Page 88 of The Way We Dance

It ended up being the best decision I made, because as I finished, the door to Ty’s room burst open. I was too stunned to scream and when I realized what was going on, I remained hidden behind the wall of the bathroom until I knew what to do.

“Bro, wake up,” it was Mike and his voice was strained, in pain. “Ty, please.”

Ty shot up and looked around, getting his bearings about him before realizing Mike was standing over him. He reached for me on the side of the bed, but I wasn't there and his face was panicked. But I knew he would want me to stay hidden.

“Mike?” Ty jumped to his feet and started toward his brother, concern for Mike replacing his panic for me in his features.

My heart broke, just a little, seeing Ty still soften when it came to Mike. He was his brother, and I knew he loved him, but some dark part of me wished Ty would kick him out, hurt him, do something to rid us from ever having to deal with him in our lives.

Ty hadn’t spoken of Mike much, but with him missing and unable to be located by the police, I knew he was worried. He wanted him in jail, but not dead.

Mike opened his jacket to Ty and it was then that I realized Mike was bleeding. It looked to be a gunshot but I couldn’t tell in the dark space. Ty flicked on a light and started panicking, looking for something to help Mike.

“Where is Giselle?” He asked Mike.

Mike was shaking his head and looking at him like he had lost his mind. “Fuck I don’t know, I just got here. I need help man. Please help me.”

I remained hidden, unsure what I should do. This could have all been a ploy to get Ty’s defenses lowered. For his sake and mine, I needed Ty to keep thinking I was gone. His concern for me would keep him vigilant around Mike.

“What happened?” Ty asked, wrapping a sheet around Mike’s midsection.

“I never found those fucking drugs,” Mike snapped. “They’ve been hunting me for three months. What the hell do you think happened?”

Ty drew back and cocked his head. “They found you?”

“Yeah they found me, and they’re still hunting me. Won’t be happy until I am dead. You owe me bro, you owe me big and I am cashing in now.”

“How the fuck do I owe you?” Ty shouted.

“I could have killed your girl but I didn't,” I gasped but Mike was talking too loud for me to be heard. Ty’s body started shaking and I knew he was tempted to hurt Mike while he was down. “I told Marc not to put a bullet in her because she meant something to you. I did that for you. I should have, I could have written her off as the one that had those drugs but I didn't.”

“Marc is the one that shot her? I thought you said he and Dev left?”

“Fuck man, you couldn’t handle our lives and you had to be thrown off the scent. You were busy being a ballerina and being softer than I had ever seen you. If I didn't get you off our asses, there was no way I would have been able to make the bank I did in this town.”

“Giselle was shot, Mike. So tell me again how I owe you?”

“Yeah, I told Marc not to put a bullet in her, but you had to go off and punch him that one time and he was still a little mad about that. Can you blame him? He didn't kill her, though. Didn't even try.”

“So you come in here thinking I will help you because I owe her life to you? You think you can disappear and come up in here, leading God knows who to my doorstep, all because you think you did me a favor?”

Ty’s voice was menacing, not loud but deep and I wondered if the devil himself had made his way into Ty’s soul. Ty shoved Mike down onto the bed, blood seeping through the sheet Mike had as he fell.

Climbing on top of him, he started punching Mike’s face, yelling and I really was sure Ty would kill him or let him die if I didn't stop him. For as much as I wanted Mike out of my life, I didn't want Ty in a jail cell somewhere with guilt and regret from taking his brother’s life in anger.

“Ty, stop!” I came out and my words caught Ty’s attention. He stopped hitting Mike and jumped up.

“Baby, where were you?”

“I was hiding in the bathroom,” I confessed quietly. Ty started to reach for me but there was blood all over his hands so he stopped. “We need to call the police.”

Ty nodded and pointed to his phone on the side table, suggesting I make that call while he kept an eye on Mike. Mike was moaning and rolling back and forth in pain, but I could tell he was about to get up and make a run for it.

“How could you do this to me?” Mike moaned to Ty. “I’m your brother. Your only family.”

“No,” Ty shook his head and pushed Mike back down, making him work again to get up if that was what he was going to try doing. “My family are the ones that guided me to a better life, like Coach. The ones that had my back when I needed them, like Cam. The ones that love me despite the fact that I don’t deserve them, like Giselle. You are my brother by blood and that is all. Don’t say I never did anything for you. Because you being related to me by blood is the only reason I am not going to kill you myself and blame it on that wound. It's also why I am calling the cops. Jail is safer than the streets, bro. So you’re welcome.”

Mike started laughing like the joke was on Ty, but he was losing consciousness at this point and was beyond being able to run or even think clearly.

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