Page 13 of Another Christmas from Hell

“I don’t,” Bryce bit out as he took another step back.

“Yes, you do,” Cayley murmured, stalking him through her kitchen and into the living room as a thought occurred to her. “Why were you always the last one to leave the house for school in the morning?”

“What?” Bryce said, looking confused.

“When we were kids, you didn’t leave the house until I did. I was always running late because I had to walk my dog before school, but you didn’t have an excuse. It would have actually been really easy for you to avoid me if you’d left when your brothers and little sister did, but you didn’t because you wanted to walk with me,” Cayley said, watching him closely as they made their way through the living room.

His answer was a clenched jaw as she continued walking towards him.

“Why were you always the first one to take a break when I showed up when you guys were working? You never had any of the food that I brought, but you were always the first one outside. Why do you think that was?” Cayley asked, sounding thoughtful as she watched Bryce stumble back through the door he’d left open.

The muscle ticking in his jaw was her answer.

“Why didn’t you ask Connor to kick me out when you found out that I was moving into the apartment across from yours? Or, at the very least, work on something besides the renovation when you found out that I was going to be working for him so that you wouldn’t be forced to be around me all day?” Cayley asked with a sad shake of her head as she reached for the door and added, “That’s what I thought,” when he didn’t say anything.

CHAPTER7

Bryce moved to stand up to pace the dark bedroom again, only to mumble, “Fuck it,” and stayed where he was as he took another sip from the juice box that he’d helped himself to from the kitchen. He was losing his fucking mind, Bryce thought as he glared ahead, wondering why he-

“I really hate your brothers,” came the heavy sigh as a light was turned on, revealing the bastard that better get his fucking hands off his sister.

“Me, too,” Rory mumbled as she opened her eyes only to sigh when she saw him sitting there and grumbled something that really didn’t sound very supportive.

“She’s obsessed with me,” Bryce bit out, knowing that his little sister would understand what he was going through better than anyone, thanks to the large bastard that really couldn’t seem to keep his fucking hands off her.

“Please tell me that this isn’t about Cayley,” Connor muttered, ignoring Bryce’s murderous glare as he reached over and wrapped his arm around Rory and pulled her closer.

“She followed me everywhere,” Bryce said evenly.

“I mean, did she, though?” Rory asked, opening her eyes so that she could send him a pitying look that he didn’t fucking appreciate at the moment.

“Did you really need to break into our room at two in the morning for this?” Connor demanded.

“Yes,” Bryce bit out as he took another sip of juice while he glared at them.

“I can honestly say that she didn’t follow you everywhere,” Connor, the asshole that should be taking his side to show his appreciation for not killing him when he had the chance, said as he moved to press a kiss against the side of Rory’s neck only to rethink that decision when he noted the glare on Bryce’s face.

“I’m pretty sure that she avoided you,” Rory mumbled around a yawn as she moved to get more comfortable.

“That’s what she wanted you to think,” Bryce said, wondering why he was the only one that could see it.

God, it was so obvious that she wanted him, Bryce thought, finishing off his juice box. She was always fucking there and-

“Told you he was in love with her,” Rory mumbled sleepily, making him frown.

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not in love with her,” Bryce snapped, narrowing his eyes on his little sister and couldn’t help but wonder when she’d lost her damn mind.

“You really are, though,” Rory said around another yawn.

He opened his mouth only to shift his glare when Connor said, “Everyone knows.”

“We mock you,” Rory added.

“We really do,” Connor said with a sad shake of his head before he leaned back in and kissed the side of Rory’s neck, clearly forgetting the warning they gave him years ago about touching their sister in front of them.

“We’ve been doing it for years,” Rory murmured in agreement around a heartfelt sigh and a nod.

“You’re lying,” Bryce bit out.

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