Page 11 of Fighting My Demons

“The landlord doesn't like male tenants, says they cause trouble.”

“Money talks, and the three of us have plenty of it.”

“Wait, you all live together?” I ask, a little shocked.

“Not in Soya, we don’t. Well, Blaine and I do. Latham likes his privacy, but he also likes us, so he spends most of his time at our place, anyway.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, suddenly confused.

I thought they only worked together, yet from how he spoke, it sounded like he was implying something else.

“We all fuck,” Xavier says, like it’s so obvious and not that big of a deal.

“When you say fuck, you mean…”

“I mean, we all have sex with each other,” Xavier chuckles.

I can easily picture them together, and the thought arouses me more than I care to admit.

“So you are gay. Well, that makes me feel better,” I tell him.

He chuckles while shaking his head. “No, we are bisexual. We like both genders, Bella. We just happened to like each other, too,” he says, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the stairs.

I walk toward my apartment before freezing when I notice my door is open slightly. It’s open just enough to see someone moving around inside.

“That's your apartment?” he asks, pointing to the open white door.

I nod, and he goes to walk ahead, but I grab his arm, making him stop and look at me. My brother can be violent and unpredictable, but more importantly, he thinks he owns me, and he would not take it well if he sees me bringing a man into the apartment.

“Thanks for dropping me home,” I tell him.

My eyes are glued to the door. I feel my heart rate increase. If he doesn't leave, my brother may attack him, and I don't want him to get hurt because of me. Brian is always carrying a weapon of some kind, and I wouldn't be surprised if he already has a gun on him.

“Bella?” Xavier says.

“The owner and landlord are usually in his office downstairs,” I tell him suddenly, wanting him to leave.

It isn’t worth seeing my brother's reaction to a man being with me, and it isn’t worth the risk of Xavier getting hurt.

“Why do I have a feeling you are trying to get rid of me?” Xavier says, and I look at him.

“Because I am,” I admit, looking back at the door.

“I will leave, but only if you tell me who is in your apartment that you don’t want me to see” he says, leaning closer.

“Just my brother,” I whisper to him, and he sighs before looking at my door again, both of us hearing someone swear in the apartment. My brother's voice makes me flinch.

“Is he a threat to you?”

I shake my head, but Xavier is already walking toward the front door. I grab his arm.

“Please, I will get rid of him. Go speak to the owner,” I tell him, changing the subject to his rental crisis.

I know my brother wild lose it if he steps into my apartment with me.

Xavier looks down at me, his eyes darkening, and I shake the image away, slightly unnerved, wondering if I’ve just imagined it.

“Please,” I plead with him, and Xavier presses his lips in a line, looking at my slightly opened door before looking at me again.