Page 23 of Orange Spell
“You can’t be that fine if you’re avoiding me, Curran.Did something happen?Was it the night of the party?Because I told you to be careful and stop drinking.”
“I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” Curran snapped.“Iamfine, and that’s it.You might be my brother, but it doesn’t mean you have to hover and treat me like a child.If I want to talk to you, I’ll talk to you.”
“How can I stop treating you like a child when you snap at me like one?”
It was hard to resist the urge to get up and storm off.Curran would have if he had a choice.“Just leave me alone.I have nothing to say to you.”
“I’m just trying to protect you.”
“I don’t need protecting!I can protect myself.I’m fine, and you should focus on Aaron and your job.”
The wounded expression on Birch’s face hurt, but Curran couldn’t reach for him.He hated that they were fighting and that it was his fault, but he couldn’t tell Birch what was happening.If he didn’t push Birch away, his brother would insist until Curran told him.
He couldn’t yet.
Thankfully, the phone Birch carried in a pouch around his neck started ringing.Birch looked like he was about to throw it against the wall, but instead, he sucked in a breath and took it out of the pouch.“I have to go.”
Curran looked down at his plate.He wasn’t hungry anymore.“Then go.I’ll be fine.”
Birch hesitated, then got to his feet.“This isn’t over, Curran.Eventually, I’ll find out what’s going on.”
“Or you could keep your nose out of my business.”
Birch didn’t answer.He turned around and left, and Curran had to watch him go.
His brother’s threat had been serious.He wouldn’t let Curran get away with this much longer.Curran was running out of time, and he wasn’t anywhere near ready to talk about the baby with anyone.
“Are you all right?”someone asked.
Curran turned, ready to snap at whoever it was to keep their nose out of his business, but he froze when he found Pearl standing next to his table.Everyone knew who she was.She was one of Killian’s half-sisters, and she had her eye on the throne.Curran didn’t have any details, but being Birch’s brother meant that he knew more than most clan members.Hedefinitelyknew that he should stay away from her.
He swallowed.“It’s fine.We’re brothers.We fight sometimes.”
“I’m sure, but please, if you need anything, feel free to reach out to me.Just because he’s your brother doesn’t mean he should treat you like that.”
Curran wanted to ask what she meant, but he knew what she was insinuating.He didn’t like it, but he couldn’t tell her to fuck off, no matter how much he wanted to.He had no idea what her game plan was, but something told him he wouldn’t like it, and Killian would like it even less.“Thank you,” he said to be polite.
“I know how close Birch is to my brother, so I understand why you might be wary of speaking up about him.You don’t have to worry about that with me.”
Pearl gave him a smile and turned to leave.Curran watched her go, wondering what the fuck was happening.He needed to tell someone about Pearl, but he couldn’t talk to Birch.Who did that leave?
Curran pushed away from the table.He had to talk to Marlin.
* * * *
MARLIN WAS ABOUT TOleave his rooms to get lunch when frantic knocking gave him pause.He frowned and strode to the door, flinging it open with a question already on his lips.
It died there when Curran pushed past him.
It wasn’t the first time Curran was in Marlin’s rooms.Even the night they’d spent together hadn’t been the first time he visited.It wasn’t something that happened often, though, and Marlin had no idea what could have brought him here after he’d carefully avoided him since the night of the party.
“I need to tell someone what happened with Pearl, and I can’t go to Birch,” Curran said as he turned to face Marlin.
Something caught Marlin’s attention.He’d known Curran for most of his life, and he’d been interested in him for close to a decade.
He’d kept his distance because of Birch and because Curran was a bit younger, but that had flown right out the window the night of the party.Marlin remembered Curran’s body that night.He knew what Curran looked like—what he felt like.
“Curran?”he asked.
