TAYLOR
I can’t stop staring in the direction of the hallway that leads to the restrooms and private rooms. Where my brother remains.
“Why hasn’t he come out yet?” Savannah yells over the music.
As much as I hated that room, I hate the blaring of the club music even worse. “Why didn’t you tell me what was gonna happen?” I demand, turning to face her.
Her green eyes bug out. “You thought I knew?” She points at herself.
I shrug and lean over to her ear. “You see him more than I do.” How could she not know what he is up to? How could I not know?
She shakes her head, making her blond hair whip back and forth. “He said he just wanted to go out. He didn’t even want to bring us. I had no idea that he was into … drugs.” She mouths the last word, and I sigh heavily.
I’ve never known my brother to do drugs. He has a steady, reliable job. He’s a good guy. It’s crazy how someone so close to you can hide so much.
I start to hit her in the arm when I see him round the corner. His eyes are on us, and they harden as he looks at me. I narrow mine as well. As he approaches us, he grabs both of our arms and starts to push us through the crowd toward the front door.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel the fresh air hit my face. Being inside that club rattled my nerves.
I look over at my brother. “What were you thinking, Blane? Drugs?”
“Not now,” he snaps. “At least wait until we get in the car, for Christ’s sake.”
I huff as we round the back of the corner to the parking lot. I yank my arm out of his hold and cross them over my chest like a petulant child. If I could, I would stomp my feet. I could go as far as refusing to get into the car until he tells me everything, but that would cause a scene. And as much dirty shit that goes on in this club, I bet the guard would come out to silence me before I caused a scene and the cops were called.
As soon as my ass hits the backseat, I start in on him. “What in the hell were you thinking?” I demand. “What was that? Were you buying or selling?”
Before he can answer, Savannah chimes in. “Are you really doing drugs?” My voice had been full of rage; hers, however, is full of sadness. “Please tell me the truth.” She sniffs. “We can help you. We can figure it out.” She is full out crying now. She places her head in her hands as she bends over and sobs in the passenger seat.
He turns in the driver’s seat and grabs her upper arm. He pulls her over the center console and hugs her tightly as he runs a hand up her back. “It’s gonna be okay,” he tells her as he hugs her. I go to open my mouth, but he throws me a look that has me shutting it the next instant. I don’t feel the same way Savannah does. That’s obvious. I’m concerned about him, yes, but I’m not gonna cry and beg him to seek help. I’m going to make him get help, even if I have to drive him there myself.
The ride home is longer than it should have been. Savannah cried softly the entire time, and I sat in the back gazing at their entwined hands on the center console. No one spoke, and my mind ran with questions. The need to know what he is up to filled me to the point I felt like I wanted to explode.
We walk into the house still not speaking to one another. He leads Savannah to their room with a hand on her lower back. I’m waiting for him out in the hallway when he comes out alone a few seconds later.
“When did you start selling drugs?” I demand.
“I’m not discussing this with you,” he growls.
“What?” I snap. “I deserve to know what the hell you have gotten yourself into, Blane.”
“It’s none of your business!”
I reach out and grab his upper arm. He looks down at my hand wrapped around his arm and then back up at me. I can see the amusement in his eyes. “This is no joke, Blane.” Annoyance washes over his face as he clenches his jaw. “Why even take us to that damn club if you knew you had a meeting?”
“Because I thought I could get away from you,” is his clipped answer.
My mouth falls open. “What did you think was gonna happen? You take us to the club that your drug dealer owns. And on top of that, you just happen to have the drugs in your pocket? What if we would have been pulled over? We could have all been arrested.”
He just stares at me. “Blane,” I say softening my voice. “You can get into big trouble for this. You tell that guy you don’t want any more.” I’m still not sure what I saw in that room, but I do know that the guy is the reason it’s happening. If my brother’s doing drugs, it’s because that guy is supplying them to him.
He yanks his arm out of my hold. “I can’t do that. I owe him.”
I place my hand on my chest as my heart starts to pound. “What did you do, Blane? Why do youowehim?” I’m starting to feel like Savannah sounded in the car. Hysterical to the point of a breakdown.
He takes in a deep breath as he runs a hand through his dark hair. “That’s none of your concern.”
“No,” I say angrily as tears start to fill my eyes. “Please don’t do this to yourself. To us,” I beg desperately. “You saw what it did to Dad.”
