“No. I think she was still young when she died. Not sure how old, though.”
“Sixteen.” Neon and I looked at Onyx standing by the door. “Kate was sixteen when she died.” The woeful look on his face was intense, and almost painful to witness. His sky-blue eyes had turned gray and cold, like the memory hardened him. Even Neon’s stubborn ass picked up on it, and she seemed pretty uncomfortable now that Onyx joined in on our conversation.
Onyx stepped inside. “Neon, would you give Alyx and me a few minutes alone?”
Neon crossed her arms. “I’m thinking that’s not a question, but a—”
“Get the fuck out, would you?”
“Okay. Catch you later, Swan Lake.”
Before she could dart out of the room, I called, “Neon.”
“Yes?”
I clutched the sheet tighter. “Clothes. Please.”
She winked. “Sure thing.”
When she walked out, she left the door open, and I was silently grateful. With Onyx in the room, I was hyperaware of how fucking naked I was underneath the sheet, making me more nervous in his presence.
Cold eyes met mine. “Kate was sixteen when she died. She had anorexia.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“The day she died, there was barely anything left of her. I’m sure I could have carried her casket alone if I wanted to.”
“Onyx—”
“My brother knew she was sick.” The sound of contempt in his voice was deafening, and it caused me to clutch the sheet even tighter.
“Granite knew she had a problem but did nothing to help her, claiming he was just honoring a promise he made her.”
I started wrapping the sheet around me, wanting to cover every inch of skin. The atmosphere was thick and toxic, and I hated the way he looked at me as he spoke—as if he was trying to make me feel guilty over the death of a girl I didn’t even know.
Crossing his arms, he leaned against the doorframe. “He knew she had stopped eating but didn’t tell anyone because she asked him not to.” He bit out the words like they were coated in venom, corrupted by hate. “He was so selfishly in love with her, he would have done anything to keep her to himself. So, he kept his fucking mouth shut about her eating disorder, not telling a soul.”
I got off the bed, making sure I was covered. “Onyx, I’m not comfortable—”
“That’s why you’re here, Alyx. That’s why my brother has this twisted fucking obsession with you.” He raised his voice, anger dripping from his mouth. “He thinks helping you will ease his own fucking regret. He thinks it will make him feel less responsible for Kate’s death.”
The fury in his eyes and the hard lines on his face were terrifying. Being alone with him while he acted this way scared me. He straightened as he looked down at the sheet around me. “Motherfucker.” He roughed his hands through his hair, and I glanced down, seeing the blood he noticed on the sheet. “So my brother ruined you as well.”
“Onyx, please. You’re scaring me.”
“Funny. I’m not the brother you should be scared of, Alyx.”
“Onyx—”
I flinched and yelped when he slammed the door shut behind him. “You’re not special to him, Alyx. The only reason he wants you is because the girl he really wanted is dead, and you seem like a very close replica of her.”
“Stop.”
He slanted his head to the side. “Why? Does it hurt, the truth?” Slowly, he sauntered toward me, his gaze fearless and scornful. “I knew when we saw your mother forcing her finger down your throat it would fuck with his head.”
Instantly, my blood ran cold, and I couldn’t feel my legs. “What did you say?”
A malicious grin spread on his face. “We were on one of our midnight runs that night, visiting your father. You drove up in the driveway, and your mom was waiting for you by the door.”