Page 24 of Another Christmas from Hell

“He really did,” Cayley said, nodding solemnly. “It was magical.”

“That would explain why he’s willingly touching a Christmas tree,” Sean said as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Why’s that?” Cayley asked, frowning in confusion only to glare when Sean helped himself to the rest of her chocolate milk.

“Because he hates Christmas,” Sean said, shrugging it off.

“You hate Christmas?” Cayley asked, sending Bryce a questioning look that he easily ignored as he made his way to the door now that the little brat had help.

“With a passion,” Sean added absently as he shifted his attention back to the fridge.

“How can you hate Christmas?” Cayley asked, looking adorably confused.

“Just never got into it,” Bryce said, grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair only to glare at Sean when the little bastard added, “It used to be his favorite holiday, but now he avoids everything to do with Christmas. He only shows up to Christmas dinner because our father would kill him if he missed it.”

“What happened?” the small woman that would never understand asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched him.

“Just outgrew it,” Bryce said, wondering what the hell he’d been thinking when he’d agreed to do this.

CHAPTER13

“Start talking,” Sean said as soon as Bryce left.

“I want to see other people,” Cayley said, nodding solemnly even as she found herself thinking about the look on Bryce’s face when she asked him why he hated her. It just…

God, he’d looked so lost at that moment.

“I’m sure that you do,” Sean murmured, bringing her focus back to her current problem.

“What are you doing here?” Cayley asked, deciding to make herself useful and began searching through her boxes for the pitcher so that she could water the Christmas tree that was going to look absolutely perfect once she decorated it.

“Besides wondering why you’re trying to starve me?” Sean drawled as he closed the refrigerator door with a disappointed sigh.

“Besides that,” Cayley said dryly as she tore through a box marked “kitchen plastic” until she finally found what she was looking for. Pitcher in hand, she turned around and-

Found herself face-to-chest with Sean, who was now glaring down at her with a look that she knew all too well. “What was my brother doing here?”

“Glaring at me?” Cayley said, wondering why they were having this conversation.

When his eyes narrowed dangerously on her, she knew that this wasn’t going to end well. “What else?” Sean asked as his gaze turned calculating.

“Last time I checked, I didn’t answer to you,” Cayley said, refusing to look away first, knowing that if she did, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

“True,” Sean murmured, looking thoughtful as he considered her. “You’re not going to tell me?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Cayley lied, shrugging it off, knowing better than to tell him what she was up to until after it was over.

Then, she fully planned on rubbing it in his face.

She was more than capable of being alone. She didn’t need him, and soon, he would be forced to take back his words and-

“I couldn’t help but notice that your closet was on the smaller side,” Sean drawled as his lips pulled up into that smile that still had the power to terrify her.

“It’s on my iPad,” Cayley found herself mumbling weakly as she thought about the last time he’d shoved her in a closet and-

He forgot that she was in there.

“See how easy that was?” Sean said with a satisfied sigh as he gently tapped her on her nose.

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