Xana watches me over the rim of her cup as she sips on her piping hot cocoa and watches me. I scoff knowing Bastian had said something, but the question is what?
“Just ask.” I sigh.
I should’ve known that this was going to turn into some sort of interrogation when she wanted to sit down with me. She puts down her mug softly then crosses her arms, still studying me.
“Fuck sake, Xan. What did he tell you?” I snap, not meaning to let my words bite so hard.
Her eyes narrow and her body tenses. I knew that fucker was going to try to manipulate her. I’ve had one hell of a day and more still piled onto me than I know what to do with and now my sisters mad.
She purses her lips. “I just want to know what happened between you and Bass, Li.” She sighs. “Why you haven’t gone to visit him and tried to make peace. You guys have been best friends for as long as I can remember.”
I frown, contemplating how much I should tell her. I know she’ll defend him no matter what because to the normal person, Bastian Collins is justa shy guy who’s so nice. Which I might have agreed with up until Malia came into the picture.
Bastian and I have never really had anything in common. Complete opposites who formed a friendship only out of familiarity and the gentle push of my Nonna.
“Xana.” I groan, dropping my head back and letting it hang in an act of dramatics.
I straighten after a few moments and pin my sister with a warning look, she just shrugs and quirks an eyebrow in expectation. Fucks sake she’s a pain in my ass sometimes.
“Look. Bastian and I became friends because of Nonna.” Xana knows this but I figure she needed reminding. “He and I have nothing in common and there was nothing for us to hold onto.”
I feel like I’m explaining to my parents why me and my girlfriendbroke up. Hits the mark—Bass has always been a little bitch.
“So, why beat the shit out of him?”
I sneer at the memory of him talking shit about Malia. Remembering the way, I intervened while he acted like an intimidating dickhead toward her at the Halloween party and the gym at the bureau.
I smile. “Dude has some serious issues; thought he could use a vacation.” I look away from my sister and sip my cocoa.
Xana groans and rolls her eyes. “You could’ve killed him, Li!”
Sip.
“You really don’t care?”
Sip.
She shakes her head and gets up, the wooden chair dragging loudly against the tiled floor. She stomps off toward her room and slams her door shut, leaving what’s left of her cocoa on the kitchen table.
One thing I won’t do is apologize for what I did to him. And I abso-fucking-lutely will not feign regret for the sake of peace.
Even though I didn’t fold to the pressure my sister is trying to put on me regarding the Bastian issue, I know all I’m doing is pushing her away by not doing so. And that’s a separate battle I don’t have the energy for.
I blow a long breath of air and stare at my mug for I’m not sure how long. It’s getting late and as soon as I go to stand up the doorbell rings. My gaze snaps to the clock on the kitchen wall that reads it’s after midnight now. My eyebrows pinch together wondering who the fuck could be at my door this late.
The doorbell sounds again, and I make quick work running to my bedroom to get my gun. Xana opens her door, and her eyes fall to the gun in my hand as I step into the hallway.
“What the fuck is going on?” she asks, confusion and panic flashing on her face.
“Go back in your room.”
“Get fucked, Li.”
That would usually be the time I would smile and tell her that I did a few hours ago, but it’s not the time to gross her out. Maybe I’m paranoid after the talk I had with The Omen tonight and I’m overreacting, nevertheless, my sister is here, and I won’t take any chances.
I don’t have time to fight with Xana, so I walk slowly to the front door with her shadowing me in silence. The rings turn to impatient knocks, and I huff in annoyance. I should just blow their head off for having the balls to come to my house uninvited anyway.
I cock back the hammer, keeping the gun lowered for now, and step into the door to look through the peephole.