Page 50 of Oblivion

I’m half expecting Starling to go brimstone and fire and yell at Evan, but instead, she shocks the hell out of me when she tips her chin up and looks him right in the eye. In all the time I’ve known Starling, she’s been polite at best to Evan. He’s always wanted a real sibling relationship with her, and she’s rebuffed him at every turn. She speaks to him and spends a lot of time with him as part of the group, but for the first time, I realize that she rarely, if ever, actually looks at him.

But she’s doing it now.

From my position, with my back pinned against Evan’s chest, I can’t see his expression, but I watch my friend as she boldly maintains eye contact with him.

“I know she’s yours, big brother, I just want to say hello to my bestie, then I promise I’ll give her back.”

Big brother? What the hell is going on? Since when does Starling not only acknowledge a relationship with her stepbrother but also call him herbig brother?

Before I can ask, Evan grabs my chin and twists me around so he can kiss me. It’s not a soft peck or a gentle kiss. He forces his tongue between my lips and mouth fucks me in the most blatantly possessive way I’ve ever seen, felt, or experienced.

Once he’s done ensuring that everyone knows I’m not only his, but that he and I are fucking, he pulls back and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. Slowly and clearly reluctantly, he relaxes his hold on me and steps back, leaving me shaken and reeling.

Starling throws herself at me the moment I’m free of Evan. “I’m so glad you’re back. I missed you so much,” she gushes, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me tightly.

After a moment, I hug her back, both of us lingering a little longer than necessary. I might have been planning a new future for myself on the other side of the country, but I’ve missed my best friend, and even though my entire life has been turned on its axis in the last few weeks, I’m glad to be here with her again.

“I missed you too,” I say, taking a long moment to enjoy her comfort and familiarity before I release her and step back. Parting my lips to speak, a puff of air is the only sound that escapes as I’m pulled into January’s arms next, then Clay, Hunter, and even Bunny’s, who whispers her thanks for my help while she was on the run from Hunter into my ear.

The entire time I’m greeting my friends, I feel the weight of Evan’s eyes on me. I’ve always known when he was watching me, but until now, his gaze has felt reluctant, like he hated that he couldn’t look away, but it’s different now. He’s not just watching me, he’s stalking me with his eyes, dissecting me with his gaze, and devouring everything he sees. The feeling is both terrifyingand intoxicating. Is this how Starling feels when Sebastian looks at her? I’ll have to ask her. If it is, it makes understanding why she loves him in spite of all the horrific things he’s done a little easier.

As my thoughts turn to Sebastian, I scan the room for him, finding him hovering at the back of my welcome party, his hands in his pockets, his dark eyes moving between Starling and me.

Sebastian and I have had a tempestuous relationship in the eighteen months we’ve known each other. In the beginning, he hated my friendship with Starling because he recognized early on that I wouldn’t allow him to control or exploit my friendship with her for his own gains. But over time, he developed a grudging respect for me that morphed into a dysfunctional sibling bond that I’m surprised to realize I’ve missed while I’ve been in DC.

Pulling one of his hands from his pocket, he crooks his finger, beckoning me to him. Sighing, I scoff and smile, closing the distance between us until I’m standing in front of him.

“Welcome home,” he says, a wry smile tipping the corners of his lips.

“Thank you for the ride,” I say.

Tears prick at the backs of my eyes as he pulls me into a hug, palming the back of my head as he kisses my forehead. “If he hadn’t brought you home, I would have,” he tells me quietly.

When he gentles his hold on me, he turns me, and I watch as Starling pushes onto her tiptoes, curls her arms around Evan’s neck, and hugs him. He freezes the moment she touches him, then after a long moment, he slowly wraps his arms around her and hugs her back. It’s as beautiful as it is bizarre. What the hell happened while I wasn’t here? Only weeks ago, she was fire and brimstone, calling him and all the others out on their behavior over the years. How did she get from that to calling him big brother and voluntarily hugging him?

“How did that happen?” I ask Sebastian quietly.

“They found some common ground,” he says.

Brow furrowed, I turn and look at him. “What common ground?”

“They both missed you.”

His response silences me. Could I really be the catalyst that helped them take the first step toward a real friendship? If I am, then I’m glad, but I can’t help feeling like there’s more to their sudden truce that Sebastian isn’t telling me.

“I’m glad you’re home. We all missed you,” he says.

“I missed you guys too. Although I should probably tell you that I’m only here because Evan imploded my life.” Rolling my eyes, I scoff lightly. “I’m guessing you already know, but I’m no longer engaged,” I tell him, churlishly lifting my hand into the air and wiggling my empty ring finger.

“He did what he should have done over a year ago. He took what’s always been his,” Sebastian growls.

“What if I don’t want to be his?” I ask, trying to find some of the anger I know I should be feeling right now.

Reaching for my hand, Sebastian rubs his thumb over the tattooed initials on my finger. “I think it’s too late for that.”

As I part my lips to protest, he looks past me to the other side of the room. “When are you making it official?” he asks, lifting my hand into the air.

“Making what official?” I ask, confused.

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