Page 27 of Sebastian

As my pain meds wore off, everything hurt a lot more than before. The result of my car “accident” left me with a wide variety of injuries. The stitches holding together the cut on my forehead itched like crazy and my bruised ribs hurt if I inhaled too deeply.

My right leg, however, was the worst. Multiple bones were broken, and even my femur was cracked, which the doctors informed me was a difficult bone to injure. Not to mention the deep tissue damage from where the car’s metal had cut into my leg.

All in all, my right leg was going to take a while to heal. Even I could tell that much, but that didn’t mean Damien and Newt needed to treat me like an invalid. Thanks to the aid of a cast and crutches, I could still stand on my own.

“I’m fine,” I tried to insist when Newt propped my injured leg up on a stool with a pillow underneath.

He looked down at me from where he stood, hands on hips and a square set to his shoulders. “You are not fine, Sebastian Roth. The doctors almost operated on your leg to pin the bone in place. The only reason they didn’t is because the tibia and fibula broke cleanly, and the crack in your femur was deemed minor enough to heal on its own. But that could change if you keep moving around and exacerbate it. You’re already looking at a long recovery time. If they do end up having to operate on it, then it’ll be even longer.”

Perhaps it was inappropriate for the situation, but watching Newt take control of the situation was kind of hot. My babbling little chipmunk became an indomitable mama bear when it came to other people’s well being.

Heaving a deep sigh just to make my displeasure known, I relaxed back against the couch. “Fine. Do what you want.”

Once he got his way, Newt immediately returned to his typical self and began fluffing the pillows around me.

Sitting in the chair across from the couch, Damien raised an eyebrow. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. I knew him well enough to interpret his slightest facial expression.

That eyebrow was both asking how the fuck Newt knew my real name, and making fun of me for giving in so quickly.

I glared at him. “Shut up.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t say anything. I’m just glad to see you taking care of yourself.”

The levity was appreciated, but it didn’t last long. Damien’s teasing expression melted away and was replaced with a serious scowl.

“All right, Sebastian, you need to talk to me.” Damien put a slight sarcastic emphasis on my name, pushing the point even more.

I shrugged in response. I refused to explain why I felt the need to be honest with Newt about that. Damien of all people should understand, seeing as how he’d recently found the men of his dreams and he hadn’t lied to them about his name at all. It was a thing. Honesty. I didn’t want to start my possible relationship with the copper-haired cutie with a pack of lies. So be it.

“Brother, I waited while you were in the hospital, but now you need to tell me what the fuck is going on. You weren’t out with Newt the night you were attacked. So where were you and why the fuck did you lie to me about it?”

I knew that question was coming. Yet, once the words were put into the air, I didn’t know what to say. My gaze instinctively drifted toward Newt, who sat at my side.

He stood from the couch. “I can step out if you need some privacy. This has to do with your PI cases, right?”

Before he could leave, I tugged his arm to guide him back to my side. “Technically, it’s not an official case since I volunteered and didn’t accept any money. But first, I want to apologize for using you in my lie. That wasn’t fair. I just couldn’t think of anything else that Damien would believe.”

Newt’s fingers interlaced with mine. “I forgive you, but only if you tell your brother the truth now.” He gave me a face that I assumed was supposed to look like a scowl, but it looked rather adorable instead.

“All right.” I sighed.

Keeping our fingers locked together, I ran my free hand through my hair and flinched when it snagged. I really needed a shower after spending several days in the hospital. “I’ll explain. Damien, could you get a file from my bedroom? It’s in the bottom drawer of the nightstand by the window.”

My brother smirked. “You mean the one where you keep your porn magazines?”

Since I was currently lying on all the pillows, I couldn’t throw one at him, so I made do with flipping him my middle finger.

He laughed then stood to do as I asked.

I grumbled under my breath, pretending to be annoyed when really, I was relieved. If Damien was still willing to tease me, then he wasn’t too mad. I would hate for this incident to ruin my relationship with my brother.

Newt was staring at me. I could feel the weight of his gaze running over my skin.

I looked over to find him giving me a perplexing look.

“What?”

His eyebrow raised in a chilling imitation of my brother. “Porn magazines? Really?”

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