I grinned. “Like a baby, hence the lateness of the hour.”
Dropping his hands, he mirrored my smile. “I just have a headache. Probably a combination of the thought of seeing my father and too much whisky. Do you have any Tylenol?” he asked with a grimace, squeezing my hand and then pushing to his feet.
I gave him a warm look of understanding. “Yes, of course. There are painkillers in my nightstand, top drawer. Take what you need,” I replied, sliding my legs off the mattress.
This time, I wasn’t naked; I’d pulled on one of Nix’s tops earlier that morning. It was a black tee that said Nine Inch Nails on the front, and I had started wearing it to sleep in. The days were getting chillier, and Ma didn’t start putting the heating back on until the end of November.
November? It made me think about my forthcoming birthday.
As Phoenix moved away to the nightstand, I couldn’t help but stare at his ass; the way the muscles of his buns flexed with each step.
He was wearing jeans and had left them unbuttoned, and was again damp and topless. He was so broad and strong, and I longed to trace the contours of his shoulders.
Clambering around, I started to repair last night’s mess.
“The fuck,” Nix huffed under his breath, drawing my focus back. He was standing with his hand in the drawer, and his body was suddenly rigid.
“Everything OK?” I called over, pulling on fresh panties.
At my voice, Phoenix turned slowly to face me, holding something in his hand. “What’s this?” he questioned, raising a picture frame.
And. Fuck. My heart stalled in my chest.
I worried my lip, the entire room spinning as I peered down at his hand, where Nix clutched the photo frame of his brother and mother. The very one I hadstolenfrom their house.
As my eyes shifted back to his, I knew horror must have been written along every crease in my face, and my mouth dropped open as Nix took a step towards me. “Where did you get this?” he asked, raising the frame.
Just tell him the truth!My conscience screamed. I had mentally prepared myself for that moment so many times, but just then, I couldn’t handle it. I was tongue-tied.
“Err, I don’t know.”
His expression turned deadly serious. “Bullshit. You know this is Alex and my mother, right?”
“I’ve never met your mom,” I stuttered.
“No, but you’ve met my brother.”
He had a point, of course. My mouth felt dry, and my heart was pounding behind my ribs. I dropped my gaze to the small rug that sat on the floor in the center of my room.
“Look at me, Harper. What the fuck?” he repeated with a steely tone.
Swallowing, my pulse went into overdrive, and not in a good way, I lifted my chin. “I—It’s from your mom’s house. It’s a family picture.”
“Yes. I can see that. My question is, why is it here?” he said, shaking the picture at me.
My lungs almost packed up. “I have something to tell you.”
“I’ll say,” he snorted, dashing a hand across his unshaven jaw. It made him look rough and dangerous, and the way he was watching me made me more nervous.
“I don’t know where to start.”
Nix’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to place the picture on the top of the nightstand. “Start at the beginning,” he suggested grimly as he twisted back and folded his arms.
And the floodgates opened as I confessedeverything.
Phoenix lookedastoundedas he leaned back against the dresser and glared at me, attempting to take in everything I was telling him. I could see the muscle in his jaw working overtime. That happened when he was annoyed.
I managed to hold back my tears as I explained how I had started taking other people's stuff when I lived at the Jacksons. I explained that it gave me a sense of control and that I thrived on the rush it gave me. When I said it out loud, it sounded crazy, and I felt like an even bigger freak.
