Page 21 of Never Die for a Sinner
“The real reason.”
She sighs, hugging her legs to her tighter, and looks away.
“I just . . . had a nightmare, okay?”
“About?” I already know. I’ve known since we brought her home; I just have no fucking idea how to talk to her about it.
“You know,” she starts, looking down at her hands in her lap. “When Sebastian came and kidnapped me in the middle of the night, I thought I was losing my mind. I had no idea he was even alive, and then all at once, I was learning he killed Mom. He was working for Dad, and Dad was actually a raging narcissist hellbent on stealing everything from us. Then, I realized this is just our family. What’s next, Levi? What big secret am I going to learn later on that everyone else knows but me?”
I shake my head. “There are no secrets. Not anymore.”
She scoffs.
“Yeah, I’ll remember that when it comes out. Paulina was looking for you tonight, by the way.”
Of course, she is. She’s been trying to talk to me for the last week, and I’ve been avoiding her.
It’s not that I don’t care for my aunt. It’s that I’m really not in the mood to explain myself right now. She wants to talk. I don’t. Simple as that.
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
“She’s worried about you,” Bella says, eyeing me. “We all are.”
“Why?”
“You have to ask? You’re different.”
I shrug. “No different than I’ve always been.”
“You’re drinking a lot.”
“Shit happens.”
“Don’t be like that. I’m only trying to help. Are you having nightmares again?”
Jesus Christ, why can’t anyone let it go?
“When you can get your bad dreams under control, we can talk about mine.”
Her face drops like I’d slapped her, and her eyes shine with tears.
Well, shit.
I should apologize for being a dick, but sometimes, Bella doesn’t know when to stop pushing. I won’t apologize for not wanting to share my feelings. I’m not one of her girlfriends. I’m not Paulina. I’m also not required to share anything with fucking anybody, at least not here.
She wants to be pissed off, so be it.
“Fine, Levi. Have it your way,” she murmurs coldly, and stalks to the door, pushing past me and leaving me to stare after the fire for a lot longer than I think even I realize.
Bella’s smart. She knows there’s more to the story I’m not telling her. That doesn’t mean she’s entitled to my nightmares. The shit that haunts my brain every night isn’t her problem. Especially not when she’s dealing with her own shit.
Heading upstairs, I scrub a hand over my face as I go. I’m exhausted, but I know I won’t sleep. Not really.
I’m just about to enter my room when I pause, staring at the door across the hall.
Pushing it open just a hair, I peek my head in, looking at the small form in the center of the large canopy bed.
She doesn’t stir at my presence. In fact, she looks peaceful for once.
