Lee turned his head away from her. She more than liked him. He didn’t know how to respond. Lee stiffened as Marella’s hand landed on his arm. He gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. Marella removed her hand and Lee started the car. Marella stared out of the window with her heart in her throat. Lee wasn’t a talker or a toucher, he never touched her and the only time he had was that night with the fight, to prove his claim on her. She wasn’t sure what claim that was though. The night Lee had stopped next to the road to help her change that tyre had been a turning point in her life. She’d liked the quiet, broody boy. He was huge and at first she’d been frightened when he loomed over her. “Give me that,” Lee had said and then proceeded to change her tyre. He could text just fine but speak? He couldn’t hold a conversation and he preferred to just watch and listen. She was completely in love with him, since that first morning when she woke up to find him asleep on the floor next
Things had quieted down and it had been weeks since the truce. Mason, Kelley and Lee relaxed and Marella started working at a clothing store after school and on weekends. It was early on Saturday morning and Kelley had just finished his shift, now loading trucks with Mason and Lee on the docks since his wrist had healed and rehab had strengthened it.Kelley pulled out his ringing phone as he walked to his Escalade. “Hello.”“Is this Kelley Alexander?”“Yes, who is this?”“This is John Campbell and I’m sorry for calling so early but I’ve been looking for you for months.”“Okay.”“Can we meet? I need to discuss your father’s will with you.”“My father’s will?” Kelley questioned. “As far as I know my father’s alive and well.”“You don’t know … where are you? I’ll come to you, this is quite urgent, Mr Alexander.”“I’m in Yorkdare Bay.”“I’m in the city. I can be there in an hour. Is there somewhere we can meet?”“There’s a diner on Long Road, I’ll meet you there.”The call ended and Kelle
Kelley stewed with the news for two weeks, not saying a word and knowing that Carey wouldn’t say anything either. It was hard to make peace with all the facts that he now knew. He hadn’t touched the money John had given him but he knew what he wanted to do.“Campbell.”“Hi, it’s Kelley.”“Hi, Kelley, I’m glad you called. How are you holding up?”Kelley took a big breath and chuckled. “It’s surreal but I wanted to ask you something.”“Shoot.”“Can I buy property through my trust, meaning with the money in the trust?”“Of course you can. Property is seen as an investment. Send me the portfolio of the property and we can talk after I’ve talked to the owner of the building.”“It’s a warehouse down by the docks, it’s been empty for years and I don’t know who the owner is.”John was quiet for a few seconds. “A warehouse? What do you want with a warehouse?”“It’ll be a base of sorts, it also holds sentimental value for us, for me. I can send you the address.”“Okay, do that and I’ll try to f
Kelley quickly changed out of his suit and stood in his underwear in front of his closet when the door of the room he shared with Mason opened and closed quickly. Kelley turned around not sure who it was since Mason, Lee and Marella had already left for the party.“Hi.”Juliana looked at Kelley as he stood facing her in all of his half-naked glory. “I heard you went on a date tonight.”Kelley laughed as Juliana smiled. “It was fun.”“Not even a morsel of remorse from you.”“That’s because I’m not sorry at all.”Juliana laughed as she stepped closer to Kelley and her arms went around his waist. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”“About?”Juliana didn’t say anything but pressed herself closer to Kelley and kissed him. The jeans fell from his hand as he gripped her hair with one hand and other one went to her back. Feeling the need to breathe more deeply he broke off the kiss and gazed into her eyes.“You’re killing me.” His erection throbbed between them and Juliana loosened her hold f
Kelley was transported to the hospital in an ambulance as the paramedic tried to staunch the bleeding in his head. Lee and Mason were following behind the ambulance and Kelley knew he was in shock. He kept staring out of the small windows of the back doors at the ambulance behind them transporting Jule’s body.“You’ll need stitches.”Kelley didn’t say anything as she kept the gauze pressed against his head. A police officer had already asked him if he’d been drinking and they followed behind the ambulances to do a breathalyzer test and most probably a blood test too.He felt numb not knowing how to deal with Juliana’s loss. He sat in an almost catatonic state and lay back on the gurney when they told him to and wheeled him inside the emergency room and into a trauma bay.“Kelley Alexander … we’re brothers!”In a few seconds Mason and Lee’s faces appeared through the curtain and then Carey was speaking to a doctor as a nurse dabbed the area around his wound and placed a tray with equip
Ulrich Drummond pulled the curtain open and gave Kelley and Mason a smile. “How big is your family exactly?”Mason smiled as Kelley pulled his shoes on. “Why?”“Well, you have thirteen brothers in the waiting room and an uncle.”“We don’t have a tv at home.” Mason’s laugh reverberated through the room and even Ulrich chuckled as Kelley’s expression remained stoic.“Your uncle, though, wouldn’t take no for an answer, he’s right outside, a Jesse Owens.”“He’s my uncle, for real.”Ulrich shook his head lightly and stepped to the side as Jesse slid past him. “Shit, Kelley, I just heard.”Jesse pulled him into a hug and Kelley’s arms clasped around Jesse’s back. “Thanks for coming but I just got discharged.”“Let’s get you home, kid.”Jesse slapped Mason on the back too and the three of them walked out of the trauma bay. Kelley’s steps faltered as Charles and Laura stood to one side with Petey’s parents. Kelley nodded his head at Mason who understood instantly and he led Jesse to the waiti
Kelley felt a chill creep up his spine as he drove up the driveway and parked his Escalade in front of the house. It didn’t feel like mere months since he’d last been there, but years. He realized also that this house had never been his home.The front door opened just as he reached the steps of the stone porch and Laura smiled as she stood waiting for him. Sudden guilt hit him at how he’d treated his mother the last time he’d spoken to her but the feeling didn’t last long.“Kelley? What are you doing here?” She looked genuinely confused at his sudden appearance at the house.“Charles invited me to dinner, said we needed to talk.”“Oh, come in.” Her smile lit up her eyes and Kelley gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ve missed you, Kelley.”Kelley felt awkward as he stepped inside the house. It still looked the same but it felt completely different, like he’d lived there in another lifetime. He didn’t have a nostalgic moment of good memories flooding him, he only remembered that la
Kelley sat on the beach close to the hotel where his father had retreated to earlier. Even after vomiting, he still felt sick to his stomach. His mother had made herself a slave to Charles Alexander for seventeen years just not to own up to her own mistakes.He wondered who Marley’s father was and then another though trickled into his mind. It could be any of the elite men in Yorkdare Bay or even one of the bastards living in the city. He’d never forget the way his mother had crawled towards Charles, begging and pleading.He had betrayed the girl he loved for her, yet she had never even tried to protect him. If she went to prison though Marley would be left in Charles’s care. He couldn’t let that happen either, Marley was only a year younger, but he couldn’t condemn her to that sort of life, not if he could help it.It was a sickening cascade of emotions that went through Kelley as he watched the waves. Where in the past the crashing sound had soothed him it now only proved to add to
It was a week later when Jesse called him. It was a go. Nobody talked about his little meltdown, instead they walked on eggshells around him. Lee and Mason hovered, worked out of his study and at night Milana occupied his mind with sex. It wasn’t a bad deal, except that they all watched him, constantly.Nobody told her that it was Ernesto that he had killed and neither did he. He kept quiet and he waited. He tried to be himself, it was hard, but he tried. It didn’t fool his brothers though. They knew something was up and Connor finally broke the ice.“I can’t really decide who’s the crazier motherfucker, you or Lee.”Kelley looked up from his laptop and Lee huffed out a laugh. “Kelley. Definitely Kelley.”“You stabbed your father over thirty times, how am I crazier than you?”Mason leaned back against the sofa and took turns to look at them. “Did you see that guy’s face? You caved his skull in with your bare hands!”“Soft in the head just took on a whole new meaning for me,” Kelley sa
The front door opened as Kelley walked up the two wide stone steps. “Welcome to Meadow Lake, Kelley.”“Ernesto.”Kelley followed him to his office and they sat down on the two sofas facing each other. Ernesto poured them each a drink, assuming that Kelley would want one. He didn’t really but he took it and emptied the glass.“So what brings you to my little town?” Ernesto looked smug and Kelley fought to keep the sneer from his face.“I want to know where Milana’s mother is,” Kelley said.“I see.”Kelley’s expression remained stoic and he could see Ernesto was thinking about his answer. It wouldn’t be a good answer, Kelley knew that too. Kelley shifted slightly and pulled the pistol from under his jacket.Ernesto’s eyes followed the movement and his left eye twitched as the pistol came to rest on Kelley’s thigh. “Where is she?”“She’s dead. She killed herself four years ago,” Ernesto said calmly.“You didn’t think to share that news with her daughter?”Ernesto shifted and Kelley’s han
Kelley walked into his study with a grin on his face. He’d barely slept the previous night, despite his exhaustion. Once hadn’t been enough and he’d reached for Milana a few times until the sun rose and he’d gotten up for Kyzer.He walked over to the couch area and moved the one he and Milana had been on back to its original place. His tie was on the back of the other couch and it slipped to the floor against the wall just as he reached for it.Kelley moved the couch away from the wall and bent down to retrieve his tie. The wooden part of the skirting lay on the floor and he pushed the couch further away and picked it up. He looked at the piece in his hand, the edges a little jagged, like it had been cut out.He pulled his phone from his pocket and turned the flashlight app on and directed the light into the hole that had been hidden by the skirting piece. He lay flat on his stomach as he moved his phone and something caught his eye.Kelley stuck his fingers inside and it gripped the
The dining room remained quiet for exactly twenty seconds when Kelley walked out before everyone started talking at the same time.“That was intense,” Sylvie breathed.“You!” Marley stood up and pointed her finger at Sylvie. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off him the entire time. Get over it, he’ll never love you. He loves her!” Marley pointed at Milana and sat back down.“Shut up, Marley,” Jesse said softly.“Is that true?” Mason asked. “Are you still in love with Kelley?”“I should go talk to him,” Lee said.“No!” Milana said fiercely. “I’ll go talk to him, if any of you go up there now he’ll probably kill you. He won’t hurt me.”“Says the one that tried to kill him,” Marley muttered.“You created this whole mess, Marley. You should listen to Jesse and shut the fuck up,” Milana hissed and walked out of the dining room.Nobody moved and then Jeannie stood up and glared at all of them. “This is all levels of fucked up but Kelley’s right about one thing. You all want to get angry and gla
The weeks sped by and Kelley became broodier and quieter than ever before. He spent more and more time in his study catching up on work and spreading their business further, moving across continents and into other markets.He went to sleep each night with his back turned towards Milana but they always woke up attached to each other in some way. Today would be a test for all of them. They were planning a family dinner and Kyzer was already three months old.He rubbed his temples, wishing the headache would go away. It was the one constant ever since the coma. He had one every night and probably would for the rest of his life. He had an hour before everyone would knock down his front door.Milana walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body as Kelley closed the bedroom door behind him. She didn’t look at him but rather looked past him. His grip on her arm made her waver because he hadn’t hurt her, not once since that night he gave his ultimatum.“Mila …”“I need to get re
Kelley was standing by the crib when Kyzer’s face scrunched up and he picked him up before he had the chance to scream. He changed him and then sat in the rocking chair as he fed him the bottle he’d made. He didn’t feel like he’d missed anything but Kyzer was bigger and heavier and his face had changed a little.The door opened and Kelley looked up just as he pulled the empty bottle from Kyzer’s mouth. He placed the bottle on the table next to the rocking chair and lifted Kyzer to his shoulder. Three burps later and Kyzer was already half asleep.Milana had remained standing in the doorway, leaning against it. Tears were running down her cheeks and she hadn’t bothered to wipe them away. Kelley tucked Kyzer in, sighing softly in his sleep, before he turned to face Milana.He gripped her hand in his as he walked past her and pulled her behind him towards their bedroom. His bedroom, since none of her things had been in the dressing room when he’d changed earlier. He waited until she was
Kelley’s eyelids fluttered and he blinked a few times before the ceiling came into focus. He tried to swallow and felt the nausea rising. Kelley’s hand rose to his face and he felt the tube going down his nose.He started pulling, slowly and swallowed the nausea down. The pipe seemed never ending and when the last bit popped out of his nose, he gagged. The beeping was low in his ears but irritatingly there. Kelley turned to look at it with a frown and then he switched it off.He ripped the patches off his chest and stumbled to the bathroom. His hand was against the wall because his balance was up to shit. Something was trailing on the floor behind him and he felt for the light switch and stepped back as his reflection appeared in the mirror.“What the fuck,” Kelley whispered.He looked down and saw the bag half-filled with urine. ‘Why the hell do I have a catheter?’ he thought to himself as he picked it up and placed the bag on the counter. His head felt fuzzy but he wasn’t in pain at
Five weeks later …Mason looked at his phone for the hundredth time. It wasn’t going to magically ring. He rubbed his hands over his face and walked out of his office at the warehouse. His calm veneer was cracking, his soul was splitting off piece by piece.Their family was breaking and he had no idea how to fix it or even if he wanted to try and fix it. Carey wasn’t talking to him, Marella wasn’t talking to Lee and Connor was like a bear with a sore tooth. Grace had been with Carey for two days now, she’d taken her for the weekend.Marley was the only woman that was talking to them. Steel had drifted to the other side, he’d had no choice. Milana was his detail and he stuck to her side. Connor had lost his shit, broken three chairs and Steel had had to drag him away from Milana.Kelley had survived brain surgery, even though the odds had been stacked heavily against him. There had been swelling, another brain bleed and another surgery, he’d survived that as well, even though his docto
Two weeks passed and they’d fallen into a routine with Kyzer. Kelley did most of the heavy lifting, bringing Kyzer to their bed so Milana could feed him. The doctor’s timeline had been four weeks and Kelley made sure she stuck to it.She looked healthier, her hair shining again although she hadn’t gained any considerable weight yet, though Kyzer had. His pediatrician was happy with everything and Kelley felt like he could breathe easier.He hadn’t heard from Sylvie and he doubted he would and as the days passed he felt more comfortable. Mila looked more and more like herself again and at night she slept in his arms, her head on his chest like they’d always done.Kelley opened his eyes and gripped his erection through his pajama pants. He hated sex dreams, especially now. It was still early, not even six am yet. Milana’s side of the bed was empty and his cock twitched at the thought of her.Kelley closed his eyes again and tried to adjust himself in the loose pants. “Do you need help w