Page 22 of Fighting My Demons

“Then let Xavier stay the night at yours,” Latham says, and I look over his shoulder to see Blaine and Xavier watching us.

Xavier walks over and stops beside Latham, his chest brushing against him, and Latham looks at him.

“Well, it’s settled then. Xavier stays with you tonight since you won’t stay here.”

I go to argue, but the thought of him coming back scares me, so I nod. Besides, Xavier is harmless. He wouldn’t try anything, right?

Xavier nods, reaching for my hand when Latham grabs his face making Xavier look at him.

“Behave,” Latham tells him.

“Of course,” Xavier answers before brushing his lips against Latham’s.

Latham nods, and Xavier reaches past me and opens the door before pushing me out with his hand on my lower back and steering me toward my apartment.

Chapter Thirteen

As soon as I get inside, I head straight for the shower, telling Xavier to make himself at home. He seems to have taken that literally because as I walk back into my bedroom, I find him lying on my bed.

"Woah, boundaries. What are you doing?"

"Lying in your bed, though by the feeling of it and how hard it is, I am guessing it doesn't get used much," he says, bouncing on it.

I roll my eyes at him, tugging my towel tighter.

"Am I right?" he asks.

"I usually sleep on the couch with the TV on. I like the noise," I tell him.

He nods, his eyes running up the length of me.

"I dare you to drop the towel," he says, smiling deviously.

I glare at him. "This isn't some slumber party to play truth or dare."

Walking over to the dresser, I snatch out my flannelette pajamas before stalking back to my bathroom. I quickly change before walking back to my room to find he is still comfortably in my bed.

"Sexy," he says, wiggling his eyebrow at me, and I fold my arms.

There is nothing sexy about my pajamas, which is exactly why I chose them. They had holes in them and yellow ducks; nothing is showing except my feet and hands.

He laughs, putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, I will stop. But can I borrow your shower?"

"Sure, towels are in the linen cupboard next to the bathroom," I tell him, and he jumps up, wandering off.

I sigh looking around my room. If my brother catches him here, there will be hell to pay. There already is hell to pay over the incident earlier, but I don’t think Brian truly believes them. He knows me too well and knows I am not stupid enough to get involved with anyone.

I am a private person and I don’t like people questioning me or digging into my past. Brian and I have a deal I intend to keep because I can’t afford the truth to get out. Brian knows this, knows it better than anyone; he also likes to remind me of it every chance he gets, using it against me. And I have no choice but to give into his demands. Brian is erratic and slightly unhinged, and I owe him. Until that debt is paid, I have no choice but to do as he asks. Sometimes, I wonder if it will ever be paid. Will he ever give up tormenting me? But at the same time, he is my brother, and despite the pain he causes me, I still love him, and I know he loves me in some way.

Flicking the lights off, I grab my blanket from the basket and my pillow before climbing on the couch and flicking the TV on. I turn the volume down, so it is background noise. I rarely sleep in my room unless I am exhausted and know I would pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow, which is rare. I am pretty sure I have slept at work more times than here since moving to the tech floor. Nothing worse than coming home to an empty house with nothing but the tumultuous thoughts in your head.

I am just dozing off, my eyelids becoming heavy, when I feel arms move under me, plucking me off the couch. Opening my eyes, startle. I grip Xavier's shoulders, not expecting the motion and how quickly he moves as he reaches over the back of the couch.

“Ah, I am a little too big to fit on the couch with you,” he says.

“No, you can have the bed. Like I said, I rarely sleep in it as it is,” I tell him, kicking my legs and trying to get down, but he ignores my attempts.

“And I am not sleeping alone. I always sleep with Blaine. I like being the big spoon, so tonight you are my little spoon.”