The Ink Romance Series

by Bridget Taylor

  "No one knew I had a brother. I only found out because my foster parents were arguing about you. I looked you up and stole a few hundred bucks from them. I figured I'd try to meet you. Maybe see if you wanted me. Anything was better than staying with them another night." His voice sounded broken and hopeless. It was like he thought of himself as a pet and it angered me so much. How could grown adults treat a child like this? It was unacceptable. If Kane didn't want the responsibility, I would care for him.

  “How did they know?” Kane met Evan’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

  "I swear I don't know. Please believe me." His bottom lip trembled and I crawled in the back seat. I hugged him as he cried. He cried so hard he fell asleep on my shoulder. My shirt was wet, but I didn't care. We drove in awkward silence for a few minutes before I asked Kane, "What are we going to do?" I petted Evan's hair, which needed a good wash, maybe three.

  “What are we going to do? That’s my brother. I’m going to take care of him,” Kane stated with determination.

  I smiled. “I was hoping you would say that.”

  He still didn't seem happy though. "If I had known I still had a brother out there, I would have cared for him. I would have taken care of him like my own child. It makes me so mad I lost seventeen years." I could tell Kane was barely holding it together, and I had no idea what to say.

  "Look at it this way, Kane. You have the next seventeen years." The tension in his eyes faded, and he pulled the truck into the shop's driveway. He turned in his seat, the leather squeaking from his jeans. "That haircut is terrible."

  I laughed until tears prickled my eyes. “It really is.”

  Kane rubbed his hand on the boy’s cheek. “I’m going to have to fix that. I have a lot of making up to do. Seventeen years’ worth. I have to show him how to get the ladies and fix shit.”

  My cackled and it echoed in the truck, making Evan stir. "Maybe you should let someone else handle the lady advice…"

  “Is that so?” He leaped out of the truck and opened the cab door to pick his brother up. He was almost as big as Kane, but it seemed Kane looked at him like a baby. Maybe he didn’t know how to treat him, yet.

  All I knew was that I would help as much as I could. We were going to be a family. Something Evan had never had, and I couldn’t wait to show him how good it could really be.

  Chapter 9

  Kane carried Evan up the stairs and the boy didn't move. While he was a little shorter than Kane, he was really skinny. Almost as if he was underfed on purpose and that really pissed me off. He was such a sweet boy and I was glad that he found us. It seemed Kane was too. When Kane put him down on the bed in the guest bedroom, he was looking at his brother like he was a baby. Pure happiness and adoration shone through his eyes until small tears were streaming down his face.

  "I can't believe I have a brother," he said in awe. He took off the worn, dirty shoes, revealing holey socks. He took off his pants next, but when Kane realized Evan had no underwear on, he looked at me, and I averted my eyes.

  “Can you go grab a pair of my underwear? And a shirt?” he asked, but he never looked up at me.

  “Yes, I’ll be right back.” I was gone a few minutes before closing my eyes and holding out my hand. “Here, I’m not looking.” I waved the underwear in front of me.

  After a few seconds, Kane said, “Look at this. I wasn’t there.” Kane started to get choked up, and when I opened my eyes, I gasped. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Bruises, black, yellow, purple, and blue, decorated his torso.

  “I wasn’t there for him. He needed me and I wasn’t there.” He petted Evan’s hair out of his face.

  “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known about him. What’s important now is that he is out of that situation. Okay? He will heal with us.” I held onto Kane as he cried.

  “I would have helped him if I knew.”

  “I know that, Kane. I know.” He decided to forgo the shirt and tucked him in.

  “You realize he isn’t a baby,” I joked.

  "Yeah, but he probably has never been tucked in a day in his life." We walked out of the room and shut the door, but left it open a crack.

  “What are we going to do?” I sighed as we sat down on the couch.

  “Well, tomorrow we are getting him a haircut, new clothes, and whatever the fuck he wants. I won’t have him suffering when he’s mine to care about now.”

  We settled on the couch for a few minutes and I was about to fall asleep when a loud piercing scream tore through the silence. Kane and I rushed to Evan’s room, throwing the door open to find him squirming in his sleep, clutching the bed sheet for dear life.

  “No! Don’t, please,” he whimpered, breaking my heart.

  "Evan, it's okay." Kane touched his arm, which made his whimpers ease. "You're safe."

  His eyebrows relaxed and his body stopped tensing with Kane’s touch.

  “I’m going to sleep on the floor. I think it helps if I stay with him.” Kane settled, resting his arms above his head, staring at the ceiling.

  I walked out of the room to grab a few pillows and a blanket. If Kane was staying in there, I was staying there. It was as simple as that. I loved how dedicated he was to protect his little brother, when as of a few hours ago, he had no idea he existed.

  “What are you doing?” Kane sat up on his forearms.

  "You have to have some loose bolts up there rattling around in your head if you think I'm going to leave you in this room." I sat on the floor, putting a pillow under his head and then one on my side and spread the blanket across us as we listened to his brother's steady breathing.

  “What are we going to do? We can’t be in here every time he has a nightmare,” I whispered.

  “I don’t know. What I do know is I want to fuck you.” He got up really quick and lifting me up, pulling me into the bathroom in our master’s bedroom.

  “This is going to be quick,” he whispered in my ear before yanking down my pants, spreading my legs apart, and holding my hands on the sink. “Don’t move those hands. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” I swallowed to coat my dry throat.

  "Good, girl. Now, look in the mirror as I fuck you." When I looked at our reflection, I could hardly tell we were about to have sex since my shirt was still on. I couldn't see anything below the waist, and it made the moment that much more erotic.

  The sounding of his belt buckle rang through the air, his jeans plopping on the floor, and his cock slapping against my rear. My face was flushed, and my chest heaved, pushing my nipples harder against my shirt.

  He wasn't gentle. He shoved into me, placing his hand on my lower back and setting a punishing rhythm. He yanked my hair back, causing my back to arch, and his cock go deeper inside me, making me moan into the tight space.

  “You have to be quiet. You don’t want to wake him.” He muffled my cries with his hand, fucking me at a brutal pace. I knew I’d feel this tomorrow. His cock was huge, his want for me was gigantic, and his need for me was borderline delirious.

  “Look at us.” He grabbed the back of my head with his palm to force me to look in the mirror. “Look how good we look together.”

  And damn, if we didn’t look like porn stars.

  Chapter 10

  In the morning I woke up to the smell of coffee wafting through the air on the floor of Evan's bedroom. He was still sleeping like he hadn't slept in weeks, another reason that tore my heart in two.

  I stretched, yawned, and got up to meet my man in the kitchen, but Dylan was there sitting at the bar.

  “Dylan!” I yelled before throwing my arms around him in a big hug.

  “Hey, Leslie.” He wrapped me in a tight hug before Kane came over and ripped his hands off me.

  “Get your own,” Kane grumbled before I was smothered in his scent.

  “You animal.”

  “Damn straight.” He kissed my forehead in a big wet kiss.

  “Guys, can I get some clothes?”

  We all turned to find
Evan wrapped in the sheets, the bruises visible on his shoulders as his hair was sticking up all over the place.

  "Actually Evan, I put a change of clothes in the bathroom. How about you shower, get dressed, and come to meet us out here for breakfast?" Kane still had his back turned, flipping the bacon over.

  “Really? I can just shower and eat? You’re okay with that?” He glanced over at Dylan as if seeing him for the first time, and his cheeks blushed.

  Oh, now that is interesting.

  "Well, hey there cutie. Who are you?" Dylan put his cup of coffee down to get up and greet Evan when Kane turned around with a murderous rage lighting his eyes.

  "Little brother. Seventeen. Don't even think about it." He waved the spatula in Dylan's face, making me hide a chuckle. When I looked over at Evan, his eyes were on Kane like he had just saved the world from a big evil villain.

  “I’ll be eighteen in a month,” Evan whispered.

  “That is good to know, cutie.” Dylan winked making Evan’s blush travel down his neck.

  "Nope, not happening. Not ever. Nope. You!" He pointed at Evan. "Go shower and come to eat breakfast. And you!" He turned to Dylan. "If you want to live to see another day, I suggest you keep your dick in your pants." He threw the breakfast plate down, making Dylan's over easy eggs break.

  “Aww, man. Look what you did. You broke the yoke too soon,” Dylan groaned.

  “Karma.”

  “Hey, how was I supposed to know he was your little brother? I didn’t know.” He shoved a heaping forkful of food in his mouth.

  “I didn’t either, not until last night. It’s why you’re here. I want you to look into his foster parents. He has bruises and scars littering his body. I feel terrible that I wasn’t there for him. I feel like I could have stopped it, but I had no idea he existed. I need to know everything I can about those people. How can I adopt him? I’m family, that counts for something, right?” Kane asked.

  Dylan glanced towards the room like someone had punched him in the gut. "I'll do it. You'll know everything from them sneezing to every single parking ticket they’ve ever had." He wiped his mouth with the white napkin when the bedroom door crept open revealing a clean Evan…well, I didn’t know his last name. We’d just say Evan Bridgeshaw. He was one of us after all.

  “Look at you. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just got even cuter.” Dylan winked again, and Evan crawled on the bar stool, sitting as close as he could to Kane’s best friend.

  “Mi-nor.”

  “Not for much long-er,” Dylan deadpanned.

  “I thought you liked girls, anyway?” Kane grumbled.

  “You know I’m an equal opportunity lover. Come one, come all. That’s the motto.” Dylan slapped his belly once he was done with his plate.

  "Come, huh? You good at that?" Evan placed his chin in his hand, batting his eyelashes at Dylan. Dylan mimicked his pose.

  “How about you come find me when you’re eighteen, and you will find out?”

  “All right, that’s enough. Evan, we’re getting you a haircut today because you look like a sheepdog. We’re also going clothes shopping and whatever else you want or need to make this feel like home. We also need to talk about the family money. Since I didn’t know you existed, I’ll need to contact my lawyer and have him divide it up equally.” Kane ripped into a piece of his bacon chewing loudly.

  “I don’t want money.” Evan pushed his food around on his plate before putting a forkful in his mouth.

  “It’s yours though/” Kane’s confusion was saturating his face.

  "I'm here to get to know you, Kane. I am here to be a family. I really don't want your money," Evan said in anger as red tinted his cheeks.

  Kane placed his elbows on the counter. “All right. How about this? When you turn eighteen, we talk again. You wouldn’t ever have to worry about anything ever again.”

  "I don't have to worry about anything anymore, right? I mean if I need anything, I have you. Don't you want to take care of me? What do I need to do? I don't want to be on my own." Evan's breathing started to speed up, and Dylan began to rub circles on his back. Kane gave him the evil eye and he sighed, taking his hands off Evan.

  Kane walked around the marble counter, grabbing Evan’s face. “You aren’t ever alone. You won’t ever go through anything alone again. I’m taking care of you from now on. I’m sorry I couldn’t before, but I swear I didn’t know anything about you. It would also bring me comfort in knowing you had your own money when you wanted to go on a date, plan for college, or whatever. It’s security, whenever you are ready, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

  "All right,." He bobbed his head in agreement, and that crooked smile that must run in the family graced his lips.

  “Damn, I can’t believe I have to wait an entire month to take you out, cutie.”

  Kane looked at Dylan. “You’re going to wait forever because you and my brother are never happening. Ever.”

  Evan rolled his eyes. “Like you’d ever know.”

  Kane's face grew stern. "I might have just found you yesterday, but I'm looking out for you now. You don't get to undermine me, not in this house. And I'll be damn if you get with my best friend just so you scratch his itch. You're more than that."

  “What if I was the one that needed the itch scratched?” Evan pouted.

  "Nope. You will stay a virgin until I pair you with someone suitable, who is not my best friend."

  “So, I’m not good enough for your brother?” Dylan’s eyes hardened.

  “Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Okay, I don’t want an arranged marriage. I’m only seventeen.”

  My head shot back and forth between the three. It was like watching a soap opera unfold, and I was loving every minute of it.

  “Exactly. You are only seventeen. You are way too young to be thinking about…him.” Kane waved his hand at his friend.

  "Yeah, yeah. When do we leave?" Evan glanced over at Dylan with hearts in his eyes, and Dylan winked.

  Oh, those two were going to be trouble. I could feel it.

  Chapter 11

  “We have problems.” Dylan walked into the tattoo shop, carrying a file in one hand and a coffee in the other.

  “I don’t like it when you say that, man.” Kane groaned as he finished off the last touches on a pin-up girl on someone’s arm.

  “I don’t like it when I say it.” Dylan ran his hands through his hair, the pieces sticking up. He had dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept in a week.

  “You’re going to have to give me ten minutes, man. I’m almost done with this piece, and I don’t have anything until two o’clock.” Kane wiped down the man’s arm, so it was free of blood and running ink, and started tattooing again.

  “Yeah, that’s fine. Where is he now?” Dylan asked. It made me smile because Kane stopped tattooing and narrowed his eyes at him.

  “He is with Beast, giving him a bath.” Kane buzzed the tattoo gun at Dylan in a threatening manner.

  "By himself? Are you kidding me? That's the Goliath of all dogs. He could get hurt." Dylan jumped from his seat and started towards the shelter's doors.

  "Don't even think about it. I wouldn't put him in harm's way. Since you seem actually to care so much, Beast is a teddy bear. He just lays there while someone gives him a bath. He is the most chill dog ever." Kane went back to finishing up the tattoo. “All right, man, you’re done. Check it out. Tell me what you think." Kane wiped down the swollen arm again before the guy got up and checked himself out.

  “Holy shit, man. That looks real.” He moved his arm in different angles to see every mark Kane drew on him.

  After I cashed him out, Kane put the "closed" sign on the door and sat down next to Dylan.

  “All right, man. Hit me.” Kane ran his fingers through his hair after he let it down. He groaned. “Damn, I hate it when I wear my hair up that long. It hurts my head.”

  “Then cut it.” Dylan pointed out before laying
the paperwork out on the table.

  “Don’t you dare even say that again!” I gasped, running over to Kane to sit on his lap and play with his hair.

  “Anyway, what do you have for us?” Kane sat back and sighed.

  “Things aren’t looking good with his foster parents. After a basic search, they are squeaky clean on paper. No parking ticket, not even a late bill payment. They have been foster parents for about twenty years and usually get boys.” Dylan dropped his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose like he had a headache.

  “What, Dylan?” Kane demanded.

  "Their names aren't Donna and Frank Little. Those are people who were murdered about a decade ago. They changed their names, faces, and everything about themselves to look like these people. Their real names are Tiffany and Andrew Brickel, they are on the top ten most wanted list for murder, rape, sex-trafficking, and child abuse. They haven't gotten caught because well, they look like Donna and Frank Little. A pair of insurance representatives from the suburbs of Boston."

  “What else aren’t you telling me?” Kane whispered into the quiet shop.

  Dylan shook his head. “I can’t tell you that. I can’t do it. It’s not my place to tell.”

  Kane stood, glaring at Dylan, pointing his finger in his face. “Tell me! What happened to my brother!” Kane’s voice cracked from the intensity.

  A soft voice in the background, even though it was quiet, seemed to be the only thing any of us heard. “I was beaten. I was raped. They planned on selling me to Mexico when I turned eighteen. I was a paycheck, but when I found out what their plan was, and they did all they could to keep me away from you, I booked it.” Evan hung his head ashamed. “They were all I had. I didn’t know it could be different.”

  I ran from the couch and pulled him into a tight embrace. Kane yelled and punched something until it shattered. When I turned, I saw Dylan holding Kane's hand, blood pooling on the floor and the front door's window smashed—again.

  “I could have been there for you!” Kane screamed.

  "You didn't know. I don't blame you." Evan walked closer, tears hanging in the corners of his eyes.