Page 12 of Zeke
I look down at the dog, which is really in terrible shape. I wonder how Eden even found the poor thing. Who let it get so filthy and hurt? It gazes back at me with a plea in its eyes, and I’m overwhelmed with the urge to help him.
Then I look at my brother, who I’ve always been really close with, and a swell of rage comes over me. He is being such an ass about Kira. I haven’t often liked someone enough to pursue them for more than a one-night fling—if I stayed until morning. But I like Kira, and the fact he won’t be a good brother and let me try this out, because he wants her, too, drives me to the verge of hatred.
I don’t realize I have been glaring at him until he glances at me with a look of surprise and disdain.
“What?” he asks in a tone that is so unlike him—at least with me. “Spit it out.”
I can’t believe my brother is speaking to me like this. My brother who I share everything with. The brother I would die to save, who nearly died to save me not too long ago. But he’s angry with me for going after Kira, and the feeling is goddamn mutual.
“Nothing.” I turn to head back into the house. I enter the kitchen through the back door and notice the empty box of donuts again, then remember that the bakery carries dog biscuits.
It’s a perfectly reasonable excuse to go to the bakery.
I walk back outside to jump on my bike, hitting the throttle and feeling the purr of the machine beneath me. It’s a freeing sensation to know you control this thing but it can take you out in a second.
I zoom into town, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, and park right out front of the bakery. I glance in the window before I walk in and breathe a sigh of relief. Kira is working, and it’s not busy at all, which means we might get to talk. Then I think about the poor dog back at home. It looked so hungry and beaten down that I couldfeelits despair, and I want to help it.
Which means I have to be quick, no matter how much I may want to linger.
“Hi, Zeke,” Kira says with a smile as I walk in, and we end up chatting about the dog while she helps me out. They’re out of the dog treats, but they have some muffins the dog can eat. Kira offers to come back to the farmhouse to deliver them.
Score.
When we get back, I make a big show of helping her carry in the box even though she’s there to deliver it. She’s so sweet that I nearly beg her to have me right then and there. But I wait, and when we get inside, I immediately regret my decision.
Eli greets her and introduces the dog, and Kira bends down next to Eli to pet him.
“Oh,” she gushes. “He’s so cute! I love how soft he is.”
“Yeah,” Eli says. “But you should have seen him before.”
“Why?” she asks. “What was wrong with him?”
Eli shakes his head. “He was filthy. And he’s got that hurt front leg, so we’re gonna need to take him to a vet to get it fixed.” He nods at the box in my hands. “You bring us some goodies?”
Kira smiles and takes the box from me. She opens it to reveal the muffins inside and holds one up.
“These are for him,” she says. “Can I give him one?”
Eli grins back and motions for her to go ahead. “Please do. I’m sure he’d love that. He just ate his body weight in turkey, though.”
Kira giggles, and I feel that familiar pang of jealousy. Between Eli and the damn dog, I’m forgotten. I’m so upset I can’t figure out how to insert myself into the conversation to draw Kira’s attention back to me.
She’s on the floor with Bastard, cooing over him and feeding him muffins, which I don’t think he’s chewing before swallowing them whole. He seems happy though, and Kira is thrilled. Eli keeps talking to her and making jokes, and she giggles in a sweet tone that makes my heart beat just a faster. Eli’s making it happen, rather than me, and I can’t stand it. I want to be the one making her laugh like that, not watching someone else, even my brother, doing it. I don’t want to pull her away from the dog when she’s so happy to interact with him, but I need to get Eli to back off.
“Hey, Eli,” I say, my teeth clenched together. “Eden has some business she needs us to talk about real quick. Can I see you in the living room?”
He looks at me suspiciously, knowing I’m likely lying since Eden was here and would have talked to him rather than calling or texting me. He doesn’t seem to want to make an issue in front of Kira any more than I do, so he stands up and nods, motioning for me to go first.
Once we’re in the living room and out of earshot, I round on him and hiss, “What the fuck are you doing?”
Eli smirks and crosses his arms. “Whatever do you mean?” he asks in a fake innocent tone.
“You know how I feel about Kira, and you’re trying to snag her for yourself.”
“And you know howIfeel about Kira, and you keep trying to fuck her and dump her like you have every other girl,” he retorts.
I glare at him, fighting the urge to throw a punch. It wouldn’t end well, but I desperately want to solve this with my fists.