“I hope I didn’t wake Emilee,” I say, voice tight with frustration despite the genuine concern. I glance over my shoulder and offer my sister an apologetic smile as she quietly takes over uncorking the wine.
“Emilee’s not here,” she says, popping the cork with ease and setting it aside.
“What do you mean she’s not here? Where the hell is she?”
She pours two generous glasses of wine and hands one to me. I waste no time taking a sip.
“I dropped her off at Ana’s dad’s place a couple of hours ago.”
I exhale into my glass, dragging my fingers through my hair before rubbing the back of my neck. “I was with Elijah a couple of hours ago, T. In fact, I just left him, naked… in my bed.”
Her eyes go wide, clearly startled at my bluntness. Honestly, I caught myself off guard with that one too. If there’d been any lingering doubt about whether Elijah and I were sleeping together, I’ve now just erased it completely.
She clears her throat, a flicker of unease tightening her expression. “Um, her other dad,” she says, voice slightly shaky. “I… I forgot his name.”
“Gabriel.” I take a long sip of wine, the bitterness of his name coating my tongue like bad medicine.
She reaches out and gently places her hand on my elbow. “Alex, honey… do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
“You mean besides the fact that I’m fucking Elijah? Or that I let myself fall in love with Elijah? Or that he’s still fucking his husband?!” I snap, the words spilling out sharper than I intend. I drop my head to my hand, fingers pressing into my eyes.
God fucking damn it. I’m never this short with her.
“Jesus, Alex.” Teya’s voice is soft but shaken. Her hand trembles slightly as she reaches across the counter to refill my glass.
I stare down at the floor, shoulders heavy. “I don’t know what to do, T. I never meant for this to happen. I never expected to fall in love with him.” I pause, the truth catching in my throat. “Hell… I never expected to fall in love with aman.”
A sharp throb pulses at my temple, and I wince as I lift my gaze back to my sister. God, please don’t let this be the start of a migraine.
Her eyes are heavy as she looks at me from across the kitchen table. I tilt my head, trying to read her expression, but I get nothing. There’s something there though… guilt, maybe? Or regret? I can’t quite pin it down.
“We need to talk, Alex.”
I flex my fingers, trying to fend off the anxiety clawing at my nerves. The kind that usually ends with a migraine.
“Wearetalking,” I say, a little sharper than I mean to.
“I know,” she says quietly. “But… there’s something I need to show you.”
And that’s when it hits me—the look on her face. I recognize it now. Dread.
“For heaven’s sake, Teya,” I whisper. “You’re scaring me.”
She drags her hands down her flushed cheeks, short fingernails leaving faint pink trails, like claw marks. Without a word, she grabs the nearly empty bottle of wine and empties it into her glass, downing it in one long gulp.
“First,” she says, voice tight. “Tell me about Elijah.”
“Oh, come on. You already know about Elijah.”
I swirl my wine glass, watching the liquid spin, wondering if he’s still asleep in my bed… or if he’s woken up to find my side cold and his arms empty.
“I want to know more, Alex.”
“Jesus, Teya, like what?” I snap, losing my patience. “You want to know if I like fucking him? Is that it? Well, guess what? I do. Ireallydo. Although, if you want to get technical, he’s the one fucking me. So yeah, apparently, I like dick now,” I bite out, making her gasp. “What else would you like to know? Let’s see, maybe, maybe…ughhh…”
I fling my arms up in the air, then drop my head, ashamed of how I just snapped at my sister. I’ve never done that before.
I shove my chair back, sending it crashing to the floor. I kick it aside, but still manage to trip over it, stumbling and grabbing the edge of the counter to steady myself, just as tears burst from my heavy eyelids.
