Page 59 of As I Am
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The silence was killing him. They'd said only a few words to each other since they'd been on the plane. Carson had made small talk while at his parents' house, trying to put off the illusion that everything was just fine between them.
He didn't want his family knowing he'd been made a fool of again. They'd seen him go through it with his other friends in the past. Luckily, they hardly seemed to notice, even inviting Ky to come back in a week to have dinner with them.
Ky had been wonderful to his parents, and that just made it that much harder for Carson. He loved everything about Ky. He was perfect in every way, except that there was someone else in his life.
He didn't quite understand what Ky meant when he said he needed to see for himself. The last thing he needed was to see the person who Ky chose over him. Still, he found himself curious and wanting to know the truth. No matter how bad it hurt or how hard it was, he was going to know the full story before he forced himself to walk away from Ky.
"I thought you had an apartment downtown." Carson headed away from the city area.
"I do, but that's not where we're going. It's a friend's house."
"Ky, I don't need to deal with a lot of people today." The last thing he needed was fans hounding him for autographs.
Ky rolled his eyes through a half-glare. "You know I wouldn't put you in that situation. At least I hope you'd know that by now. I sent a text from the plane. They know we're coming." Ky blew out a heavy breath. "Get off on fifty-fourth, then take your first left."
"They?" Carson did as he was told, wondering again if he wouldn't have been better to have his dad take Ky home. All they were doing was making the pain worse.
"Take your third right." Ky pointed.
Carson gripped the wheel tightly, wondering what the hell he was in for once they got to wherever Ky was taking him.
"Pull over in front of this house and park." Ky pointed to a red brick house.
Carson pulled the car over and stared at Ky, wondering what he was up to. The last thing he wanted to do was meet anyone. He had enough of being the center of attention on tour. He glanced at the house. "What are we doing here?"
"This will explain everything to you easier. No one is going to bother you, I promise. I wouldn't do that to you. Just trust me for a minute, okay? If what we shared over the last few weeks means anything to you, then trust me for ten more minutes." Ky pushed the car door open and got out. "Come on."
Carson sighed. He just wanted to go home and forget everything that happened. He'd let himself fall for Ky when he shouldn't have. It was his own fault. He'd known going in what Ky was, and that he was just playing a role. He just didn't expect him to play it so well that it made it easy to forget it wasn't real. Now he'd let his heart get in the middle of things, and he had to suffer with the consequences. Still, he owed Ky a chance to tell him whatever he needed to before they finally said goodbye.
Ky turned to him. "You were right when you said I had someone else. There is another guy in my life. One I love with all my heart. He's the reason I do everything I've done over the last few years. He's the reason I do whatever it takes to make sure he and I can survive. I want you to meet him."
Carson held up his hand. "Ky, I don't think—"
"Just for once would you stop thinking? It's thinking that got us where we are right now. If you'd talked to me instead of thinking, then maybe we wouldn't be going through this. If I hadn't thought so much, and had just told you sooner…" Ky stared at him through the open door. "Are you coming?"
"Really, I don't want to meet—"
"Yes, you do. I need you to understand. Now come on." Ky slammed his door closed.
He wasn't used to Ky's anger. For a second he debated on just pulling away, but he could see how upset Ky was. The hurt in his eyes when he'd accused him of having another lover couldn't be faked. Whatever Ky wanted to show him, whoever Ky wanted him to meet, he'd take the time to do it, then he could say he'd done everything he could to try and make it work. Once he'd met whoever this guy was, he'd hurry home before the urge to beat the living shit out of the man overtook him.
He pushed the door open and stepped out of the truck. "Are you sure I shouldn't just go?" He stood at the front of the truck.
"If you leave now, then everything we shared the last three weeks was for nothing. You are two minutes away from understanding." Ky stood with his hands on his hips.
"Okay, five minutes. That's all you get." He followed Ky to the door, unsure what to expect as Ky walked into the house just like he owned the place.
Once inside, Carson glanced around, surprised to see two tattooed men standing in the living room.
"He's in the backyard." One of the guys nodded to the sliding glass door.
"Thanks, Matt." Ky smiled and gestured to Carson to follow him.
Carson smiled at the two men, glad they didn't look shocked to have him just walk into their house. He was nervous to meet the man who had stolen Ky's heart. He didn't want to meet him. It was easier not knowing who he'd lost Ky to.
They stepped out the back door, and almost immediately, two small kids came running toward them.
