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“But you’re also nervous,” Miles continued, moving his face back away slightly. His deep eyes sought out mine. “We’ve gone too far already. It’s a good thing Bryce is about to stop us.”
I blinked at him, my thoughts still hazy and my head floating. “Huh?”
The double doorway slammed open, and the bright hallway lights spilled into the gymnasium. So it took a second to make out Damen and Bryce standing at the entrance, their faces filled with panic.
“Oh?” Miles mused almost silently. “They must have been hanging out.”
Damen spotted the two of us instantly. Fear melted into surprise, and his dark expression vanished as a look of great curiosity took its place.
Meanwhile, Bryce remained slow on the uptake.
“Montrone!” His voice was rife with anger as he stormed into the room. “Why do you have Anthony and Brayden…” Bryce’s tirade faded off, and he stopped walking as he finally spotted the two of us. “What…”
But his shock only lasted a short second. His eyes widened as he stalked toward us, glowering. “What the hell isthis?” The dimple in his chin was pale compared to his reddening complexion, and his voice was more shrill than usual. “Get away from her!”
“Oh, don’t have a conniption,” Damen replied, crossing his arms as he lazily strolled after him. “It’s only an innocent embrace.”
Bryce had now reached us and was narrowing his eyes at my leg—which happened to be wrapped around Miles’s waist. My skirt, of course, had risen to questionable heights during our encounter, and the opaque lace tops of my dark thigh-high stockings were clearly visible.
Bryce’s jaw twitched. “Thatis not innocent.”
My senses filled with dread as my grip around Miles went lax.
“Either way, Bianca’s perfectly capable of making her own decisions. She doesn’t need an overbearing brother around meddling in these affairs.” Damen shrugged, pushing past Bryce. He was eerily calm, which was exactly what I needed at the moment.
Though I couldn’t help but feel it might not last.
Damen moved closer to us. “Besidesthat, what’s going on?”
Miles sighed, setting me back onto my feet. But instead of pushing me away, he kept his hand around my waist, holding me steadily against him as I regained my balance.
But before Miles could respond, Bryce was already off on another tirade. “Don’t give me that shit.” He pointed at Miles. “Heshould understand; he has a sister too! I expect more from him. He’d want to know if she was out there making bad decisions with people I have to look at every day.”
I was still in a daze, but something nagged at me.
His sister…
Miles’ssister.
“Colette is the least of my concerns.” Miles rolled his eyes. “She wants nothing to do with this world, so I don’t have to worry about her making ‘bad decisions’ with anyone I know.”
Crap. I choked as recollection hit: Miles had no idea that Damen and Colette were athing.
And then there was Damen, lazily observing the conversation without an ounce of guilt. In fact, the man hadn’t even flinched at Miles’s statement. Unlike me.
My stomach was roiling. But why…
Why didIfeel bad? This had nothing to do with me!
Miles’s lazy grip on my waist became stronger, and he froze, glancing down at me. “Bianca?” he asked, concern heavy in his voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Fine…”
No, no, no! I didnotwant to become a party in Damen’s indiscretions. But now Miles was hovering, and Bryce, appearing slightly-less disheveled, was watching in muted curiosity.
Meanwhile, the onmyoji was as serene as could be. Damen lazily touched his glasses, looking quite put together in his pressed black shirt and burgundy slacks, as he stared at me with a measured coolness. It was like he wasdaringme to spill the beans.
Jerk. I should say something, Ishouldruin his day.
