“Sure, but your brother doesn’t want you alone, so I guess I’ll be staying with you.”Just my luck.
Reed came over, then gestured toward the hall with his head. “I have to borrow him. One second,” he told Audrey without glancing back.
“Don’t start with me,” I said under my breath while following him out of her line of sight.
“I’m not going to press you abouther.” Reed set his back to the hallway wall. “More like the other ‘her.’”
“Not interested in discussing either. Did that with Ryder already; I’m good.” I started for the kitchen, but Reed grabbed hold of my shoulder, stopping me.
“Do you have any of Beth’s belongings? I was thinking—”
“Already on it,” I cut him off.
Time to open the boxes I thought would remain untouched. At least I wasn’t going to be the one to do it. Audrey had more courage in that department than I did.
“Just go help Natasha and Gwen. I could use a brain break myself.”
“Maybe eat something, too.” He freed my arm. “How’s your wound, by the way?”
“It’s still there. Now, go. Don’t worry about me.” I rolled my shoulders back, drew in a deep breath, then entered the kitchen to confront the greatest obstacle I’d ever faced when it came to my sense of control.
“Now that it’s just us ...” She sighed. “I think it’s time we talk.”
Chapter Thirty
Alejandro
Audrey slid her half-empty plate aside and brought her hands to her lap. “Your ex. Mine.” Her gaze slowly lifted to meet my eyes. “Your past. Mine.”
I kept my distance. Stayed on the other side of the kitchen, arms over my chest, back to the wall. Doing my best to switch from fire to ice in my veins.
“It’s all one big mess, isn’t it? And our lives feel entangled, too.”
When she worked her bottom lip to the side of her mouth, catching it with her teeth, I made a mistake. I pushed away from the wall and took a step closer. Just the one.
“Are you okay? That call was heavy.” Was she really askingmethat? “Especially after the Ryder thing upstairs. Then the mention of your ex.”
Those words sent my ass back that one step I’d taken. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
She let go of a deep breath and did something I wished she hadn’t. She stood, circled the breakfast bar, and approached me.
I locked my hands into fists at my sides so I wouldn’t reach for her, but at the thought of that son of a bitch hitting her in the past, I quickly unfurled my fingers. I needed to let her know I wasn’t him and would never lay a hand on her.
“Audrey . . .”
“If I’m not allowed to say your name like that, then you don’t get to say mine.” Her chin tipped defiantly, but her lashes fluttered as she looked up at me, her voice softer now. “Fair is fair.”
“Nothing about these last few days has been fair.”
“Can’t argue with you there.” Her fingers drifted to the hem of my shirt. “When did you last change this bandage?”
“Before your brother found out I’ve seen his sister naked.” The truth spilled too easily around her. If I wasn’t already backed against a wall, I might’ve stumbled from the weight of it. “I’m good.” I caught her hand, guiding the fabric back down over my skin.
She frowned and dropped my shirt. Only she didn’t step away.
She stood there—still too close, too beautiful. Her scent wrapped around me, and with it came every memory of where my mouth had been the night before. Where my hands had wandered.
“About what I said upstairs—” Her voice caught, a small sound of frustration escaping her lips. “You know I was only trying to protect you from Ryder, right?”
