"I'll sort it out. Now, come on." I patted her ass and Mia climbed off me and got under the covers and I stood up. I was ready to bring this day to an end. Stefan had managed to make a dismal day a complete shit show.
"Please don't be mad at Stef," Mia said looking up at me.
Running my hands through my hair I assured her, "We'll be fine."
"Luc," Mia said. "Who's Isa?"
For the third time that night, I felt my heart stop in my chest and my blood ran cold. "You heard?" I asked her, standing there. This was not a chapter I wanted to open.
"You were both pretty loud. Who is she?" The curiosity is written across her face.
"It's not your business, Mia. Drop it," I told her coldly.
"I think it's kind of my business if it affects you," Mia told me gently.
"I have a life that doesn't involve you, Mia," I said. "I don't have to tell you everything."
Mia narrowed her eyes. My hostility had coaxed out her own. "Maybe that's half the problem! You keep trying to separate me from your life, Lucas. You need to let me in. Stop compartmentalising.”
"No, I don't," I told her. "And I'm not having you tell me what to do."
"Oh, but you can tell me what to do?"
I hadn’t wanted to fight with anyone tonight, but it looked like I was walking into round two of the evening.
"You know exactly why I do that," I told her.
Mia sat up straight. "You are such a hypocrite!"
"Please enlighten me as to how," I said, spreading out my arms.
"You want respect. You want people to listen to you, but you aren't willing to give any of it back." Mia's voice was getting louder. "I'm sick of it, Luc!"
"You don't even try to listen to me!" I told her, exasperated.
"Why would I?" Mia asked. "You have all these secrets and I have no clue who you are. You're like two different people. I spend time with you and you're so... and then as soon as things get tough it's like some switch gets flipped and you're an asshole."
"I'm allowed my privacy, Mia."
"You're keeping secrets."
"If I am, they are mine to keep and mine to tell."
"God! How are you and Stefan even brothers?"
Mia had done it. She had drawn the comparison and there it was. Saint Stefan had swooped in and took her out when I couldn't. Even tempered Stef who was open with everyone because what did he even have to hide?
I felt myself shutting down. Between Mia going missing, the topic of Isa and Stefan coming out on top again, I had no desire to keep the argument going. If Mia wanted to think the worst of me then why should I bother proving her wrong?
"Maybe you should go and share a bed with him," I told her with an icy tone.
Mia looked surprised that I had said something so awful to her, but I didn't wait to hear a response. I left the room, slamming the door shut behind me forcefully.
It took me a long time to fall asleep that night and when I did it was a deep sleep that was filled with dreams of a young, blonde girl covered in blood.
My demons were back to haunt me.
Chapter Thirty One
