The guy scoffs, and I ignore him.
“Where are you?” Wolfe asks. His voice sounds raspy, like he’s been in a fight.
“At The Library.”
“Don’t fucking lie—you’re not at the library at this hour!” Wolfe huffs.
“The bar The Library. I’m not at the actual library.” I exhale my frustration. “You’re not coming home already, are you?”
“I’m home. It’s fine. We can talk tomorrow.”
“What the fuck? Why?” I glance at the time. It’s barely two am.
How is he already back?
“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to bed.” He sounds defeated, and it breaks my heart.
I detangle myself from the guy and Irish goodbye, making it home fairly quickly. I find him face down in bed.
Had I not known him for years, I’d think he was asleep. But the man sleeps like he’s in a coffin, on his back with arms crossedcover his chest. It was a little unnerving at first, but I’d gotten used to it.
Something must have happened.
I shouldn’t have let him go. It’s my fault. Steph had been acting weird for at least a month. I should have put it all together.
I sit on the edge of his bed, my hip brushing his arm, since he took up the entire twin mattress. He grunts, probably guessing it’s me.
“What happened?” I ask, reaching out to touch him, but hesitating.
He shakes his head. “You didn’t have to leave the bar.”
“Yes, I did.” I give in and gently brush my fingers over his back.
Some of the tension in his shoulders bleeds out. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“What did she do?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s more than nothing because you’re back. How long were you even there? Ten minutes?” I try to do the math in my head, but I’m too drunk.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Why are you protecting her?” Rage filters through my veins.
“She’s your sister. I’m not going to sit here and talk shit about her.” He turns his head to look up at me, his eyes red-rimmed.
“What did she do?” I want to kill her.
“She was fucking some other guy.”
I half fall on top of him to squeeze him in my arms.
The next day,he’s a mess but hiding it. I can’t get close enough to him to ask. Every time I try, he’s gone. He’s clearly avoiding me. We have the team initiation thing, whatever that is, and it’s going to suck with him, moping around, not speaking to me.
My heart aches.
Why would he want to stay away? Did I fucking do something?
