Double Heat [Twin Ties: 3] by Lynn Kelling Page A

sees it that way.”
    “He needs to see it that way if he wants you and Bren sticking around. People are fucking nuts , man. They’re working shitty jobs. The economy scares them senseless. The government’s breathing down their necks. They’re just getting by and their lives are miserable, and then you have gay people fighting for rights and putting themselves in the spotlight. And don’t even get me started on religion. There are a lot of people who are capable of snapping and taking their frustrations about other shit out on a kid like you, just because you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’re an easy target.”
    “You don’t need to tell me,” Evan sighed.
    “Fuck right, I don’t. You know exactly what I mean, and you’ve got the scars to prove it.”
    Evan took a deep drink. It made his head swim. “So, what do I do?”
    “Drink your beer. Hang out with me a while.”
    “Sounds good to me,” Evan smiled, glancing Carter’s way and getting a wicked hint of a grin in return.
    An hour or two slipped by. Evan only had the one beer, since he had to drive back. Carter had many more, though, so Evan drove him home.
    By the door to Carter and Presley’s place, Evan waited by Carter’s side as he got out his keys and tried to find the right one. It was taking him a while.
    “Need a hand with that?” Evan chuckled as Carter scowled at his keys, flipping through them one by one.
    “You offering me a hand, Ev?” Carter retorted, laughing at his joke as Evan licked his lips wet and tried to play it cool.
    “Not like that,” Evan murmured. “Just trying to get you home in one piece.”
    “You’re a good guy, you know. You deserve to have less shit in your life. You should get to just be happy, without all the bullshit and fear.”
    “You don’t need to fight my battles for me, you know,” Evan reminded him, as Carter got angry on his behalf once again.
    “I just don’t want that streak of bad luck to hit you again,” Carter said more softly. “The twins are reckless. Always have been.”
    “I know. They’re growing up, though.”
    Carter had finally found the right key. The door was an inch or two ajar. He turned back to Evan though, head bowed.
    “Thanks for the drink. Anytime you wanna do this again, you know where I am.”
    “Thanks,” Evan nodded.
    Without another word, Carter turned and went inside.

Chapter 10
Haunted
    The drive was supposed to take fifteen hours. On the way, at one of several rest stops, Brennan called Luka before his shift at the gym. He also called Evan, who didn’t have much to say and seemed to want to reach through the phone to pull Brennan back to Pennsylvania. Alek called Brennan on his way to work, just to say ‘I love you’ and ‘drive safe.’ It all made Brennan homesick when he’d barely left. After that, he tried to turn his attention back to where he was going instead of where he’d been.
    When Hailey called, he was glad to answer and smiled as he said, “Hey. Just a few hours away from ya.”
    “Awesome, Brennan!” she replied, sounding eager to see him. “I’ve got the couch all tricked out with lots of blankets and pillows, so you’ll be super comfortable, and the kitchen is loaded with vegan-only deliciousness. We’re set.”
    “That sounds great.”
    The highway had looked the same ever since he’d passed through West Virginia. It was tree lined, with fields beyond them on either side. Once in a while there was a rest stop, but, mostly, the only things that changed were the names on the signs.
    Traffic had lightened up, too, so he didn’t feel too bad about taking calls while driving.
    “Look,” she said, her chipper tone dulling, “I have to tell you something.”
    “Oh no. What?”
    “Tommy called me.”
    “Fuck,” Brennan moaned.
    “I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were avoiding him or hadn’t been taking his calls. I figured it out pretty quickly, though, from what he said.”
    “So, he knows I’m