The door opens suddenly, and a flushed Sebastian ducks inside. “Sorry,” he mutters, shutting the door behind him and running a hand through his hair. “I had a phone call I had to take.”
He looks flustered. And flustered isn’t a word I usually associate with him.
“Do you want to tell me what phone call could possibly be important enough to keep us waiting?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
He looks at me, and I can see his mind working, can see him deciding exactly what to say and what not to say.
“I was talking to Sydney,” he admits.
Ashton tenses, going still on the couch.
“Bullshit,” he snaps. “No you weren’t.”
Sebastian doesn’t say anything. But he holds my gaze, chin raised, looking almost…smug.
Oh. This wasn’tjusta phone call.
Surprised, I take in all the nuances of his appearance, noting the slight pink in his cheek, the disorder to his clothing. Sebastian is immaculate, perfectly dressed and composed.
Usually.
A small ember of jealousy burns in my gut. This is good, I try to convince myself. It means she’s opening back up to us. It means we haven’t lost her, not entirely, not yet. It means there’s a world in which she might trust us again.
This isgood.
I clench my hand under the desk to stop myself from punching him in the dick.
“Why would she call you?” Ashton asks, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
“I don’t think we need to discuss this,” I say, trying to put a halt to a sibling fight before it begins. “We’re already behind, and?—”
“What could she possibly get fromyouthat she can’t get from us?” Ash interrupts.
“Guess she was feeling lonely,” Sebastian volunteers, his mouth quirking up into the barest hint of a smile. “And looking for a littlefun.”
Great.
I let out a long, exasperated breath.
On the couch, Ashton’s entire body goes tense. He looks at me, then back to his brother quickly.
“You’re lying,” he accuses, eyes boring into Sebastian. “Stop it. You’re fucking lying just to get a rise out of me.”
This time, Sebastian does smile, turning to look at his brother and grinning widely.
“Sure,” he says coldly. “Whatever you need to believe, brother.”
And cue the temper tantrum in three…
Two…
“Fuck!” Ashton yells, slamming his hands against the couch. “FUCK! You motherfucker!”
Sebastian just shrugs, still smiling.
“Ashton, that’s enough,” I say, holding up a hand to stop him. But I already know trying to calm him down is useless.
“No. No, this isn’t happening.” Ashton mutters, standing up from the couch and pulling at his hair as he paces. “Jesus Christ, what’s next? Is she going to fuck Viper? Beforeme?”
