Free Head Over Heels by Crystal B. Bright Page B

situation with his brothers that way. He craned his head back and saw the back door by the kitchen, a way out. “Speaking of help, I think they might need some in the kitchen.” He kissed Millie on her cheek. “Love you.”
    “Love you, Thane.”
    Thane made his way through the throngs of people milling around his mother’s modest home to get to the back door. He bolted through it, needing space and air and a place to think. He paced in the grassy area next to the two-story two-car garage, the place Shay said she now lived.
    He pressed his back against the garage wall and pulled his jacket around his body. When he heard the bottles in his pocket clicking against each other again, he wasted no time retrieving one and downing it in a swallow.
    Thane grimaced and growled when he realized he’d drunk a bottle of vodka. He shoved the empty bottle into his pocket and pulled out another one. At this point, it didn’t matter what he ingested. He needed the effects of the alcohol to kick in now.
    An hour later and several bottles of liquor poured down his throat, Thane achieved what he wanted. He slid down the wall to sit on the cold ground under him. He’d buried his mother today. The thought of that hit him despite being too drunk to stand.
    He bowed his head and covered his face with his hands. “It’s not fair.”
    “Hey.”
    Thane felt a hand on his shoulder. He peered up and saw Gideon standing over him.
    “We’ve been looking for you. Why are you out here?” He held his hand out to Thane.
    Thane pushed himself up and stumbled as soon as he made it to his feet. Gideon held on to Thane’s arm and helped him get straight.
    “You really did it, huh?” Gideon held Thane’s chin so he could look into Thane’s face.
    Thane grabbed Gideon’s hand and pushed him away, which made him stumble back. “Why won’t you all leave me alone? Everyone grieves in their own way. Can’t I sit here and get shitfaced without you judging me? Mom’s dead.” He shook his head. “Mom’s dead.” He fell to his knees.
    Maybe if he prayed for a different outcome to this day, it would happen. He wished for a miracle. He wanted some good to come into his life. Most of all, Thane wanted to stop the ache in his heart.
    The alcohol provided the effect he sought. Besides being drunk, the pain he felt beat anything he had ever experienced. The sting rivaled the normal throbbing that struck his midsection on a regular basis. This would be his punishment for wanting to forget it all. He’d done this to himself.
    “The people are starting to thin out in the house. Why don’t you come back inside? You can go upstairs and sleep off your binging.” Gideon reached for Thane again, but Thane stumbled back out of his grasp.
    “Gunnar doesn’t want me in there.” Thane shook his head. “He hates me.”
    Gideon screwed up his face. “Now you’re sounding drunk. Everyone in that house loves you. Come on in.” He held his hand out to Thane.
    Thane shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. I always am.” He felt himself smile even though a riot rampaged through his body.
    “You’re not fine, man. Come inside.”
    Thane staggered around the backside of the garage, knowing he could easily outrun his incapacitated brother, even in his inebriated condition. “Is the limo still here? I’ll take it back to the hotel.”
    “Yeah, it’s here. But we don’t want you to—”
    “Your girl”—Thane stopped and nodded—“she’s nice.”
    Gideon stood a few feet from Thane. “Yes, she is. The best.”
    Thane rubbed his hand over his face and laughed. “Funny about Gunnar and Eboni. Who saw that coming?”
    Gideon finally smiled. “Yeah, it’s great for them. If you stop sleeping around, you can find yourself a good woman.”
    Thane stopped. In his head, he stood stock still as he glared at his brother. Honestly, he felt like the world had shifted under his feet, which made him wave back and forth.
    “Still judging me. Still assuming.”