Page 128 of Bad Blood

“I wasn’t trying to. I mean, I was, you know—sympathizing.”

“I mean what I said. I will kill you if Liam has to put your needs above his own. Do you understand?”

“Did he tell you he didn’t want me there? Or did he make me out to be the bad guy?”

She narrows her gaze. “He didn’t get the chance to elaborate.”

“I know I should’ve been there, but he’s the one keeping me in the dark. It’s not the other way around.”

“Maybe that’s because he doesn’t think you can handle it.”

“He’d be correct. I can’t, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. You have no idea what this is like.”

She drops her gaze to her feet and mutters, “Actually, I do.”

“What?” I instantly feel like an ass.

“I. Do.” She enunciates the words, and they slowly click together in my brain. “My brother had ES.”

She said had. Does that mean he’s better? Or he’s—gone? I bite away my question. A part of me doesn’t want to know, but I’m dying to ask. I swallow the lump in my throat, and she saves me from war with myself.

“Grady was seventeen, and we caught it too late. He’s the reason I do what I do.”

“Torture yourself?”

She chuckles and closes her eyes. “I don’t see it like that.”

I could say I forgot how beautiful she is, but I would be lying. I just forced myself to stop thinking of her. There’s no reason to torment myself since she’s off-limits.

I try my luck with the last couple of stairs and stop beside her, leaning on the cement railing as a slight drizzle falls from the sky.

“Goodbye, Dax.” She turns and clears the landing, pushing her key into the lock. “I expect to see you with Liam at his appointments. All of them.”

“You’re a beam of sunshine tonight, aren’t you?”

“It’s morning.”

I glance at my watch. “Barely.”

“Don’t make me regret asking this.” She drops her bag inside the doorway but stays outside a moment longer, tugging on her unruly knot of hair before she fiddles with her pinkie ring. She closes her eyes and settles her fists on her hips.

“I have a feeling you already do.”

“Not yet. But that could change.”

“Try me.” The last thing I want to do is let someone else down. And missing Liam’s appointment is an obvious disappointment.

“You need to see something.”

“In your house?” I fail to keep the shock from my voice.

“Yes.”

“With you?”

“Yes.”

“Right now?”

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