down like a dog. You delivered her, right here to my doorstep.”
“I told you, I had no idea you’d be here.”
His brother just continues, “It’s probably a good thing I came. You’ve been ignoring my texts about next weekend, but now…?”
Sebastian seems to shed some of the pretense, gripping the edge of the counter with both hands, back swelling with his breaths. “I won’t be there.”
“Hm,” Heston says, head tilting as he observes his brother. “Why don’t I just go up and see her for myself?”
In an instant, Sebastian is in front of him, nostrils flared wide. “You go near her and I swear to fucking god, Heston…”
Heston laughs, seemingly happy to get such a rise out of his brother. It dies out on a long sigh. “See? You’ve been out of action for too long. You need it. We both know you do. You need to imagine they’re all me, because that’s as close as you ever get to beating me.”
The air around Sebastian crackles like an impending lightning strike. Fear ricochets through me and I stumble down the step unthinkingly.
Heston’s eyes whip to mine, and he’s frozen for the briefest moment before his face splits into a wide, overjoyed grin. “Well, well, well, look who came to say hello.”
I can see Sebastian stiffen, turning his head just enough to see me. When he does, his eyes slide closed, shoulders deflating. He mutters a low, “Fuck.”
Heston’s laugh rings out again as he slides away from his brother, inspecting me. “Holy shit, dude! She’s in your clothes and everything! Look at her, she’s so…” He raises his hands, gesturing to me, “small.” He tells Sebastian, “Gotta level with you, baby bro, I didn’t really think this whole trashy goth look was your vibe, but hey. I don’t judge.”
“Sugar, go back upstairs,” Sebastian says from behind him, voice low and tight. I don’t like the way he says it, or the way he’s holding himself, or the way he’ll only look at me through the corner of his eyes.
I try to catch his gaze, wondering, “What’s going on?”
But Heston’s eyes are widening in realization, fingers snapping. “Sugar! You’re that new girl at Preston!” he bursts, looking more gleeful than ever. “The one who doesn’t like to be touched.”
I bristle, at both the description and the way he raises his hand, as if to brush my cheek. I rear back, but it doesn’t matter.
Sebastian is already between us, shoving his brother’s shoulder, lips pulled back in a sneer. “Touch her, and I’ll rip your fucking arms off.”
Heston stumbles, but barks a laugh at the way his brother is holding himself, tense and coiled. “And he’s protective! Oh, this is good.”
“Back the fuck off,” Sebastian growls, and Heston raises his hands, even though his smile is all teeth. A chill runs down my spine at the sight of it. I’ve seen that look before. Pure evil.
“Relax, it was just a joke. I’m not going to touch your shiny new toy.” His eyes cut to me, causing a ripple of something wary to course through my muscles. “Although, for the record, I have been informed by certain qualified parties that my dick is bigger.”
I curl my lip in disdain. “Did she say your dick was bigger, or that you’re the bigger dick?”
If anything, it just makes him look more excited. “Ooh, and she’s a feisty one! Bravo.” He gives his brother a slow, sarcastic applause. “Bet you a Benjamin you’ve got scratch marks on your back right now. I’m right, aren’t I?” He laughs again.
I’m not entirely sure I get the source of what’s transpiring between them, but that asshole is way too happy, and when Sebastian swipes the plate from the counter, jerking his chin at the stairs, I can’t find any trace of the man I’d spent the night with. This guy standing here is completely checked out.
I follow him up, glancing back over my shoulder, where I catch Heston’s eye. He stares up at me, that same dark smile curving his lips and winks knowingly. My stomach turns. Not because I’m afraid of him, but because I realize that he knows more about what’s happening right now than I do.
We’re quiet.
Sebastian rustles around the room, packing his bag, and even though he’d fucked me last night—made love to me, if I were capable of such corniness—you wouldn’t know it by the way he’s acting.
“You don’t have to drive me. I can figure something out,” I say, smoothing down my skirt. I’d