A Long Way Back (Unfinished Business #2) - Barbara Elsborg Page 0,71
come to the notice of the police. It was obvious he’d done something.
Except he hadn’t.
Be fucking alive, Ruari!
Except he wasn’t.
Ink could never completely let go of that tiny fragment of hope, but, against all odds and the face of overwhelming evidence—what was more definitive than his father identifying Ruari’s body? —if Ruari had been alive, he’d have resurfaced by now. Once he realised what had happened to Ink, he’d have spoken out. Wouldn’t he?
Those thoughts didn’t surface very often. Ink might like to hope for the best, but he wasn’t a fantasist. He’d stopped waiting for Ruari to magically reappear. His brother was dead. The more important question was whether Ink was doing the best he could with the life he had.
Dog bounded back to his side and climbed onto his lap. Ink wrapped his arms around him and carried him back inside.
He took off his shorts and climbed into bed.
Tay opened his eyes and stroked Ink’s face. “You weren’t supposed to leave me.”
“I took Dog out.”
“You look upset.”
“I was thinking…about my brother.”
Tay said nothing, but under the sheet, Ink felt fingers wrap around his.
Be careful. No names. No ages. No places. Nothing that might allow Tay to find the twisted truth before I pluck up the courage to tell him everything.
As if that was ever going to happen.
But some things he could say without risk. “My brother was killed when he was a young boy, but…I…” He sighed. “Everyone thinks he’s dead.”
Tay frowned. “Because that didn’t make sense, I’m assuming you don’t think he’s dead?”
“I do think he’s dead, yet I can’t give up hope entirely. Mistakes are made. People turn up, don’t they? After years? Remember that Margate couple, James and Edith Bannister? When the police found those kids imprisoned in their cellar?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I wanted so much for my brother to be one of them, even though they’d gone through hell, because at least he’d still be alive.”
“Why does everyone think your brother’s dead?”
“Because my father identified his body.”
“Ah.”
What was left of him. Ink shouldn’t have been shown the images. The police had been trying to shock him into admitting his guilt. “I wasn’t allowed to see him.” Ink sucked in a breath. “Now you’re thinking here’s a guy who’s struggling to come to terms with what happened when he was a child, and you’d be right.”
“Assuming your father made a mistake, if your brother was alive, wouldn’t he go home?”
“Maybe whoever took him twisted his mind, made him think no one wanted him or that we were all dead. Maybe he was taken abroad. Maybe he’s in some other pervert’s cellar.”
Tay sucked in a breath. “Wouldn’t they do DNA testing? Look at dental records? They must have been pretty sure it was your brother they found.”
“There was no need for checks. My dad was sure.”
“Are your parents really dead?”
“Yes.” He clung to that lie.
“What’s your brother’s name?”
Ink so very nearly told him. “I can’t say it.” Even a first name might be enough to let Tay discover what happened.
“Does he have anything to do with why you’re homeless?”
Everything. “No. I want you to fuck me.”
An eep slipped from Tay’s mouth, a small needy sound that made Ink smile.
“Are you trying to distract me? Because it worked.”
“I want to feel you inside me.”
“Oh God. Stop talking.”
“Is that a yes or a no?”
“Yes! Fucking hell. Why would I say no?”
Ink got out of bed.
“Where are you going?”
“To get what we need.”
Ink came back with lube, a box of condoms, and a small towel.
“Where’s the instruction manual?” Tay asked.
“You’re allowed a small moment of panic. Right, that’s it. You’ve had it.” Ink peeled back the sheet on the bed.
Tay’s cock was hard again. Ink opened the box of condoms and handed one to him, then lay on his back.
“Should I put it on now?” Tay asked.
“Generally, it goes on before.”
“I’ve never… I’ll just read the instructions.”
Ink laughed.
“I’m a fast reader.”
“Good.”
Ink squirted lube over his fingers, then bent his knees and reached between his legs to circle the entrance to his body. He pushed and pressed until he could get a fingertip through the ring of muscle.
“I got the condom on. Does it look okay? Oh fuck, did I actually ask you that?”
Ink smiled, the world blurring as he worked himself deeper.
Tay sat watching. “Let me do that.” He picked up the lube and Ink wiped his fingers on the towel.
A moment later, Ink arched his back as Tay pushed a finger against his hole.