Despite his casual stance with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders relaxed, my senses scream danger.
“No, I’m not.I don’t talk to jerks or bullies,” I snap.
“I was teasing you, sweet pea.Isn’t that what big brothers do?”
“You’re not my brother; you’re my brother’s best friend, and I never liked the way he treated me anyway.”
He pulls his hands out of his pockets, crosses his arms over his chest, and tilts his head as though in deep contemplation.
“You know what?Looking back, I don’t think I liked it either, but you held your own.”
I mimic his stance and cross my arms over my chest, but the movement feels defensive and weak compared to his impressive size, and the pressure on my nipple piercings sends electricity through my veins.
“Right.Sure.Give me my ring back,” I demand with an upturned palm.
“Not until we’ve talked,” he says.
“Wehavetalked,” I insist.
“No, we haven’t.Not really.I just realized we haven’t spoken in years.When’s the last time we were even in the same room together?”
I curl my fingers into my sides and use the itchy flare of pain from the burn scars on my ribs to center myself as he continues.
“You didn’t have any piercings the last time I saw you.When did you get these done?”
He lifts his hand and brushes his fingertip along the outer the shell of my ear.I flinch and curse myself for giving so much away.His bottomless brown orbs narrow on my face.
He doesn’t need to know I pierced my earlobes myself as soon as I graduated high school.Several times.And when that wasn’t enough, I researched online and pierced my nostril and the helix of my ears at home, too.
In fact, when I went to a professional for the rest of my face and body piercings, I found a lady who would let me do it myself under her supervision.
It was safer than cutting and more cathartic than any of my other outlets.Even though it alienated me a bit more from society, it was worth it.I’ll never fit in anyway.
I open my mouth to speak, but the sight of Brennan Diamond—Audrey’s soon-to-be groom—carrying my friend down the hall shocks me into silence.Brook follows a few paces behind them with a smile on her face.She hooks her arm into her husband’s and steps into the dining room doorway before addressing the crowd.
“Sorry, everyone, but we’re canceling today’s rehearsal.We’ll meet back here same time tomorrow.Don’t be late.I suspect they’ll have news to share.See you then!”
Without a backward glance, Brook tugs her man out of sight and disappears into the elevator.
After a deep breath, I exhale and turn back toward Sebastian.I crane my neck to meet his eyes.He’s too tall.Butterflies swarm in my stomach.
My mouth waters as a warm, woodsy scent invades my nostrils.
“Have dinner with me,” he says.
My hackles rise.Even though I know he means it as an invitation, his expectation of my compliance is too much.
“No.I’m leaving.Give me my ring,” I demand.
I cringe internally at how immature and petulant I sound, but the last few minutes have ripped open too many old wounds for me handle more.
“If I give this back, you won’t come tomorrow, will you?”
I should lie.With all the practice I’ve had in my life, I should be a master liar by now, except there’s no half-truth to toss in to make any excuse seem realistic.
All I want from him is my ring.The moment I get it back, I’ll do everything in my power to never see him again.
He holds my ring up between his pinched fingers before slipping it into his inner breast pocket.
