oa

sister before locking onto me, their heat unmistakable. His gaze hardened, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

p, palpable. Only one question echoed in my mind: how did he know we wer

, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "Care to explain

lieved the man across from us wasn't her brother. Seven years

said, his tone growing darker, anger simmering beneath t

shot back, elbowing Rhoda. Now was not

ng, casting a shadow that made the room feel smaller. A shiver sli

e we

raint I had left. "Maybe if you stopped being such a controlling bastard, we wouldn't be in this situation,"

us, wide with fear. She drea

gaze darkening further. Rhoda r

her voice pleading. "This was my

her, his eyes never leaving mine. I wasn't about to let him intimidate me.

now, here you are, in 'my' house," he bit out the words as if they b

for treating me like trash all these years, but inst

il my ballet flats touched the tips of his pointed shoes. I raised my middle finger, t

I'd had in a year. I was going to enjoy my trip-without h

ith quick, angry movements. I didn't care that it was late, I wou

fled yells-she'd finally shaken off t

an't keep being a jackass to

g shut, ready to leave. The door swung open, and there they we

packed bag, Rhoda's eyes

ispered, her v

you know," I said calmly, "your brother is an asshole

r them to move out of my way.

is tone not a request but an order. I stared at him, h

oda... But it wa

d. "You don't get t

me, Joan. See if I won't drag you back here myself," he said, the quiet

storm off in anger and end up getting murdered somewhere, not like it wou

ind tension that buzzed in the air. I bl

aten me?" I asked

ry, Jo," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I never meant

fault," I murmured. No, all the blame lay squarely wit

I couldn't deny that he

e night," Rhoda p

aying because of Aaron's thinly veiled warning or the strange warmth

because Rhod

ron. Definitely n