Read Online Twin Ties 2: Twin Affairs by Lynn Kelling - Free Book Online Page B

was out on a run. Bren texted me when he saw you were gone. He’s worried about you.”
    “What else is new?” Evan muttered bitterly, adding more loudly. “How’d you find me?”
    “You’re kind of predictable. Hate to tell ya, but it is what it is. So,” he cleared his throat, “what’s up?”
    Evan tiredly wiped a hand over his face, partially out of weariness, partly from shame, partly just wanting to block out the sight of Luka—immaculate, glistening, shirtless and dripping sweat like Evan’s desire given life… and
lots
of muscles.
    “Spare me the witty puns, please. You can go now.”
    “You’re dismissing me?” Luka smirked, sinking to his knees in the tall grass just inches from Evan.
    “I’m trying to. It doesn’t seem to be working,” he grumbled, shifting his knee slightly to better block Luka’s line of sight. The move, however, sent a serrated, cutting pain corkscrewing into Evan’s gut. Gritting his teeth to hold in a strangled shout, Evan forced himself to breathe through it. He blew air out between his lips and inhaled deeply through his nose.
    “Hey, what’s going on?” Luka asked, quite seriously.
    Wanting a cigarette or drugs or simply to escape, Evan shook his head. “You know, I’d really appreciate it if
you
didn’t treat me like a child or an invalid or like I’m gonna try to off myself again. I get plenty of that from everyone else.”
    “Is that how you think we see you?”
    “Don’t you?”
    “No.”
    “Bullshit. That’s bullshit! If you all had one ounce of confidence in me or respect for me, I wouldn’t have to fucking sneak away to just to have some peace without some wannabe Daddy figure trying to tell me what’s good for me!”
    While yelling, Evan threw his arms open in a wild gesture. It pulled something in his bad side. His eyes instantly flooded with tears. His mouth fell open around a harsh gasp and for a second he couldn’t breathe for the pain. Making a small, broken sound, he tried to blink his eyes clear. Tears slipped down his cheeks. Then Luka was on him, guiding Evan carefully down onto his back. He placed a hand on Evan’s chest while the other cupped the side of Evan’s face.
    “Okay, you’re okay,” Luka said softly, calmly. Evan wasn’t sure if it was for his sake or Luka’s own because he could detect a chilly under-layer of fear behind the soothing tone, the kind he sensed in Alek quite often now. “Small breaths, come on. It’ll pass. There ya go.”
    Pursing his lips against a soft whine, Evan closed his eyes as he did as Luka said. Gradually, too gradually, the ache became merely overwhelming instead of crippling. Silent tears continued to fall. When he was past it completely a minute later, Evan still couldn’t look at Luka, who was still hovering over him, touching him.
    At least he’s touching me
, Evan thought hopelessly, wondering why hope was so hard to hold on to.
At least I’m not alone.

Chapter 6
Undone
    “This is only gonna make it worse, isn’t it? When they find out, they’re still not gonna believe I’m getting better. They’ll be more worried than ever and—”
    “Evan….”
    “It’s been months, Luka.
Months
,” Evan growled, his voice sounding choked with emotion. “Alek can barely look at me without being afraid and don’t pretend you don’t see it—how he is around me. And Brennan won’t let me in. It’s like I have some disease, like
I
have cancer now. So I got hurt! So what?! It happens! And I’m just so fucking
lonely
, you know? I just don’t want to be the one that’s fucked up anymore! I want to feel like they love me again. I
miss
them. I miss them
so much
.”
    Later, Luka wasn’t sure what came over him or why he did it. It was like Evan was a new drug, his heartbreaking tears slipping in under Luka’s defenses and logic, distorting them.
    Dipping his head, angling it to the side, Luka sucked a hard kiss to Evan’s mouth. It made Evan whimper beautifully. Parting his soft,