Ride the Lightning - Aimee Nicole Walker Page 0,20

out to lick his lower lip when he got close to figuring a problem out, or he’d chewed on his pencil when he felt frustrated. Jonah wanted Avery’s tongue and teeth all over his body. He recalled the way Avery’s long fingers danced over the keyboard and wanted to feel those nimble digits pushing all Jonah’s buttons. And the gasp he’d made when he saw Jonah’s tattoo? Fuck me. He would hear the sound during his fantasies for sure.

“What’s troubling you?” Kendall asked, startling Jonah back to the present. “Is Trexler being a douche again?”

Jonah chuckled. “Still, not again. I’d say he’s acting extra douchey.” He poured them another drink and decided to skip the ice for the second round too.

He told Kendall everything, starting with the brutal meetings from the previous day and ending with Malcolm insisting Jonah discuss the Ison investigation with Trexler. He left out the parts about Avery spilling coffee on him or the moment they shared in the restroom afterward. Jonah would unpack that later when he was alone.

“You win the prize for the shittiest thirty-six hours,” Kendall said softly. “I’m so sorry to hear about Marla, Jonah. It’s a beautiful thing you’re trying to do for her, and I know you’ll get justice for Earl in the process.”

“Thanks,” he said awkwardly. It amazed Jonah how much easier it was for him to accept criticism over praise.

A full stomach and two potent drinks were making Jonah feel drowsy. Kendall poured a third drink for them both, and Jonah knew he wasn’t the only one struggling with demons. “What’s wrong? Whose ass do I need to kick for hurting you?”

Kendall snorted. “Mine. I should’ve ignored Travis’s text messages. I knew he didn’t want to meet for dinner to talk about old times, or at least it wasn’t his only motivation.”

“Is this the guy from last night?” Jonah asked.

“And this morning,” Kendall said with a wry smile.

Jonah shot him the middle finger just like he had in his text. “Old times?” he asked. “How long have you known this Travis putz?”

“Oh, about sixteen years,” Kendall replied casually.

Jonah turned his head too quickly and the room spun a little. He waited until he only saw one Kendall instead of two before he spoke. “Sixteen years?”

“Mmmhmm,” Kendall said. “That’s when his father married my mother. I was nine and Travis was eleven.”

Jonah just stared at him for a few moments. “Travis is your stepbrother?”

Kendall grinned wickedly. “Uh-huh.”

“So, how long have the two of you, um…”

“Been fucking?” Kendall asked nonchalantly.

“Yeah,” Jonah replied.

“We fooled around when we were in high school, but it never went beyond mutual hand jobs until we were adults. I think Travis was a college sophomore by then, and I’d just graduated high school.” Kendall looked at Jonah and smiled. “You should see the thunderous expression in your eyes. Travis didn’t take advantage of me. Not then, and not now. I knew what I was getting into, and I was the one who invited him back here last night, all the while knowing he could never give me what I want.”

“Which is?” Jonah asked.

“I don’t want to sound like some stupid sap, but I want to be the most important person in his life.” Kendall closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “He’s so deep in the closet, J. I don’t think he’ll ever truly see the light of day. Even if he comes out to his family and coworkers, he will never pursue a relationship with me.”

“Why not?” Jonah asked.

“For one thing,” Kendall said, “he’s the kind of guy with big career aspirations and banging his stepbrother would be frowned upon in any social circle.” He smiled sadly at Jonah. “And even if that didn’t bother him, my lack of education and my side hustle at The Cockpit embarrasses him.”

“You’re studying to become a paralegal,” Jonah said. “How does he know what kind of establishment The Cockpit is if he hasn’t seen the sexy aviator uniforms in person? He sounds like the typical self-hating, closeted gay.”

“Uniform?” Kendall asked. “It’s a pair of booty shorts, a mesh crop top, aviator glasses, and a pilot’s hat.”

“And you wear them so very well,” Jonah said, smiling fondly at the memories of the night he met Kendall at the club. “Back to my point. How does he know about the uniforms?”

“You think you’re the first guy I fucked in the back seat of a car during my dinner break, Jonah? That’s the kind of guy I am, and it’s