Misunderstood (A Neighbor from Hell YA #1) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,41
closer.
“We did,” Mikey said, nodding solemnly as she kicked the glove behind her. “But, umm, I just thought that some fresh air would help clear my head so that I could better focus on the book.”
“You were reading outside,” Sebastian said evenly, watching as she barely managed to catch a wince.
“And now, I’m ready to go back,” Mikey said, smiling brightly as she moved to step past him only to end up gasping in pain as she grabbed her side and fell to the ground.
It took Sebastian a moment to figure out what happened, and when he did, he glanced over to find Braxton watching them, looking shocked as something like regret flashed across his features only to disappear so fast that Sebastian wondered if he’d imagined it. When the little prick said, “She should have been watching,” a second later, Sebastian found himself heading for him, ready to knock that smug look off his face and by the looks of it, so were his brothers and cousins.
He barely managed to take a step in the little bastard’s direction when something went flying past his head. A second later, Braxton released a gasp of pain as he grabbed his stomach and dropped to the ground, hard. Frowning, Sebastian looked back in time to see Mikey walking toward them with her hand pressed against her side, looking like she didn’t have a care in the world.
With a satisfied sigh, she reached down and picked up her ball with a mumbled, “Good game,” as she stepped over Braxton, who was currently in the fetal position, and headed back the way they came. She barely made it two feet before she suddenly stopped with a murmured, “This just won’t do,” and turned around to face him.
When Sebastian opened his mouth to ask her if she was okay, Mikey gestured for him to turn around. Eyes narrowing on the little brat, Sebastian reluctantly turned around and felt his lips twitch when Mikey used Braxton’s battered body as a stepping stool to climb onto his back.
Once she was settled and her arms were wrapped around him, Mikey said, “You may carry me back,” releasing one arm so that she could regally wave for him to get on with it.
“You’re too good to me,” Sebastian drawled as he shot the little bastard curled up on the ground one last glare.
“I know,” Mikey said with a long-suffering sigh that had his lips twitching even as he decided that it might not be in their best interest to return to the party. Decision made, Sebastian turned around and headed home, even as he contemplated throwing the little brat in the closet to keep her out of trouble.
*-*-*-*
“I can’t believe that arrogant–Argh!” Chloe bit out only to end with a groan, unable to think of a word fitting enough to describe the arrogant jackass as she grabbed another armful of dirty laundry from the hamper and shoved it into the washing machine.
And god, was he arrogant, Chloe thought in disgust as she shoved more clothes into the washing machine, slammed the cover shut, turned on the machine, and–
“What the hell is your problem?” Cole demanded as he angrily wiped rotten egg off his face.
Shaking her head in disgust, Chloe pushed past him and left because she honestly couldn’t deal with him right now. The hour she’d spent in the basement with him had been more than enough to last a lifetime, Chloe decided as she cut through the living room and spotted Katie relaxing on the couch, watching Harry Potter. Knowing that Cole wouldn’t really hurt her, Chloe headed up the stairs and went straight to her room, slamming the door shut behind her before she threw herself across her bed with a sigh.
When she heard the door open a few seconds later, she looked over her shoulder to tell her sister to get out only to bite back a groan when she spotted Cole walking into her room.
“We weren’t done talking,” he bit out as he closed her bedroom door behind him.
“We really were,” Chloe said, biting back a sigh as she reached over and dragged the chemistry book that she’d been reading when this nightmare started, closer.
“I was trying to be nice to you and let you down gently,” Cole snapped.
“And now that you have, you can leave,” she said in absolutely no mood to deal with this right now.
She just wanted him to leave her alone.
“Look, I wasn’t trying to hurt your feelings. I just–”