Page 31 of Rhet

I squirm in my seat. “I don’t like this. Something about this whole thing doesn’t feel right.”

“As your big brother, you know I will never lead you wrong. We’re family.” That’s Dante’s favorite linewe’re family. He’s nothing but a mist of the man he once was.

After his near fatality, he woke up with his lower body paralyzed. His dreams of the NFL went down the drain and so did his enthusiasm. Nothing motivates him. Before my brother stood 6’5, a dark handsome man, with perfect teeth. His hair was always neatly cut. He had a cologne collection that could have rivaled any department store.

Now he looks unrecognizable. His well-sculpted body has lost his muscle. His hair is high and unkept. His skin looks dull, near ashy. The only thing Dante still has is a beautiful smile, which only shows on rare occasions.

“What is that smell?” I ask. I really couldn’t take the smell of a wet towel and body odor funk.

I walk to his window and open it. The room glows blue from the LED lights around his bed, ceiling and the corners of the wall.

“What the hell, Zee?”

He turns his chair away from the sunlight. He needs to get out. The sun is setting and he’s acting like a vampire from an Anne Rice book, vampire hiss included.

“You smell, and your room stinks.” I pick up the empty plates sitting beside his bed.

“I will bathe when I’m ready.” He pouts.

“If you’re not ready in five minutes, I will get you ready.”

He looks at me skeptically. “How?”

I turn my gaze to his PC set up. I have no idea of the size of his monitor, but I know it takes up the width of a table.

“You won’t destroy my system.” He stares at me in disbelief.

I smile because he knows I will without blinking an eye. His expression turns eager as he changes the subject.

“Ok fine. So, everything is set in motion?” he asks.

“Yeah. It is.” I pick up a cup, wanting to get out of his room, because I know what’s coming next.

“You look like you’re having regrets and you haven’t even started.” He grips at the handles of his chair.

“I’m only doing this because Mr. C is going to pay for the Bio-N program.” I mutter.

Bio-N is a revolutionary program with the aid of stem cells that allows a person to walk again.

“But you do have regrets,” Dante asks.

“No, I will make sure everything goes according to plan so we can get over it. I wish you would tell me more D.”

He relaxes in the chair. “Trust me. That’s all I ask. You’re the only one who can do this, Zee.”

I nod. “Yeah, I know. He fell for it. Even the cloths being too big. He added a clothing stipend to my salary.”

“Great!” Dante rolls his chair around toward me. “Whatever it takes.”

“What does that even mean, Dante?” I look at the dust bunnies floating around the room.

“It means, even if he wants to fuck you. You do it.” My brother replies.

I pull away from him. “You’re disgusting. That’s prostitution.”

“It’s not, get off your high horse. I need you to go through this for me.” Dante’s face pinches.

I bite my inner cheek wanting it to bleed. “Whatever it takes, right?”

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