Page 18 of Forbidden Lyrics

With glazed eyes, she shakes her head and squeezes the door handle with all her strength. I glance to where Gibbs disappeared before turning back to my sister, my frustration fizzling as I take in her spooked expression.

“He’s giving me a ride to work since my car was left overnight,” I explain, my tone softer this time. “It’s not a big deal. I promise. Try to get some rest, okay?”

She gives me a jerky nod and steps aside, giving me plenty of space to exit but doesn’t say a word.

“Love you,” I add.

As if my declaration has awoken her from a deep sleep, she blinks slowly before holding my gaze. “Stay away from him, Dovey.”

I exhale slowly, desperate to shake her. To make her see how much her depression and bossy older sister routine are affecting our relationship. To wake her up from whatever daze she’s been living in since her ex broke her heart. To make her understand that I’m here for her. That she can trust me. That I’m not going anywhere. But I don’t bother. It’ll just wind up being a waste of time.

“Bye, Mads,” I mutter.

I turn on my heel and race down the stairs, not only running away from my apartment but also from my crappy relationship with my sister that I can’t seem to fix no matter how hard I try.

What did she say to Gibbs in the two seconds it took me to reach the front door? What did he do to Emma to make Maddie so freaking defensive around him? And why doesn’t she trust me enough to make my own decisions?

Flustered, I tuck my hair behind my ear and take another slow, cleansing breath, preparing for a twenty-minute drive with Gibson when I already feel like a frazzled mess. The guy who’s not only my coworker and crush, but apparently, he’s also my sister’s nemesis.

Greaaat.

When I reach the sidewalk, I find his old beater parked out front with Gibbs behind the wheel staring blankly in front of him.

The hinges creak as I open the passenger door and slip inside. “Hey. Sorry. I was going to be out front, but you were early.”

“It’s fine,” he grits out, though he doesn’t look at me as he shoves his car into drive.

“I’m sorry if my sister was acting weird or if she said anything––”

“How long has your sister lived here?” he demands, cutting me off before slamming on the brakes and giving me his full attention.

I jerk back at the sharpness in his tone and the animosity in his gaze. I might not know him that well, but I’ve never seen him so tense before. I feel like I can almost see the smoke coming from his ears, but it isn’t as amusing as the cartoons make it out to be. And I don’t like it. At all.

“I-I don’t know,” I answer once I’ve found my voice. “We weren’t really on talking terms until a few months ago. I asked her about your friend, Emma, though.”

The name sparks recognition in his heated gaze. “And?”

“And it’s probably the reason she was acting weird today. Apparently, Emma told her some stuff about you that made Maddie a little leery of us working together.”

With a dry laugh, he shakes his head. “What kind of stuff, Dove? What bullshit is she spewing now?”

“S-she didn’t say. Were you…?” I bite my lip and peek over at him.

“What is it?”

“Were you dating her, though?”

“Em?” he spits.

“Yes.”

Tongue in cheek, he lets the question roll over him for a few seconds. “Something like that,” he mumbles.

“Well, it sounds like Em must’ve taken the breakup badly.”

He scoffs. “She ended it. Not us.”

“Us?” I prod, hating the jealousy swirling in my lower gut, yet unable to help my curiosity. This is insane. Absolutely. One-hundred-percent. Insane.

---