I throw a glance over my shoulder to tell Remi to fuck off but freeze when my eyes meet Annika’s.
Hers are glittery, rounded, and caught in a stupefied faze.
For the first time since I’ve known her, she’s not in one of her purple dresses and is sporting jeans and an oversized hoodie instead.
Her hair is covered by the hood and she’s shaking from head to toe.
“The fuck are you doing here?” Jeremy yells. “Leave!”
She purses her lips and still manages to maintain eye contact with me. It’s steady, like when it gets to be too much during sex, but I tell her to keep her eyes on me and it instantly calms her down.
Why the fuck am I thinking about that?
“Creighton…please stop. We can talk about this whole thing.”
“You’re aware of this?” I ask, unable to hide the bewilderment from my tone.
“M-Mom…just told me.” Her lips quiver. “I’m so sorry for all of it. Mom is, too. I swear. So please don’t hurt Jeremy. He has nothing to do with the past.”
My insides coil with nefarious disgust.
At her.
At myself.
At every fucking thing.
“Your parents do. The best way to hurt them is to take away their precious firstborn. You said it yourself, that your parents have a special spot for him.”
“No, please…” A tear slides down her cheek as she steps forward.
“Don’t.” I push the knife farther into her brother’s neck.
If she gets too close, I might pull a Nikolai and extinguish this fire once and for all.
Annika comes to a halt, more tears streaming down her cheeks.
More anguish.
More sadness.
I’ve always hated her tears outside of sex, and now that they’re there because of me, it’s nothing short of ripping my guts out.
“Annika.” Jeremy’s chest rumbles against mine. “Get out of here.”
“I’m not leaving you, Jer.” She stares at me and says with confidence, “Take me on his behalf.”
“Annika!” Jeremy all but roars.
“I’m begging you, Creighton. If I ever meant anything to you, if you had even a sliver of affection toward me, don’t do this to me. Don’t take away my brother, don’t make me hate you. Don’t…make me choose.”
My chest burns so bright, so hot that I’m sure it’ll explode into tiny gory pieces.
“Creigh…” Remi calls softly. He’s been watching the whole show from the sidelines, probably trying to figure out if he’s still drunk. “Stop this. Let’s talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I stare at Annika. “I will not stop until your entire family is wrecked like I once was.”
“I told you not to make me choose,” she says in a brittle voice as she reaches underneath her hoodie and brings out a gun, then points it at me.