“Yeah, don’t flatter yourself,” Winston says to Adam. “If she was going to murder anyone she’d definitely murder James first.”
“What?” says James. “Why me? She likes me.” He turnsto look at me, and I rock back, struck. “You like me, right?”
But I’m distracted. I’m disarranged.
I take another panicked step away from James and direct my gaze at Nazeera. “You left weapons around the house on purpose?”
“We’re going to be roommates,” she says with a shrug. “I wanted to gauge the level of violence I’d be managing for the duration.” She flashes me a fresh smile. “If you’d tried to kill me on day one I would’ve made some adjustments to our living situation.”
I’m stunned. I feel like I’m meeting her for the first time.
With a new respect.
“Damn,” says Winston. “She just flat out ignored you.”
“Shut up,” says James.
“Who?” asks Nazeera, tying the belt at her waist. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Rosabelle,” says Adam.
“Yes?” I answer.
“No,” says James. “That’s not—”
“Bro, you need to stop,” Adam says to him. “This is embarrassing.”
James turns his gaze up to the ceiling, then groans out loud, like he’s being tortured. “Can we please get the hell out of here?”
“Okay, wait, one more thing.” Adam turns to me. “I just need to know. Seriously. How much should I be freaking out right now?”
I’m backing away from James again, moving closer toNazeera, and I’m about to answer with the truth when I realize Adam is trying to mask real terror. Something quiets inside of me, seeing his fear. It resets my head.
My heart rate begins to steady.
It occurs to me, once again, that I don’t want these soft, loud, messy people to die. I don’t know who this person is, but I’m starting to think he doesn’t share the cavalier attitude of the others.
In fact, he might be a civilian.
“Who are you?” I finally ask him.
He stiffens, his eyes darting to Winston, then Nazeera, then back to me. “Who?” He points to himself. “Me?”
“Yes,” I say.
“Why?” he says, tensing a bit more.
“You look a little like James.”
James snaps his head toward me, and the impact is physical. I try to hold steady.
“Oh.” Adam exhales so hard he laughs. “Yeah. Well. I’m James’s older brother. My name’s Adam. I’m guessing you’ve realized that by now.”
This admission surprises me.
I look between the two of them, trying to remember whether I knew there was a third Anderson brother. I was never given a dossier on him, which seems like an oversight. From the moment I saw Adam I’d thought his eyes looked familiar, but now that I’m really looking at him, I’m noticing all the other subtle similarities. The texture of his hair; the shape of his mouth.
But Adam is softer than his brothers.
