Broken (4 page)

Eric smiled, his eyes fixed on the strong, warm hand that slid the sandwich in front of him then loaded their plates with chips. “Thanks.”

“That would be the cop that’s investigating Dave’s murder?” Randy asked, smiling hugely as his little brother bit into the sandwich, his eyes closed in epicurean ecstasy.

“Mmm, you shoulda been a chef, bro.” The youngest Custon praised, delighting at the tinge of pink that flushed Randy’s cheeks.
Could you take it if I told you you’re beautiful?
“Now how come I can’t do this? I know exactly how you put one of these puppies together, but it never tastes right.”

Secret ingredient. Bet if you made one for me I’d taste the difference, too,
he smiled softly. “Stuff always tastes better when someone else makes it,” he shrugged sheepishly. “So, she’s dating the cop that’s investigating her dad’s murder?”

Eric shook his head quickly, “Mm mm, I don’t think so. From what Boomer was sayin’, some old guy named Sherm is handling Dave’s case. Hey, are you goin’ to the Shiners? We could go together.”

“I doubt it,” Randy scoffed, catching a flicker of hurt cross his little brother’s face, “I mean, you’re the one crushing on the girl, and if the rest of the ‘Magnificent Custon Clan’ is going...”

Eric shook his head, his eyes wide and hopeful, “Dad and Mike are at the shop, and Mom’s probably at the spa or shopping or…” he shrugged, “something...”

“Yeah,” Randy snorted, shaking his head, his eyes boring into Eric’s, “Or
something.
So, why aren’t you going?” he asked, ripping into his sandwich.

Eric’s eyebrows danced up and down and a salacious grin spread his mouth, “I got a date, and it promises to last at least a couple days,” he looked at Randy through his lashes.

What he wanted to do was rip the faintly younger man off the stool, race him across the kitchen and into the corner where he could hold him captive with his body and breathe him in. Then, once he was full of that woody green scent, he would capture that warm, full mouth and remind Eric who he belonged to. Who he would
always
belong to.

“But, I could be late if you wanted to go together. Hey, do you think they’ll go public with whatever he sent to Sam?”

Ice shimmied over his back as Randy froze. That he wasn’t finished covering his bases was a harsh slap back to reality. For a moment there, with just the two of them in the house, he’d almost let himself forget that there was more to be done.

“Huh?” he asked, fighting the phantom sensation of the younger man crushed between him and the wall.

“Oh yeah, dude! The night Dave got hit, at least from what Boomer was sayin’, Cody goes to the house and picks up something to mail to Sam, only he’s so freaked about finding Dave’s body, he can’t remember if it went to Sam’s apartment or the Outreach Center.”

“Yeah, I heard something like that.” Randy muttered as his chewing slowed,
Okay, yeah, I knew that, would she have it with her? Could she have gotten it already? No doubt Boomer will be at the Shiner’s for dinner. Man, that’s a risk.
Something inside him sighed,
I have to take it though.

“Yeah, so now they’re all over her apartment and the center waiting for it to come so they can see if it I.D.’s the killer,” Eric informed him as they raised their bottles together.

“Well, fuck me.” Randy muttered, glancing out to the patio, letting his mind wander long enough to miss Eric’s wistful sigh and the look of longing that crossed his face.

“That’s a stroke of luck,” Randy half sighed, returning to the moment.

“Damned straight, sooner she can put this all behind her, get the son of a bitch behind bars, the better.”

“Heh, son of a bitch, yeah,” he snapped back to the moment, narrowing his eyes at his little brother. “So, are you staying here?”

Eric caught his big brother’s eyes, “I’d sleep at the
barn
first.”

At the front door with twilight laying softly on the horizon behind him Randy smiled gently at his little brother, “Have a good time this weekend.”

Eric nodded smiling back but with glassy eyes, “You
are
still working for the Caffeys right?”

“Yep. It’s a sweet gig,” he sighed. “Charles is a good guy, s’not his fault he’s got a slut for a wife and a battleaxe lording over him.”

“Long as you’re happy Ran.” The younger man nodded, leaning casually against the doorjamb, every instinct screamed for him to reach out and grab his big brother into his arms. “You should come and visit me. Doc’s place is only about a mile down the road, less if you could go through yards,” he watched Randy smile faintly and give a half-hearted nod. “I could grill us up something, you could meet Rob; I think you’d like him.”

Randy nodded tightly, “I’m sure he’s great. It sounds like
you’re
pretty happy.” He fought the urge to reach out, to put his hand on his little brother, afraid of what he might do if he did.

“I am, mostly,” Eric sniffed shakily. He couldn’t stop himself, his hand snaked out lighting on Randy’s neck, half cupping his jaw, he choked “I miss you.”

The older man fought the urge to press his face into that warm calloused palm, but allowed himself the luxury of committing the feel to memory before he smiled and stepped back, “Talk to you soon.” He half dashed down the steps and from the safety of the driveway, too far away to let himself rush back, turned to drink in the sight of his Eric leaning dejectedly in the doorway, his head ducked just enough to betray the true depth of his loneliness.

“Was good t’see ya Eric,” he nodded, “real good.”
I love you little bear.

Then he was pulling away, the faint shimmer of desperate hope across the younger man’s face a dagger in his heart.

“
If you really love me you’ll stop! Please!” He felt the hot sting of tears pricking the corners of his eyes and the pain of an unspent, fading erection between his legs as the young boy stepped up to him, his face streaked with tears as he reached forward.

“
But I LOVE you, its okay. It’s just us…” he tried to explain pressing one hand to Randy’s chest while the other snaked around his waist.

His belly twitched with the faint tickle of the little boy’s fingers sliding around the waistband of his jeans, brushing his sensitive skin teasingly.

“
No! It’s NOT okay! It’s NOT NORMAL!” he cried, “It’s not the way love’s supposed to be! NOT LIKE THIS!” With his hands on either side of the little boy’s face, his bright green eyes fell into the dark brown Eric’s became when he was upset, begging the younger boy to understand.

--

Bill Shiner smiled warmly, pressing Randy’s palm into his, “Glad you came son, thank you.”

Randy returned the vigorous handshake,
well her SUV isn’t around, I’m guessing she’s still at the cabin, or at the B&B finding out why the ghastly trio came down from their tower.
“Thank you, sir. It’s good of you and Mrs. Shiner to host this for Sam.”

“Least we could do,” Bill shook his head peering through the crowd, “I don’t think she’s back just yet, c’mon in Randy, food’s on the table. I’m afraid folks’re just sorta mingling around, eating where they stand ‘n all.”

“Thank you, sir.” Randy nodded as the old man caught sight of something, excused himself, and moved quickly through the throng of townies toward the table or the kitchen.

With a quick glance around, the middle Custon boy disappeared stealthily up the stairs.

At the top, he knew immediately which room Dave’s ‘daughter’ was staying in,
I wonder if the poor guy had any clue what she was born from?
He walked past the room, glancing in to make sure it was empty, then into the one on his right, the one Bill and Sophie’s boy Owen grew up in. It was also empty, and the bathroom door was open, as was the master bedroom at the end of the hall. He was alone.

Quietly, he returned to Sam’s room and slid inside. Once the door was closed, he took a moment to lean back, letting his heart race in his throat. The tight pulling sensation in his groin had only gotten more demanding after spending just a couple hours with his little brother, and the fuzzy curtain in his head that tried to keep things separated was forced aside by the events of the day, leaving the voices of his past demanding attention.

He shook his head,
it’s too much,
and held down the frenzied, furious animal that came with the voices. That was what wanted to tear through the room shredding everything. Breathlessly, he held it back, and when he was sure it was a little calmer, he eased himself off the door to digest his surroundings.

The bed was unmade and there were a few items of clothing strewn around: a sweater over the desk chair, her make up on the desk itself, her weekend suitcase shoved between the dresser and a stool, the dress she’d worn at the funeral in a black, silk lump on the bed with the black heels half-kicked underneath.

Swallowing hard around the ball in his throat, he stepped to the bed, his fingers sliding into the pile of silk, bringing it up to his face, breathing in the scent of the prey who’d worn it.

God,
he thought against the hot twitch deep inside as a buzzing sound burrowed from the back of his mind.

“
don’t, please? I don’t wanna.” he was nearly begging.

“
Shhh, it’s alright, just be a good boy and do what I say.”

He looked to the side where his little brother lay face down and naked on the bed with that stony hand pressed into his back, keeping him down despite the tears and sniffles.

“
Don’t hurt him, please.” Randy shook his head curled into the corner, thoughtless of his own nakedness as he watched the free hand touch his little brother.

“
COME HERE!”

He shook his head but couldn’t stop himself from crawling forward, his heart beat echoing in his chest. His throat was dry and sand papery, all the water seemed to be gone from him as Eric’s eyes pleaded with his, his lips trembling with fear.

The little boy shook his head, his cheeks stained and shiny with his own tears as that hand slid somewhere that made him shriek, “Noooo!” in unmistakable pain.

“
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, just don’t, please…” he reached forward, stroking the little one’s tearful face while he shook his head at the sight of the humming device that was often used to hurt them.

“
Roll over Eric.”

And he did, his tummy
trembling
as he draped his arm over his face.

“
Alright boy, you know what to do, show your little brother how much you love him.”

Randy winced, then sighed, the taste of the boy forever imprinted in his memory. The flavor they made was the nectar that sustained him and kept him sane. But it was the staying away from him that made him crazy.

“
I’m sorry,” he cried, holding Eric’s face between his hands, “I’m sorry…”

Eric sniffed, “S’okay Ran, s’okay.” he assured, throwing his arms around the older boy’s neck and pressing their mouths together.

His hand clenched around the dress, his palm sweating into the delicate fabric as tears threatened and his breath came shakily. He wiped the sheen of perspiration off his face and dropped the hopelessly wrinkled garment back onto the bed before lurching at the small suitcase, his eyes fixed on its address tag.

He spread the panels of the bag open, sweeping his hand through each pocket, looking for anything from a letter to the possible contents of a package when a flash of purple lace caught his attention. He drew the thong from the dark recesses, his breathing growing ragged again as he pressed it to his face hoping to catch confirmation of her scent.

“Don’t make me…” he whimpered in a whisper, part of his mind still lost in the memories, still trying to undo everything that had long ago been done.

Frustration crushed the piece of lace into his fist where it ended up in the pocket of his suit jacket before he moved on to the dressers, the closet, under the bed, between the mattress and box spring, and under the chair cushion to finally satisfy himself that so far as yet, Dave’s daughter had nothing in her possession
here
that could point to him.

Now all I have to do is keep my eyes and ears open between the center and her apartment.
He took a moment to copy down her address from the suitcase before standing at the mirror, making sure he appeared just as he should.

A quick flick of his fingers through his hair, a long deep breath and a slow exhale and he was ready to exit the room.

“Okay,” he breathed.

Making sure he was still alone with a peek into the hallway, Randy then ducked into the bathroom to wet his hands and a towel, just in case anyone saw him. He crept to the corner and glanced downward. If he could descend and leave without anyone knowing he’d been up there at all, so much the better. But if not, then at least he could say the downstairs bathroom had been occupied.

From the top of the landing he watched Bill open the front door where a man who was definitely NOT a townie introduced himself.

“Jase Edwards, I’m a friend of Sam’s. You must be Mr. Shiner,” the detective extended his hand.

Oh man, she had to fuck with a COP! BITCH!
he cursed her,
I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you so hard Patty’ll feel it!

Everyone in town knew Dave Backer’s wife Patty had died in childbirth, but Randy was willing to bet that not a single soul knew that the child Dave had raised as his own, was NOT the child Patty gave birth to.