And what did Granite mean by saying I knew why I was here? Why did he look at me the way he did, like he knew me? As if he knew my deepest, darkest secrets? Like he knew my most sordid desires?
Did he bring me here because of something my father did? Or did he bring me here because of something that had nothing to do with my dad, but everything to do…with me?
7
Granite
I couldn’t sleep.Not while she was underneath my goddamn roof. It was like I had this giant vortex inside my head, twisting my thoughts in her direction, making me think of all the warped fantasies I’d had about my pretty ballerina. All those nights I watched her dance in her parents’ back yard played over and over inside my mind making my dick hard.
It was already dawn when I eventually got to my room, so I decided to go to the gym, punching the shit out of a boxing bag. Looked like Onyx couldn’t sleep either since he was right next to me kicking the crap out of another boxing bag.
“Did she eat?” I glanced at him.
“Dunno. I didn’t stick around.”
“Did she say anything?”
Onyx swung around and gave a hard back-kick. “Just that you were one ugly mofo.”
I grinned then flung a fist at the bag. “What did you give her to eat?”
“Turkey sandwich.”
I stilled and caught the swinging bag. “Are you kidding me?”
Onyx shrugged. “What?”
“She doesn’t eat bread, you dumb fuck.”
“How the fuck was I supposed to know that?”
“She does ballet, Onyx. Do the math.”
He lifted a brow. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this is a goddamn B&B.”
I pulled the gloves off my fists and tossed them to the ground. “Get Neon to take her a fucking salad or something.”
“Dude, the girl is as thin as a fucking stick. She can do with some carbs, if you ask me.”
“No one asked you.”
“Good God, why are you being such an asshole right now?”
“I’m not.” I turned and walked in the other direction, but my stubborn-ass brother followed.
“Ah, yes, you are. You’re on edge more than usual.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Onyx remained on my heels. “You’ve been more on edge than usual since last night. And now you’re all up in my grill over a goddamn sandwich because she doesn’t eat bread. I call that on fucking edge.”
I stilled, placed my hands at my sides, and took a deep breath. Onyx was right. I was on edge. He was also right about her being as thin as a stick. Girl had a serious weight issue, and it was clear to everyone around her, except one—the demon behind her misery. The mom who claimed to know what was best for her little girl. Well, I called bullshit. Bitch only knew what was best for her, and no one else. I knew everything there was to know about Alyx’s life. For years, I watched her, studied her, followed. Her being a ballerina was just a way to pull a blindfold over the eyes of the rest of the world. No one questioned it because ballerinas were supposed to be…tiny. But Alyx wasn’t just a little underweight. Her goddamn spine protruded from her back, her body lacking the healthy curves of a twenty-year-old. But she was still beautiful. And still mine.
“You’re right.” I turned to face my brother. “I’m just on edge about this whole thing.”
“Why?”
I pulled my hand through my sweaty hair. “Because last night didn’t go exactly as planned, and you know how I get when things don’t go according to plan.”