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A sad smile tugged at my mouth. At least it wasn’t a mafia book. My thumb brushed over the cover. It reminded me of the one I’d bought Pasha—the one we’d teased each other over before everything fell apart. Back when laughing together had been easy.
We were happy then.
The bedroom door creaked open. Sebastian—the asshat—stood in the doorway. For a long moment, he didn’t speak. His gaze traveled slowly around the room, taking everything in. The empty mug of broth. The book. Finally…me.
His eyes lingered on my clean hair.
“You showered.”
The smallest breath escaped him before a crooked smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. I looked away.
“Welcome back to the land of the living.”
“Fuck off. A shower doesn’t constitute living,” I whispered.
His smile disappeared immediately. “Fair enough.”
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before motioning toward the chair. “Mind if I sit?”
He lowered himself carefully onto the edge of the chair instead of my bed, leaving several feet between us. Neither of us spoke for a while. Finally, he cleared his throat.
“How are you doing?”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Seriously?”
“I know. Stupid question.”
“And somehow I’m not surprised you asked it.”
He leaned back in the chair, running his palms down the front of his thighs. The confidence he’d walked into my room with seemed to deflate a little, replaced by an uncertainty I’d rarely seen in my brother.
“I heard you let the girls in today.”
“So?”
“So…” His shoulders lifted helplessly before falling again. “I guess I hoped that meant you might let me stay for a few minutes, too.”
I heaved and glared, wishing he’d go away already. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, and seeing him only angered me to the extreme. If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up on the wrong end of my verbal sword. It’s too bad I didn’t have a real one.
“No, you can’t stay.”
“I just want to talk for a minute.”
“Sorry, I’m all talked out for the day. Come back…never.”
He walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. Maybe if I ignored him long enough, he’d leave. A minute ticked by.
“Come on, Sissy. You don’t mean that.”
“I do actually. I heard what you did. I’m liable to lose my shit on you. Heed the warning and leave.”
“Okay, but in my defense, you know how Kinsley exaggerates.”
I rolled over and ignored him. “Like I said, go away.”
“Be thankful I didn’t kill him. You know death got him in and it’s supposed to get him out. It would if it were anyone else. The guys voted against me, for the death part, anyway,” he grumbled the last part.
I breathed through the desire to unleash hell on him. “You’re such an ass.”
