Page 31 of Ashes to Ink

He could see it in the way his brother’s eyes weren’tcompletely tracking, even as he cased the place.

His brother was stoned. High off whatever he could get.Probably having used the last of whatever money he’d taken from someone else.Because Michael never got a job, no matter how many times his parents or Ryanhad tried. Michael didn’t like to work for his money. He liked it given to him.When they had been younger, their parents had obliged.

Ryan had gotten a job when he was a teenager, had wanted toearn his way because that was how he’d thought to outdo his brother. Hisparents’ attention had been solely on Michael, and Ryan had wanted to bedifferent. Had wanted everything to be different. He’d worked for hismoney rather than taking it all like Michael did.

His brother preferred just sitting down and letting otherpeople take care of him.

But Ryan wouldn’t let that happen.

He just didn’t know how to get his brother out of thisplace.

“Nice place you have here,” Michael said, his voice not slurredbut very precise, as if he was doing his best to say every single word like hemeant it rather than slurring.

“I’m going to ask you again, Michael. What are you doinghere?”

Ryan felt Abby put her hand on his back. It should havestrengthened him, should have sent some warmth through him like it usually did,but it did nothing. All it did was remind Ryan that Michael could screw upeverything, even more than Ryan could do on his own. It reminded him that heneeded to get his brother out of Abby’s place and away from her life. Ryanneeded to stay away from Abby. She deserved far more than a lover with adrug-addicted brother. She deserved far more than anything that Ryan could giveher.

But he couldn’t think about his need, couldn’t focus on whathe wanted and what he would be so sad to lose. He needed to focus on Michael.

Again.

“I can’t just come and visit my dear brother? I mean, youdon’t call, you don’t write. All you do is pretend that you know what the fuckyou’re doing. You know, I see you sitting here drinking tea like some fancyboy. Dad wouldn’t have liked that. He never did like the fact that you liketaking it up the ass, but then again, you usually enjoyed sticking it in a girlor a guy when you were done. It didn’t really matter though, did it, Ryan?Daddy always liked you more than me. Maybe if I didn’t mind taking it up theass like you, he’d have loved me more.”

Bile slid up Ryan’s throat, and he took a step forwardtowards Michael, trying to get him out of the place before he did any moredamage.

“Don’t,” he growled, but Michael ignored him.

Ryan knew that Abby was aware he was bisexual. It had comeup in conversation in the past, and she hadn’t seemed to mind. Between hisfriends, he was pretty sure that only one or two weren’t bisexual. Infact, a trio of friends up in Denver even lived in a true triad. Sexualitydidn’t mean anything to them beyond the fact that it was their identity.

So the fact that Michael was saying things the way he was,probably trying to get a rise out of Ryan or embarrass him in front of Abby, wouldn’twork the way Michael wanted it to.

Instead, all it did was put crude words into the air, thoughthat might hurt his relationship with Abby.

Then again, that was probably what Michael wanted.

Because Michael never liked it when Ryan had anything of hisown.

“You need to get out of here, Michael. Let’s go and talkoutside. Or get some coffee somewhere.”

Not at Thea’s.

Ryan’s voice was firm, and far steadier than it had beenwhen he was younger. This wasn’t the first time Michael had come into a place whereRyan was, trying to screw everything up. And Ryan was afraid that it wouldn’tbe the last. But this would be the last time Michael ever stepped footin Abby’s place.

Abby was special. Abby was everything.

And he’d be damned if Michael hurt the woman Ryan caredabout. The woman he wanted to be his woman. The woman who couldn’t behis woman.

“You know, you keep trying to tell me what to do, and Idon’t think you understand, my brother. My twin. I don’t think you understandthat I don’t have to listen to anything you fucking say. I didn’t when we wereyounger, and I damn well sure don’t now. All you had to do was help me, butinstead, you sit on your high horse in your big fucking house and pretend thatI’m not even your brother. I’m your flesh and blood, Ryan. I’m the one whomeans the most to you, at least I should.”

Michael leaned over and looked around Ryan to wave at Abby.

“Hi there, doll. What’s your name?”

“Don’t talk to her.”

“Oh?” There was a flash of triumph in his brother’s eyes,and Ryan knew that he had made a mistake. He shouldn’t have protected Abby, butthen again, there was no damn way he wasn’t going to protect her.

Michael was going to try and get what he wanted, and Ryanwould do what he could to make sure that never happened.