge.

She removes her glasses, her eyes gazing up to the big house behind me. “This place gives me the creeps.”

I shrug. “You’re not alone. Shall we go get food?”

“I seriously just can’t wait to get the fuck out of San Francisco and back to LA.”

I laugh, splashing her with water. “It’s not that bad…”

But she’s right. I can’t wait either. We both climb out of the pool and grab our towels, and I wrap one around my body before squeezing the excess water from my thick, long mane. I let it grow out a lot longer since Royce left. I don’t know why, but his name is stuck inside of my brain and isn’t leaving. Not that it left at all in the past four years, but it simmered. Somewhat.

“Okay, so. I know you don’t want to talk about the trio, but did you watch Orson’s game last night?”

My mind drifts into outer space at the mention of one of my brothers.

I nod, popping off the lid to my water bottle and taking a sip. “Never miss a game.”