Page 34 of Sass

“I repeat, what the hell are you doing here? No, don’t answer that.” I sidestepped around him and headed for the stairs, but he grabbed my wrist. “Take your damn hands off me.” I spun to face him, and he immediately let go.

“Sorry.” He stepped back. “Don’t you want to know why I’m here?”

“No,” I snapped, somewhat surprised at the truth of the word. “I figure it can’t be good news for me, regardless.”

“Oh, come on, Christopher.” George shook his head in that disappointed way my family had perfected over the years whenever they talked to me—like they couldn’t believe I came from the same blood.

Newsflash: I felt exactly the same.

George was still talking. “Do you really not give a shit about your family?”

I raised a brow at my brother’s language and his cheeks stained red. “See?” he huffed angrily. “Thirty seconds with you and I’m already swearing. You’re infuriating.”

I snorted. “I aim to please. But on that note, don’t let me keep you.” I turned again for the stairs and again he grabbed my arm. This time I shoved him away. “I told you, keep your hands off me.”

He raised his palms and sighed like I was some petulant child he needed to calm. “Do you really think Iwantedto come?”

My eyes rolled as they were wont to do on a regular basis whenever I was in the presence of my family. “Let’s just say, I’d be shocked if you did.” I refused to give him the satisfaction of asking anything more.

“If you’d answered any of our texts or calls, I wouldn’t have to be here.” He waited, but I wasn’t going anywhere near that landmine and eventually he blew out a sigh. “Why do you always have to make things so difficult?”

Really, they should put that on my gravestone given the number of times it had been directed my way, along with a couple of other personal favourites such as, “You can like girls just as easily as yousayyou like boys, Christopher.” “It’s a choice, Christopher.” And then there was always, “No one thinks you’re lying, Christopher.”Like hell.And the evergreen, “Why does everything always have to be about you, Christopher?”

I clenched my teeth. “Are you done, because I haven’t eaten, and I have work to do.” I spun to leave but didn’t get far.

“Uncle James has pancreatic cancer. He’s dying.”

I froze, trying desperately not to reel sideways as my knees turned to jelly.Fuck.I fisted my hands around the leather strap of my satchel and tried to keep my shit together as I schooled my expression and turned slowly back around.Breathe, Kip. Just fucking breathe.

“Wow. So, it was good news after all.” I forced a smile. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll throw a parade.”

George frowned, my answer clearly throwing him. Well, good fucking job. He shook his head and there was that disappointment again. I tried not to let the guilt hit me. Once there was a time I’d idolised my brother. Back then, in my eyes, George could do no wrong. He’d meant everything to me and I’d hated whenever I disappointed him. Years later, after everything, I still hated seeing that look in his eye. Go figure.

George blinked slowly, struggling with his fiery temper. “I just told you he’sdying,Christopher. Can’t you at least show the tiniest bit of respect?”

Since smashing my brother’s face in was undoubtedly a bad idea, I tightened the grip on my bag instead. “No. Next question.”

George heaved a put-upon sigh. “He wants to talk to you before he... well, you know. Mum and Dad wanted you to know. It would mean a lot to him. To us.”

I raised a brow. “Tous?” I looked around. “I don’t see Mum and Dad here, so I’m guessing this isn’t really about reaching out to me. This is about whatJameswants, soJamescan feel better?”

George sighed and shook his head. “Come on, Christopher. Everyone wants this. It’s a chance to heal.”

“Heal?” I almost choked on the word, reaching for the handrail to steady myself. “No.”

His jaw ticked. “Youcan’tsay no. He’s dying.”

“So, you’ve said.”

“He obviously wants to clear the air.”

I choked on a breath as I fought the rising panic in my chest, my heart hammering against my ribs, bile coursing up my throat.Fuck this. And fuck him.

“Good for him, but it’s not happening,” I answered in a steely voice. “He’s had eleven years to talk to me. Eleven years when it would’ve made a real difference. And he didn’t, so I doubt he’ll have anything to say now that I want to hear. Especially since he asked Mum to set it up.”

“You don’t know that,” George insisted, colour rising in his cheeks. “Jeez, you were just a kid. You can’t be sure you didn’t get it wrong. What happened wrecked our family. I’m sure James just wants to build some kind of a bridge before he dies. We’ve all suffered long enough, don’t you think? This is a chance to change that. A chance for you to come home.”

I gaped at the sheer audacity. “You’veall suffered?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What the fuck? This is why I don’t answer my phone. This is why I don’t bother keeping in touch. Nothing has changed with you lot.Nothing.And just so you know, you lot are no longer my home.”

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