Page 22 of Heir of Fire
He cleared his throat. “I was just making sure you were okay. After the last party, you were kind of a wreck.”
“I didn’t go to any parties tonight.”
He knew that, but did she know he had been home all night?
“Oh, I wasn’t sure.” He could have done a better job lying, he just hoped that in her loopiness she wouldn’t question it any further. “I’ll let you sleep then. Sorry for waking you up.”
“Wait …” She reached for his arm. Her hand was cold compared to his, and his skin shouldn’t have lit up in goosebumps the way it did when she touched him. “I need to ask you something before you go.”
“What?”
She opened and closed her mouth a couple times as if she couldn’t come up with the right words. If he had to guess, she was probably going to ask about the fight.
His excuse? Shit, he wasn’t sure he had a good answer for it.
“Why?” she started.
“Why what?”
“Why did you fight Raphael? And please, don’t lie to me.”
Finn couldn’t help the snort that left his lips. “Since when do we only tell each other the truth?”
“I trusted you with my breakdown, I think we’re beyond having to lie about trivial matters,” she said. As if realizing she was still holding his hand, she let go, letting her hands grab the blanket instead.
He ignored the feeling of loss and instead tried to think of an answer. Why had he fought Raphael? He told himself it was for revenge, so maybe he could start there.
“He hurt you and you were upset. I would have done it for anyone,” he said.
“You didn’t have to do it at all. It wasn’t your problem to deal with,” Gianna said.
He knew that.
“But I did and it’s over and done with now. Just let it go.” He turned around to leave, but the sound of her jumping off the bed had him stopping in the middle of the room.
“Just let it go? I can’t just let it go. You publicly fought someone that I was seeing because he hurt me. That has implications to it,” she said.
Finn turned around now, nearly groaning when he saw what she was wearing. A matching pink tank top and shorts set. Nothing else. She should have stayed bundled up under her blankets.
“What sort of implications does it have?” he asked, raising his brow in question.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. That there might be something going on between us or that you’re a little too involved in your sister’s best friend’s life.”
“Well, anyone who thinks that is a fucking idiot.”
Her eyes narrowed at him. “Why would they be an idiot to think that?”
“Because there isn’t anything going on between us.”
“Of course not because rumor has it, you’re off the market.” The snarl on her face was apparent, but he was more hung up on what she’d said than anything else.
“What are you talking about?”
“Luna thinks you’re seeing someone and that’s why you chose to stay around,” Gianna said, crossing her arms. “So, if that’s true, not only do I feel bad for that obviously miserable girl, but I would rather not get involved in some weird throuple scandal with you and her.”
This time Finn couldn’t help the sweep of anger that rushed through him. “That is exactly why I didn’t want to come back. The bullshit rumors and the stupid judgmental comments. I don’t have any secret girlfriend, so you can run back to my sister with that information and let her know, which I know you will. I can also promise that any girl with me isn’t miserable, princess. If you haven’t been fucked right in so long that you’re left feeling miserable, then just say that.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, her cheeks burning red.
