Page 15 of Fighting My Demons

“Who is it?” I sing out, in case it is my brother.

“It’s Xavier.”

I quickly open the door just as the taxi operator answers their goddamn phone. I have been on hold for ten minutes already. I hang up, looking at Xavier, who looks nice in his navy blue suit.

“Noticed your brother never dropped your car back.”

“How?” I ask.

“Been here since six,” he says, nodding out the door.

I open it and find people bringing furniture into the apartment next door.

“Really? You got the one directly next door?” I breathe, shaking my head.

Xavier chuckles. “Are you afraid we will be bad neighbors?”

I roll my eyes. “Well, good. I was calling a taxi so you can run me to work,” I tell him, grabbing my bag when Latham and Blaine walk in.

“By all means, come in,” I tell them, pursing my lips.

Latham walks around the living room looking at things, not that there is much to see. I am rarely home.

“Glad to see it is cleaner than our office,” Latham says, running his fingers along my bookshelf, looking for dust.

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Clean to your standards, Latham?”

He ignores me, looking around.

“You have no personal effects besides books? No pictures?” he says, studying my small apartment.

“Of what?” I ask, looking around my own apartment.

“I don’t know. Family, friends, nieces, and nephews?”

“No nieces and nephews and no family besides my brother. I clearly don’t have kids to photograph,” I tell him.

He nods, and Blaine comes over tugging on my blouse. I slap his hands.

“What do you think you are doing?” I snap at him.

“Checking your burns,” he says, tugging on my shirt again.

“Don’t touch me. I don’t like being touched, and I am fine,” I tell him, swatting his hands away.

“Someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Xavier chuckles.

“No, you are all just infuriating. Leave that,” I tell Latham, rushing over and grabbing the wooden jewelry box in his hand before he opens it. I place it back on the shelf, and he stares at it for a few seconds.

“You are very private, Bella. What are you hiding?”

“Nothing, and you are nosy. Now, can we go?” I ask them.

“In a rush?” Blaine asks, and I glare at him.

“Yes, to get you out of my apartment,” I tell him, and he laughs but walks back over to Xavier.

I watch as he brushes past him heading for the front door when Xavier stops him wrapping his arm around his shoulders and pecking his cheek. Blaine pushes him off.