Page 13 of Looking Grimm

“You made yourself his problem, didn’t you?” Pippa stabbed the straw at me. “Dragging your ass in here on the heels of every crisis because he’s too nice to turn you away.”

Nash sighed loudly. “He didn’t mean it that way.”

“HowdidI mean it?” I glared at Nash, but the question was for either of the siblings.

Nash dropped his fork in his bowl. “Not. Like. That.” He bit off each word.

Pippa’s freckled nose scrunched. She looked at her brother. “Nick, I know you care about him,” she said, “but can’t you care about somebody else? Somebody stable?”

“He’s not always like this, Pip,” Nash argued. “You know him.”

“Not like you do, apparently,” she retorted.

“He’sstanding right here,” I growled.

It reminded me of the argument I’d overheard from the hall outside Pippa’s bedroom a few weeks ago. She must have remembered it, too, because she continued.

“I should’ve seen this coming.” Pippa propped both elbows on the table. “In fact, Ididsee this coming, but I allowed it because you’re a rational man with a good head on your shoulders, and he’s a…”

Nash’s agitated expression made her pause.

“Fitch, can you give us a minute?” he asked without looking away from his sister.

I swung around and sat back down in my chair, then clasped my hands in my lap. “I think I’ll stay,” I replied. “Pip’s clearly put a lot of thought into this. I don’t want to miss it.” I may have looked like an eager listener, but internally I was bracing for the incoming verbal assault.

Pippa eyed me, not pleased by my refusal but not deterred by it, either.

“He’s a mess, Nick,” she declared, speaking directly to her brother once more. “He’s a criminal—a murderer—and he’s so damaged…” Her gaze flitted briefly over me. “Grimm did a number on him. We watched it happen.”

I started to tell her off for Nash’s sake as much as mine,but he beat me to speaking.

“We should’ve done more than watch,” he muttered, staring hard at his pasta salad.

Pippa heaved a breath. “I get it,” she said. “I’m sorry, too. But he’sbroken, Nick.” She flapped her hand at me. “And you can’t love a person back together. Trying will just tear you apart, too.”

That familiar feeling clogged my throat and, for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. It was anger and sadness all the damn time, taking shots at my heart.

Nash focused on his lunch as if the dish held the answers he needed. “That was a bit much, don’t you think?” he asked his sister.

Pippa crossed her arms. “It needed to be said.”

“It’sbeensaid, Pip.” He sounded defeated.

I couldn’t stand it, but Pippa didn’t relent.

“To you, but you won’t listen. Maybe he will.” She jerked a thumb toward me.

The truth in Pippa’s words resonated with me, frightened me. But her honesty wasn’t as scary as the thought of Nash being swayed by her sentiments and changing his mind about me. He might leave me, kick me out… I couldn’t stand to lose anyone else.

I sat at the table as though tethered there until Nash fired back at his sister, “Maybeyoushould try keeping your opinions to yourself when you know damn well where I stand on things.” His voice was low at first but gained volume and force as he continued. “This is my house. My relationship. My business. Literally.”

One of those words stood out to me. “Relationship?” I repeated.

Nash slammed his fist on the table, and all the dishes rattled. He swiveled toward me and snapped, “Can you try for just a minute not to be such an emotionally stunted asshole?”

I swayed backward, still chafed from Pippa’s rant and reeling.

Nash shook his head. “For God’s sake, I’ve known you half your life. You live here. We sleep together. It must be some kind of relationship.”

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