His fists clenched. “No, I don’t, but I expect you to know your sister well enough to trust her.”
Vassi gestured to the door. “It’s time for you to leave, I think.”
Maximilian didn’t budge. “Just don’t fucking blame her for this, okay?”
Vassi only smiled. “How I deal with my sister is a family matter—-”
“Fuck you.” Maximilian headed towards the doors but stopped just as he reached for the knob. Turning, he told Vassi harshly, “I’ll do whatever it takes to steal her away from you. Someone like you will never deserve a girl like Seri.”
Vassi smirked. “You’ve only known her for a few days, and you act like you know everything about her.”
“While you’ve known her your entire life, and yet you’re the one who’s been taking her for granted.”
Chapter Eleven
“Miss Seri?” The steady knocking on her door gradually woke Seri up, and when she glanced at her bedside clock, she was even more confused. Why was someone trying to wake her up at two in the morning?
Forcing herself to get up, she groggily shrugged into her robe and made her way towards the door.
It was one of the maids working the graveyard shift. “I was told to inform you as soon as Master Vassi came back home, miss.”
Oh.
The mention of Vassi’s name sobered her up, and she thanked the maid before hurrying down the stairs. She had woken up this morning to find Vassi gone, and none of her calls or texts to him had gone answered.
It was almost like he was done with her after what happened, but she didn’t want to believe that of Vassi. He might not be in love with her, but she was sure that he loved her as a sister.
He wouldn’t hurt her like that…right?
Tears pricked her eyes at the thought, and she impatiently wiped them away. If there was one thing she hated about falling in love, then it was how it could turn one’s world upside down. Things she used to be completely certain of now made her insecure, and things she thought she would never have to worry about were keeping her up at night.
It took her a while to find where Vassi had gone, and she might not have been able to locate him readily if not for hearing a crash from the library, followed by a string of Russian curses.
“Vassi?” When she finally made it to the library, she stood shell shocked by the doorway, not expecting to find Vassi completely disheveled…and drunk.
Even this far, she could smell the liquor on him and her nose wrinkled. “Did you have to attend a Hollywood party tonight?” It was the only kind of event that could explain why Vassi came home in this state.
“No.” His voice was slightly slurred, but his body had gone completely still the moment she appeared, and his intense gaze followed her every movement as she came towards him.
“Let’s get you to bed—-” She reached for him but Vassi pulled his arm back sharply, acting like just being near to her was contaminating. She blinked up at him. “What’s wrong?” She tried reaching for him again, and this time he took several steps back.
Oh.
He really was avoiding her touch then.
Why?
They stared at each other, his gaze bright but unreadable. It was like a world of emotions glittered in his gaze, but none of it was something he wanted to feel for her.
She asked tentatively, “V-Vassi?” Something wasn’t right. Something had changed. She didn’t know what it was, but all she knew was that it scared her.
“I can get to my room on my own.”
His brusque tone made her flinch, but Seri told herself it was just the liquor talking. “Let me help you—-” She reached for him again.
And again, he yanked back, snapping, “Will you quit it?”
She paled. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want me to touch you—-”
He laughed, the sound jeering and cutting her to the quick. “Don’t you think it should be the other way around?” he sneered. “Don’t you think it’s wrong that you keep wanting to touch me, your brother?”
This time, he took a step towards her, saying, “Is it because one night wasn’t enough? You’ve become addicted to how I fuck?”
“Stop it,” she hissed.
“You want more of my dick?”
“Will you keep your voice down? Someone might hear—-”
“Tell you what, dear little sister. That Maximilian Rockford can do the same fucking things, take your fucking pussy—-”
She slapped him, hard enough for his face to turn sideways, the sound slashing the silence in the library.
Her hand hurt, but not as much as her heart was breaking.
“Why are you being like this?” she whispered. “I don’t know you this way—-”
“And I’m thinking,” he snarled down at her, “I never thought you could be who you are now. Maybe I never knew you at all.”
She shook her head. “You’re not making any sense.” She searched his face for any kind of clue to explain why he was acting so strangely, so cruelly, but all she could see—-