Page 45 of Claiming Xan
He huffed. “Like we have anywhere else to go.” I made a face. He kind of had a point. He turned his full attention on Mom, staring her down, and Mom stared right back. The tension between them snapped taut as a wire before River finally dropped his gaze.
“Fine. But get one thing straight—I did not taint your son. If anything, Xan was the one doing all the tempting. I tried to keep my distance, but he’s just…” He trailed off, and I smiled.
“Yes?”
River huffed. “He’s too damn Xan. All sunshine and rainbows.”
To my surprise, Mom smiled. “That he is.”
26
RIVER
Just like that,we were back living with Xan’s mom—except it was different now. When Xan was away at work, I felt unsettled. I could feel the tension in the air whenever Gracie was in the same room. I walked on eggshells around her. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing and piss her off—or worse, for her to pissmeoff.
Because I was tired of being jerked around.
I was sitting on the couch watching the rest of the show Xan and I had started when Gracie popped into the living room. She rapped her knuckles against the wall. I growled under my breath and turned to her.
“Yeah?” Hey, it was nicer than “What?”
“Just had a quick question between clients. Did you still want the job working at my vet clinic?”
I stared at her for a moment in her pastel flower scrubs and stained tennis shoes. Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose, messy bun and strands had come loose to curl around her face.
Outwardly, she appeared friendly and no-nonsense, but her presence set my wolf’s teeth on edge. He paced at the back of my mind, growling the entire time.
“No,” I said. “I don’t think I’m comfortable doing that anymore. Sorry. I plan to find a job in Greymercy soon, don’t worry. I have no intention of being a freeloader. Not when I have a kid on the way.”
“Of course.” She was tight-lipped as she nodded and walked away. My chest squeezed almost painfully, my heart thumping an erratic beat. TV show forgotten, I retreated to my bedroom. My phone—which I’d left in the bedside drawer the night Xan had texted me the room number of the hotel—was dead, so I plugged it in, then began gathering up all my dirty clothes.
After tossing them into the laundry basket in my closet, I carried it down the hall to the laundry room to start a load. I stuffed the clothing in the washer, added a generous amount of detergent and shut the lid, then spun the dial to quick-wash.
It was all on autopilot. My mind was a thousand miles away, my wolf on edge, the hairs on the backs of my arms prickly to the point of being almost painful. Part of me felt like I should go for a run, but the memory of being alone in the woods for two weeks surfaced and I went back to my room instead.
At least here, I was safe.
I flopped down on the bed with a low groan and threw my arm over my eyes, blotting out most of the light. My head was beginning to throb right along with my pulse, which made me start to wonder if I was getting high blood pressure or some shit. Did shifters even get high blood pressure?
Suddenly, my phone on the bedside table started going crazy, buzzing to life. It vibrated violently, the screen flashing withdingafterdingof incoming messages. Right. It’d been dead—and I had been MIA—so I’d probably missed a bunch of texts from Sky.
A small twinge of guilt rippled through me. I was sure he wondered where the hell I’d gone, if I’d fallen off the face of theearth. But another part of me didn’t even have the energy to face him.
Still, I reached over and grabbed my phone and began scrolling through them. Two weeks worth of missed texts and a few calls and voicemails from Gracie and Kace, no doubt demanding to know where I was during my little rendezvous with Xan during his heat.
Most of the texts were from Sky. At first they were concerned:I miss you. Where are you? Why are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong? River? I’m really worried… Did something happen? You never go this long without replying.
Then, as the days went on…Fine. I don’t want to talk to you either, asshole. Guess you think you’re too good for me now that you’re living with the Alpha. You don’t even stop to consider MY feelings! How I feel! I miss you, you prick! And now you won’t even text me?? Go to hell!
And then, later, apologies:I’m sorry, Riv… I was out of line. I’m so messed up right now. I shouldn’t have said those things. I hope you’re okay… I love you.
I stared at the words on the screen as they blurred together, my head pounding harder now. Fuck. All of the shit that had happened in the past few weeks, and I hadn’t really thought of my brother much at all.
Now I needed to lie to him, to make up some sort of excuse to apologize for my absence without Sky knowing what I’d actually been through. No need to stress him out more.
After some thinking, I finally texted back with:I’m sorry, Sky. I broke my phone and just now was able to afford to replace it. I should’ve had someone reach out to you, but I didn’t think. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m okay. I’m safe. Hope you’re okay too.
I sent the text and heaved a deep sigh. Why did it feel like there was a weight on my chest? Sky was my twin, my other half, and yet…texting him almost felt like a burden. Like my life was better off without him in it.
