Judgingme.
My shoulders straighten as I glance over my shoulder and our eyes meet.
His gaze is still ice-cold. Instinctively, I shift, my shoulders squaring as I curve myself over Ben.
Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare bring that in here and aim it at him.
Jared’s jaw tightens as he looks away, down to his brother. And I hold my breath.
But his face softens. It transforms him into something intrinsically, heartbreakingly human as he looks at his brother.
“Benny?”
My lungs release the oxygen they held hostage at the quiet emotion in Jared’s voice.
The ice was just for me, then.
I can deal with that.
I turn back just in time to catch the small furrow that appears in Ben’s forehead. His eyes flicker, the haze of sleep clearing as he searches my face. “Who…?”
He can’t see Jared from his position, my body blocking him.
Swallowing, I offer him a small smile. “Jared is here, Ben.”
The haze washes away, replaced by an almost childish uncertainty that makes the back of my throat ache. He stares at me. “Jared?”
Not yet, he’d said.
Not yet.
I bite down on the inside of my cheek, my smile wobbling as I lower my voice. “Is this… is this the right time?”
Ben knows what I’m asking, as we stare at each other. He closes his eyes, and I brush away the tear that escapes. “Yeah, baby. This is… this is the right time.”
My throat tightens, the air cutting off.
“Okay.”Breathe, Emmy. “I’ll give you some space to – to catch up.”
“Don’t—,”
“I’ll be outside,” I whisper. My voice cracks as I force a smile onto my face. “Just call, and I’ll be right here, okay?”
He nods.
Let me go.
Let me—
I’m backing away then, past Jared and his cold eyes. He doesn’t look at me, and I don’t look at him.
Through the door.
The landing is too close.
The stairs are too close.
I make it to the very bottom before I sink down onto the steps and bury my face in my hands.
