Page 115 of Wicked & Wildflower

Hi, Lele.

I fucking hate NewYork City.

It’s loud. And cold. And I can’t see the goddamn sky. I’m suffocated by this smog.

Why do people live here?

Taking a look at the address saved in my phone again, I squint up at the building in front of me, confirming I’m at the right place. There is a buzzer on the door, but the entrance is broken, so it’s not even locked.

I easily walk right in, climbing the four flights of stairs until I reach door marked 402. I vaguely remember her apartment from when Leo and I visited last year, but I’d get lost trying to find my own feet in this city, so I’m proud I actually found it.

My knock is followed by a muffled string of expletives and rough shuffling. I glance at the time on my phone. It’s just after eleven. Elena’s always been a night owl, but damn.

Finally, I hear the turn of a latch and slide of a chain before the door creaks open. Eyes so similar to mine glare at me through an inch-wide crack. Brows furrowed, she looks me up and down, but the moment the recognition hits her, she stumbles backward.

The door slowly swings open, revealing my sister as she covers a hand with her mouth, eyes wide with shock and brimming with silent tears. “Everett?”

“Hi, Lele.” I smile.

My heart about stops at the sight of her. She looks exhausted, thin and pale and sad. But knowing she’s here in the flesh, that she’s breathing, actually in front of me after nearly a year apart—my bones settle at that. They say a lot of bullshit about twins, but it can’t be denied that the connection I have with her can never be duplicated. She always felt a little like my other half, despite the fact we couldn’t be more different. Without my sister, it feels like a big chunk of who I am is missing from me, like I’m always walking around the world wearing only one shoe. Something just isn’tright.

I take the deepest breath I’ve been capable of taking in a long, long time, and I open my arms to her. One quick glimpse of vulnerability flashes across her face as she steps into me. At hardly five feet tall, she barrels into my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist. I bring my arms around her head and hold her to me, knowing the moment I let her step away, she’ll be wearing that mask again. She’ll hide all her emotions like she always has—though it’s worse now. She’ll probably realize she’s pissed at me for turning up unexpectedly.

I squeeze her one more time, hearing her sigh against me before she pulls away. Just as I expected, rage now simmers in her eyes. “What the fuck are you doing here? Why didn’t you call me first?”

There are a lot of reasons I didn’t call her first. If I had, she would’ve found an excuse not to see me, to not let me in. She sure as fuck would’ve found an excuse not to do what I’m about to make her do. I don’t say that, though, because she’s irrational when she’s furious. “Thought it’d be more fun to surprise you.”

She rolls her eyes just as a groan echoes through her very small apartment, followed by a sleep-mused, “Baby?”

For the first time, I take note of our surroundings. Elena’s entire unit is about the size of my bedroom. It’s a studio with a couch under the only window—a kitchen with nothing more than a half-sized fridge, a hot plate, and a sink, plus a bathroom I’m fairly certain I couldn’t even fit inside. On the other side of me is a small television, her desk beside it. Books are piled all around the floor, along with various stacks of paper. The kitchen counter is littered with take-out boxes, the floor covered in dirty clothes.

The far end of the apartment holds her full-sized bed, and I now realize the pile of blankets heaped on top of it are not blankets at all. They’re a man, likely the source of the noise I just heard.

I turn back to my sister, raising a brow. She doesn’t look the least bit embarrassed, striding back over to her bed in nothing but a t-shirt and—I pray to God—a pair of underwear beneath it. Sliding the comforter off the man, she wraps it around her shoulders before patting his ass. “Get up.”

Completely naked, this guy rolls over to face my sister, giving me an unfortunate view of his flaccid dick. I lean back against the farthest wall from her bed, crossing my arms. The man slowly opens his eyes, blinking around the room. He smiles sleepily at my sister, but the moment his gaze lands on me, he scrambles back on the bed, reaching for the sheets that are no longer there.

“Oh shit!” He flies out the bed, stumbling toward his jeans. “Oh fuck.” He jumps into them, urgently searching the floor for the rest of his clothes. “I swear to God, man, I didn’t know she had–”

“He’s my brother. Calm down.” Elena sighs, looking uninterested. “But you do need to go. Sorry. He showed up unexpectedly.”

The man pauses, looking back and forth between us. “Your brother?” His eyes track my body, starting at my feet and making their way upward, likely taking note of our size difference. “That’s worse!”

I snort. “If I gave a fuck who my sister was sleeping with, I would’ve lost my mind a long time ago.”

Elena glares at me as a look of confusion takes over Nameless Man’s face. He finishes dressing in awkward silence before my sister leads him to the door, ushering him out before slamming it behind him.

“Thanks for that. I was afraid I was going to have a hard time getting him to leave.”

“How long have you known him?” I ask.

“What time is it?”

“Eleven-thirty.”

Elena nods. “About twelve hours then.”

“Christ, Elena,” I mutter.

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