Page 119 of Resurrection
Adri lunges again, yelling "That isn't helping" at me and then "gross."
They race around the sofa set again. Ty almost knocks over my poor ottoman before disappearing into my bedroom. I follow, determined to stop my brother from killing my lover. There, Ty’s already slipping into his jeans sloppily. His zipper’s only halfway up when Adri and I tumble past the threshold.
Adri hesitates, just for a second, and I use the chance to grab his arm. "Cut it out."
Ty dashes past, a blur of bare skin and tattoos, with one useless sock in his hand.
"Car keys are on the hook by the door!" I shout after him, knowing if I don’t give up my vehicle right now, Ty might end up in the back of Adri’s cruiser or on TMZ, caught on camera running around my neighborhood. Pretty much naked.
"Got it, baby." Ty flashes me a smile. And that dumb "baby." He hardly ever uses that nickname. I’m not particularly fond of it. It’s cheesy and obnoxious, but I melt a little on the inside anyway.
Adri wrestles out of my pathetic grip and dashes after him. I watch them as they tear through my living room, heading for the front door.
"For fuck’s sake, leave him alone, Adri! This is my goddamn house!"
But my brother’s too preoccupied with chasing the only man I’ve ever truly loved out of my life.
"I’m gonna bury you, Brady," he spits, sidestepping all my furniture with that pure military precision.
Yep, my life is a sitcom. And I don’t know if I should be crying or laughing or putting some pants on.
"Don’t let him kill me, Nomes!" Ty calls teasingly from the porch, his voice all fake bravado since he has no real plan for escape except for my Subaru. I have no idea how he manages to find the time to grab his boots.
"Trying!" I seize Adri's arm again as I catch up with him on the steps.
"Let go," Adri growls, yanking his limb out of my grasp.
"Quit it already," I demand, refusing to let go. "We can’t keep doing this!"
Adri's eyes are hard and final. "Hecan’t keep doing this," he shoots back, his voice loud enough for everyone in my neighborhood to hear him.
"It’s none of your goddamn business!"
Meanwhile, Ty has already climbed into my Subaru and started the engine. The window rolls down as he backs up. "I’ll bring the car to the casino later!" Ty throws at me with that stupid smirk of his.
Adri does what he does best—gives Ty a death glare. "Don't even think about coming near my sister, you piece of shit!"
"Talkin' big for someone who’s been lying for seventeen years!" Ty fires back as he clumsily maneuvers out of the driveway.
Adri's face contorts.
"Adri?" I ask, my gaze bouncing between my brother and Ty. "What’s he saying?"
"Ask him what really happened!" Ty shouts from the road. "Ask Adri why I left. Ask that asshole yourself. "
My heart is loud and restless over the noise of the engine. The tires squeal, and then he’s gone.
For a moment, the world seems silent without him. A quiet scream, a soft, persistent echo that fills my heart, my home, my head. Adri stands like a stone in the wreckage on the bottom step of my porch.
"What did he mean?" I ask, placing my fists on my hips. "What did you do?"
His eyes flick away. The silence thickens, suffocates.
"It’s nothing," he mutters. His voice is careful, practiced.
I know a lie when I see it. I know my brother.
"What did he mean?" I repeat, the question thick in my throat. "Ask you what, Adri? What did you do?"
