“I’m fucking leaving. Come with me or don’t.” Spinning around, she goes to storm off, but I grab her arm and yank her back. “Sin—”
“Answer our fucking question right now,” I growl in her face, my fingers tightening on her skin. She looks to Corbin but all he does is cross his arms over his chest, also waiting for an explanation.
I love my sister to death and would do anything for her, but she chose this life with the Lords. She had every chance to run the other way, and she didn’t. Corbin isn’t the guy she thinks he is. He’s a Lord and that will always come first. No matter how much he loves her. The Lords always like to test us with things that we love.
“I found Elli upstairs vomiting,” she finally admits, letting out a long breath.
My brows crease. “She’s sick?”
“She’s been sick,” she snaps, trying to yank her arm free, but I don’t let go. “I think…” She nibbles on her lip. “I think she’s pregnant, but she doesn’t want anyone to know.”
I let go of her arm, dropping mine to my side. She steps into me instead of running off. “If she’s pregnant, then you can choose to marry her, right?” Her blue eyes are big and full of hope. She wants me with Elli as much as Elli does. She wants me to be the better guy and pick her best friend.
“It doesn’t work that way.” Corbin is the one who speaks when I refuse to answer.
Her eyes go to him. “Why not?” she snaps, irritated once again.
“Sin would get to decide if he wants it or not,” Corbin goes on.
Her wide eyes go back to me and she takes a step back. “No. You wouldn’t do that to her,” she says, understanding what her boyfriend means.
“It’s complicated,” Corbin goes on.
I don’t hide anything from him. He may have gone behind my back, but I’ve accepted what he did. He’s still my best friend. I won’t let his love for my sister get in the way.
“Easton,” she speaks softly. “You can’t do that to her.”
“I’m a Lord,” I say. “I can do whatever I want.”
With tears building in her eyes, she looks to Corbin, and when he says nothing, she spins around and rushes out of the ballroom.
“Fuck,” Corbin hisses.
Placing my hands in the pockets of my slacks, I make my way out of the ballroom and upstairs, not even bothering to try to talk to him about what just went down. He can choose to follow Kira or not. Not my relationship, not my problem.
I enter Elli’s room like I own it and see the French doors open to her balcony. She’s standing on it, back to me, forearms on the railing.
Stepping outside, I watch her body stiffen, feeling my presence. “Why are you here?” comes her soft voice. It doesn’t sound mad or curious. Just tired.
“Your mother invited me.”
“Of course, she did.” She sighs, pushing off the railing and turning to face me.
My eyes scan over her puffy cheeks, bloodshot eyes and … they’re dilated. I grind my teeth. “You’re fucked up.” It’s not a question.
She blinks slowly, her pretty eyes heavy.
My eyes roam over the rest of her face and make it to her cheek.Is that a handprint?I step closer, pinning her back into the railing, and reach up to touch her cheek, but she drops her face. “Who the fuck hit you?” I demand.
“Your sister,” she answers, lifting her chin to meet my eyes.
I can’t tell if that’s a lie or not, but my sister wouldn’t hit hard enough to leave that red of a mark. “Elli—”
“Please leave,” she begs.
My eyes search hers and they start to fill with tears. “I’m tired of seeing you.” Her bottom lip begins to tremble. “I’m tired of hating myself because of you. I’m just so tired…” She closes her eyes tightly and fresh tears come pouring down her face. They open and land on mine, pinning me where I stand. “I’m tired of being the whore that no one can love.”
“Elli—”