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.”