“You should hit the shower and get two days of sleep.”
I bark out a laugh. “Right. You mean five hours, max?”
Aaron nods as he pours himself a cup of coffee.
“It’s nice you’re spending all this time at the office right after kicking your sister out. That’s what she needs right now…to spend all her time in a new city alone with your endless collection of alcohol.”
Aaron whips around, splashing coffee on the floor and not even noticing it. Tristan’s eyes follow the mess, and he takes two steps back, unsure if the rest is going to end up on his expensive suit.
Bring it on, Aaron. It’s been ages since we’ve had it out.
“She…what?”
“Yeah. I found her completely drunk last night, hallucinating and hugging your bottle of Gray Goose.”
“Fuck,” Tristan mutters under his breath.
“Why didn’t you text me?” Aaron barks accusingly.
“No need. I had it under control.” From the edge of my coffee mug, I raise my eyes to meet his gaze, noticing how his frustration intensifies while I remain composed.
“What is your problem, Dom?”
“You’re my problem, Aaron. Why the fuck have you been ignoring Zoe? Hasn’t she been through enough? First, you throwher to the side as if she doesn’t matter because you’re too scared to stand up to your parents and tell them she’s living with you. Why didn’t you force them to stay at a hotel if it bothered them so much? You don’t think that hurt Zoe?”
“Dominik,” Tristan tries to interject, but I don’t even look at him as I bolt up out of my stool.
“I’m not ignoring her.” With a noticeable force, Aaron grinds his teeth and slams his coffee mug onto the stone countertop.
“Sure seems that way. Did you know she’s been drinking nightly?”
“And since when do you give a shit about my sister, Dominik?”
We’re standing mere inches apart, our anger so intense that I am just seconds away from being honest and ending this friendship.
“That’s enough. Both of you.”
Aaron and I both glance at Zoe, who is clutching her head and squinting in the morning light that floods the entire apartment.
“Is he telling the truth?” Aaron asks.
“No,” she groans, shuffling toward the couch and covering her eyes with her arm. “And please, for the love of God, stop yelling. Both of you.”
“I’m not yelling. Am I yelling?” Aaron asks Tristan, who shrugs and looks away, refusing to get involved. He’s always been the smart one.
“I’m way too tired for all of this commotion today,” Zoes grumbles.
“You’re not tired. You’re hungover.”
“Someone tell Dominik I’m not speaking to him,” she says as she lies down on the other side of the couch, her body hidden from view.
“Why?” Tristan asks.
“Yeah, Zoe… Why?” I chime in, not bothering to hide my smirk.
Has she forgotten we’re on good terms? She’s made a lot of effort to ensure no one finds out just how much she hates me when we’re not alone. But a part of me thinks it’s all for show. That she doesn’t hate me as much as she wishes she did, especially after what she said to “dream Dom” last night.
I’m not saying what happened at the masquerade ball was right, nor was the fact that I hid everything from her for so long. But Zoe agreed to me staying anonymous, and I know she remembers that. I just don’t think she hates what happened as much as she’s letting on.
