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I scoffed, pulling the sheets up to my chest as I sat up against the headboard. “I’m not doing this. It’s ridiculous.” He didn’t answer, just held out a fist and raised a brow. I shook my head vigorously.
He sighed long and low, lowering his fist. “I want to talk to Harry. You want to talk to Harry. Rock, paper, scissors is a completely legit way to handle this.” He added hastily, “You’re a girl; you don’t get it. There’s a code between friends. I never should’ve touched you, and now that I have, I should talk to him.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand and rushed out, “But…I love you, and I love you enough to do this the fair way.” Out came the damn fist again.
Whenever he said those sneaky words, I was ready to rob a bank for him. I reached over to cup his cheek. “I love you, too.” I let my hand drop, wrapping my palm gently around his fist and bringing it to my chest. “He’s my brother, Qui
His hazel eyes bore into mine as he uttered, “Mine, too.”
My heart stuttered. I was mentally terrified of approaching my brother. “He’s going to be mad,” I stated.
Qui
You know what? Maybe Qui
Coward!
He smiled as I wore my indecision like a fluorescent pink headband. He leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to my cheek, and I breathed him in. The scent of him calmed me. He kissed my cheek, over and over, before kissing my lips once, whisper-soft. “Let me talk to him.” I opened my eyes to find a cautious but sincere man looking back at me. “Please. Let me do this.”
Heart racing, I admitted quietly, “I’m scared.”
His hesitation told me he felt the same, but he covered with, “Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.”
I watched Qui
A small stretched my lips and Qui
He left with the promise to return in a couple of hours, and from the second he walked out the door, I waited with bated breath.
It was only four in the afternoon, but after my shower, I dressed straight into my pajamas. I told myself I wasn’t counting the two hours and thirty-five minutes Qui
Harry had to understand. I knew once Qui
I’d just plaited my freshly washed hair when I heard shouting coming from the hall. I couldn’t make out exactly what was being said, but two men were yelling over the top of each other, and both of them sounded irate. My heart skipped a beat as I rushed to unlock my apartment door. I hadn’t realized by doing that I was inviting World War III into my living room.
The door slammed open and I managed to get out of the way just in time to watch my door handle make a hole in my wall.
Harry stomped into the room, looking furious. “Mia, what the fuck?”
I blinked, eyes wide. My heart beat harder than a staccato drumbeat. I took a step back.
Qui
A hand clamped my wrist and pulled me back. I stumbled, but righted myself before I fell. Harry didn’t notice and spat, “Don’t you fucking touch her,” at the very same time Qui
I turned in time to see Harry threaten Qui
Qui
My voice shook. “What’s going on with you two?” I shook Harry’s hand off and stepped away from both of them, doing my best to steel my shaking voice. “What the hell?” But they ignored me.
“You’re not dating my sister,” Harry grated.
I jerked at his tone. It was one I’d never heard before.
Qui
Harry barked a laugh. “What a fucking joke you are.”
“You’d know. You always did have a way of saving me from myself,” Qui
“Does anyone care about what I think?” I manage to say. But it was as futile as talking to a blender and a brick wall.
Harry’s face turned bright red. “You’re not good enough for her. You never were.”
Qui
Harry threw back his head and laughed. And the sound of it shriveled my heart. It was cruel and punishing, and I’d never heard my brother be any of those things before. Qui
Tears stung my eyes. I blinked them back.
Harry’s hands balled into fists that shook by his sides. He whispered a fierce, “Anyone. You could’ve had anyone…”
Qui
A silence fell over us. A silence so thick I could’ve carved it.
Then I turned and spoke directly to my brother, who still burned holes into Qui
Harry blinked a moment before his eyes closed and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fuck, Mia…”
My argument rushed out of me before I could stop it. “You told me I’ve never given you a reason to doubt my judgment. You told me I’ve never made a bad decision before. I’m not starting now.” I shrugged lightly before taking Qui
My brother stared at me, and his suddenly strained appearance told me I was hurting him in a big way. So it broke my heart when he turned on his heel and walked out of my apartment, but not before he muttered, “I can’t believe this shit.”
I chanced a look over at Qui
We stood there, holding hands, clutching to each other like a lifeline. Approximately two minutes after my brother walked out on me, I burst into tears, crying just as hard as I did the day Mark Wayne cut off my braid in seventh grade.
Qui
I wasn’t sure what to say or do. My brother had made it clear he was not going to be supporting Qui
Qui