The Rest of Forever Read online

  He felt a pang of regret for not keeping in touch once graduation was over, but Kyron figured Eric wanted to start afresh and not have any memories of his high school days. Kyron had done the same. He could understand.

  Raquel was frowning, twanging her hair bobble around her fingers.

  “What I don’t get is if he hated his father that much, why was he coming to have dinner with him?”

  “Eric hated his father, but he still loved his mother and siblings. The only way to keep in contact with them was to spend time with his father. It would have been awkward, but Eric didn’t want to lose further contact with his family.”

  “I’m surprised Adam let that happen.”

  “I think Eric was as well, from what I gathered during his statement. Maybe Adam was biding his time.” Kyron rubbed his hand over his head. “Who knows what goes on in the minds of bigoted bastards like him?”

  Raquel grunted.

  “Maybe Eric was getting fed up with how he had been treated, put on the outside by his father. Maybe he snapped and decided he couldn’t take it anymore.”

  Kyron sat up. He was already shaking his head adamantly.

  “No, absolutely not. Not Eric.”

  “Why not? He was a victim of his father’s bullying and he had been thrown out. Eric would want to make his father pay for everything.”

  “But kill the rest of his family as well? That doesn’t make sense, Raquel. He loved them all, and I can’t see him killing them because they saw what happened. That sounds more psychopathic and Eric is certainly not that. Besides, it was just Adam Eric was having problems with. He could have handled him. Eric’s tougher than you’re making him out to be.”

  Kyron knew if it had been him in that situation, he would have pulled the trigger. But this was Eric. He could handle it. A few uncomfortable hours would be worth it to see the rest of his family.

  “What’s going on with you, Kyron?”

  “Sorry?”

  Raquel was watching him through narrowed eyes. She looked suspicious. Kyron realized he had been sounding less like an objective agent. He was so focused on believing Eric was innocent that he had forgotten Eric was a suspect, if not another target.

  “Is there something between you and Eric Schoenauer I should know about?”

  Kyron gulped. He tried to be nonchalant, but he could feel his face getting warm.

  “No, of course not. I haven’t seen Eric since the day we walked across the stage at high school. He went to his grandparents and I went straight to the naval recruiting office.”

  “You never kept in touch over eleven years? Never tuned a friendship into something more?”

  “No.” Kyron felt like he was in the principal’s office for getting in a fight. “The first time I’ve seen him since we were eighteen was a few hours ago.”

  Raquel stared at him for so long Kyron was getting shifty. He didn’t like it when his boss turned her interrogation techniques onto her own team. Being the junior of the team, Kyron seemed to get it the most. He could handle that sort of scrutiny from his superior officers in the navy, but there was something about Raquel Sadique that made her stare something else. I hated it when she did that on me.

  Finally, Raquel sighed and sat forward, pointing a finger at me.

  “Make sure you keep this platonic, Kyron. Case first. You want to pursue the man, do it afterward. If he’s still alive or not locked up.”

  “What makes you think I want to pursue anything with Eric?”

  “From the way you’re behaving.” A slight smile curved at Raquel’s mouth. “And I don’t blame you. It’s a pity I’m not a guy.”

  Kyron wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. Before he could let the words sink in, Raquel was up on her feet, picking up her windbreaker from the chair beside her.

  “I’m going to turn in. I’m exhausted. Get yourself a room and bed down yourself. You look like shit.”

  “You’re such a bright light in a world of darkness, boss.”

  Raquel chuckled. Then she walked away. Kyron knew she was right. He did need to get some sleep. And from what the doctor’s notes had said, Eric wasn’t going anywhere until he had been thoroughly checked out. He could get a couple of hours in before returning to the hospital.

  Something in Kyron’s gut told him to stick close to Eric and not because of the arousal in his belly and the lust that shot through him whenever Eric’s image wandered across his mind. Eric had been late to a dinner party, and there was a possibility that he could have been another victim had he arrived on time.

  If he was a target, Kyron doubted the killers were going to let him walk away.

  Chapter Four

  Eric had finally managed to get some sleep, but it had come with a series of nightmares. He woke up each time it sucked him back into his childhood home, showing the bodies of his family. Different scenarios played out, from the sensible to the illogical, but all of them were frightening. Eric tried to get away, but his mind kept going back to what he had seen.

  He could hardly believe they were all dead. Adam was a bastard and a bully with many enemies. It was no surprise that someone would want to kill him and actually followed through, but it was surprising that the rest of the family were taken out as well. Richard, Eric could partially understand, with his attitude changing to one like their father’s and his job as a prosecutor, but Judith and Ruth were anomalies. They were well-liked, treated kindly.

  And pitied because of their ties to Adam Schoenauer. Why would anyone murder them? If the idea was to get rid of Adam, surely that meant Judith and Ruth, and even Richard, would be free of the tyrant in charge. Killing them as well didn’t make any sense. It was all giving Eric more of a headache.

  He slept well into late morning, barely stirring to have his vitals taken early morning and to have some breakfast. And Eric felt awful. He just wanted to go home and hide away. The gash in his head had been stitched up and the throbbing wasn’t as bad as before. Hopefully, they would let him go home today. Being in Laguna Beach was bringing back some bad memories.

  The doctors did let him go after lunch, but he wasn’t to drive. They forbid him from driving at all. Eric had protested, but they were adamant in case he had an issue on the road. It was a long drive and he had almost had his head cracked open by catching it on the skirting boards, one of the more embarrassing injuries.

  That was when Kyron stepped in. He had arrived shortly after Eric had ordered his lunch, freshly shaved and dressed in the same jeans but with a black t-shirt that hugged his body almost like a second skin. Several of the nurses had given him flirtatious looks as he came in and sat with Eric. Eric couldn’t blame them. Kyron was certainly “lickable.”

  It was hard to believe the man beside his bed was the same boy who had been one of his friends at school, a close confidant. The guy who had helped him out after Adam had kicked him out of the family home. Kyron had been smaller, slimmer with more hair. Eric had heard he had gone into the navy.

  That was evident in his stance, his manner and his build. Kyron was completely solid. Eric found that sexier than he could have anticipated.

  But, that was as far as it would go. Kyron wasn’t gay, as far as Eric was aware. He would push Eric away if he attempted anything like seduction. In any case, he was investigating the murder of Eric’s family. Not exactly the most appropriate of times. His life had a way of throwing several shit things at him in one go.

  Now he was in the passenger seat of his own car, Kyron driving him back to Tallahassee. Kyron had been adamant that no one was taking Eric home except him, calling it guarding a witness. Eric didn’t feel like a witness. He was feeling like a suspect. He pouted in the car, scowling out the window.

  “I should have driven back on my own,” he said, not for the first time, as they got onto Interstate 10.

  Kyron sighed.

  “Come on, Eric, we’ve been over this a dozen times already. You don’t drive when you’ve just split your head open. The doctors were ad
amant on that. You could pass out at any time, especially with such a long drive.”

  Eric grumbled. That answer had been the same every time. Kyron was beginning to sound like a broken record.

  “I feel like everyone around me is treating me like an invalid.”

  “Nothing of the sort. I wanted to make sure you get home okay.”

  “Making sure your main suspect doesn’t run away, huh?” Eric sneered.

  Kyron glanced over at him. Eric couldn’t read his expression; Kyron’s look was just blank. Was this how he had been in the navy? Focusing his mind on the job? That was sexier than Eric realized.

  Damn, he was in trouble. Not even twelve hours since they saw each other again and Eric was already thinking about what he could do to Kyron in the bedroom. He must have hit his head harder than he thought.

  Kyron turned his attention back to the road.

  “You’re not the main suspect, Eric.”

  “I am a suspect, though.” Eric rolled his eyes, slouching back in his seat and spreading his thighs. His back was killing him. Eric had never realized how uncomfortable the passenger seat was. “I’m not an idiot, Kyron. I hated Dad and I had the motive for killing him. I may have an alibi, but you know how things get spun out. Because I’m the only survivor, my hometown is going to start talking as if I’m the one who killed everyone.”

  Eric wouldn’t be surprised if the rumors were all around Laguna Beach by the time he got back to Tallahassee.

  “My boss has you down as a suspect, yes, but your alibi has been checked out, and the timing is very tight. So, you’re very low down on the list.”

  Charming. But at least they didn’t think he was a high priority in terms of suspects.

  “And what about you?” Eric asked. “What do you think?”

  Kyron was silent for so long Eric wondered if he had heard him. But then Kyron glanced back at him, his eyes drifting over Eric’s lap before looking away quickly. Had he just eyed me up?

  “I know you would never kill your mother or your brother and sister.” Kyron said gruffly. “Murder is a line you would never cross.”

  At least he was on Eric’s side. That was something. Although Eric was more interested in what Kyron had been looking at. His gaze had been on Eric’s crotch for a good few moments. There had been a flicker in his eyes, something that had been there for the barest of moments.

  Was he attracted to Eric? Eric felt a slight thrill in his chest. If they weren’t in the middle of a murder case, Eric would have been urging Kyron to pull into a side turning and climbing into the back of the car. The thought of touching Kyron all over was making Eric feel like the air in the car was disappearing.

  Clearing his throat, he turned on the radio, turning it up loud as one of his CDs blasted through the car. Kyron barely reacted to it, although Eric was sure he saw a slight smile tug at the man’s mouth. A very soft, sensual looking mouth compared to the rest of his body.

  They drove on in silence until they turned into Eric’s neighborhood. Eric lived at the end of a cul-de-sac, a one-story condo with a small garden at the front with a bigger yard around the back, coupled with a garage. It had been good enough for him when his grandfather first bought it, and Eric had made it his own over the years. The one place he could call sanctuary. It was certainly feeling like sanctuary now.

  Kyron pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. Eric sat up and opened the door.

  “You coming in? You’ve got to wait for your car, haven’t you? Isn’t someone driving it over?”

  “Yes, but…” Kyron looked up at the house. “I’m not going to intrude on anything, am I?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, your ‘friend’ might not like me coming in.”

  Eric almost burst out laughing. Kyron was more worried about a non-existent boyfriend getting jealous over his presence?

  “You make it sound like we’re doing something sordid.”

  “I…” Kyron’s face went red. “That sounded bad, didn’t it?”

  “A little bit.” Eric chuckled. “One, you’re investigating my family’s murder, so there is no arguing about your presence. Second, I live alone. I haven’t been in a relationship for the last two years.”

  Kyron stared at him with wide eyes.

  “Seriously?”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “Well, I can’t see you as a bachelor. You’re the type who has a solid relationship, a family with the white picket fence.”

  “Well, I’ve got the white picket fence, but that’s about it. Besides,” Eric added as he climbed out of the car, “Once guys hear who my dad is, they tend to keep their distance. Being the son-in-law to Adam Schoenauer kind of kills the mood.”

  “He’s got a reputation around here?”

  “Unfortunately.” Eric leaned in as Kyron still hesitated to get out. “Come on, Kyron. You need to make sure I’m not going to collapse, anyway.”

  Kyron paused a moment longer, and then he climbed out with a heavy sigh. They headed toward the front door, Eric waving at his neighbor as they went up the path. The old man who lived next door was a nosy man who liked to sit at the window and watch TV while spying on everyone else. But he was a kind old man and a friend of his grandfather’s, so Eric had no ill will toward him. It was just unnerving to have things relayed to his grandparents when Eric was trying to keep things quiet. It had got him into trouble when he was younger and more erratic.

  Eric let them in, and they went into the hall. Kicking off his sneakers, Eric headed toward the kitchen at the back. His mouth felt dry.

  “You want a drink?”

  “Just some water, if you have it.”

  Eric laughed.

  “We have water in abundance out of the tap.” He entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, taking out his bottle that he used for running. “But if you want something cold, take this.”

  “Thanks.”

  Kyron took the bottle, his fingers brushing against Eric’s. Eric bit back a gasp as something like an intense jolt shot up his arm. He almost dropped the bottle. He found himself staring as Kyron opened up the top and took a long swig. Eric couldn’t take his eyes off the man. Whoa, he was hypnotic. Eric began to wonder what he looked like in uniform, and his mind started wandering off elsewhere. Kyron stripping down his uniform to a naked, firm body before he crawled up the bed and started sucking Eric’s cock.

  Eric needed to stay focused. Eric couldn’t stand in his own kitchen with an erection for his temporary bodyguard. He cleared his throat and turned back to the fridge, fishing out one of his beer cans. He needed a drink.

  “Nice place,” Kyron said behind him. “How long have you lived here?”

  “About six years.” Eric hurried to the center counter and put that between him and Kyron. Hopefully, he could push his arousal back enough that he didn’t need to hide his groin from Kyron’s sharp eyes. “I was living with Grandma and Grandpa. While I was attending college, Grandpa managed to get me an interview with my current workplace.”

  “I take it he bought this for you as well?”

  Eric nodded. “Grandpa was very generous to me. A little over-generous sometimes. I think he was trying to make up for his son-in-law’s actions. Buying this condo was a gift for me after getting the job and graduating top of my class at college.”

  “I see.” Kyron leaned against the counter. “And you really wanted to be a songwriter?”

  “Yep. Grandpa was happy to help me with something I enjoyed doing.” Eric looked around the kitchen. It was a little large for just one person, but Eric liked the extra space. He had a tendency to spread out a little too much, so it was perfect whenever he used it. “I paid Grandpa rent until last year, and then I had enough to buy this place off him. It’s all mine now.”

  Kyron grinned.

  “Nice.” He sipped at the water bottle. “I remember your grandpa. He was a real character. A fun person to be around.”

  “He still is.” Eric fou
nd himself smiling. He always did when he thought about Grandpa Benjy. “Eighty years old and as strong as ever. He’s just come back from competing in South Korea. World Senior Swimming Championships. Two gold medals.”

  That had certainly been cause for celebration. Eric couldn’t remember a celebration bigger than that. Kyron was staring at him in stunned amazement.

  “He...I…”

  “What’s the matter with you?”

  “They let them swim at eighty?”

  “It’s the senior swimmers. Anyone over five-five.” Eric chuckled. “They have categories for one hundred-plus.”

  Kyron whistled.

  “I’m surprised anyone over seventy is able to move without something happening to them like a broken hip. My granddad managed to break something almost every time he sneezed.”

  “Well, Mom’s parents were very into being active. Dad’s parents couldn’t care less.”

  While they weren’t as active, Adam’s parents were still full of life. They preferred to keep their brains sharp even if their bodies refused to keep up. Eric’s maternal grandparents were fitter than Eric was, and that was saying something. They loved any type of activity.

  “What did your grandma and grandpa think about your dad when he married your mom?” Kyron asked.

  Eric sighed. He sipped his beer.”

  “They liked him, but they didn’t like the way he treated her. My dad didn’t treat her as they expected her to be treated. Grandpa has always worked hard and made sure to treat Grandma like a queen. He adored her and couldn’t abide people who hurt women and children. Mom never said anything about what Dad did to her, but we all knew. Grandpa was furious, and yet Mom…” Eric swallowed. “She always stood up for Dad.”