Page 65 of Friend
Epilogue
Bryce
Dream
My phone vibrated against my chest, and—seeing as Bianca was otherwise occupied staring out the diner’s windows—I pulled out the device. I’d been waiting to hear from Brayden. He’d been constantly on edge since Bianca had been taken while on a case with Gloria. But, unexpectedly, I had an unread message from Finn Abernathy.
While we’d grown closer since I’d been basically forced to babysit him lately, he rarely took the time to initiate conversation.
What did he want?
Finn:How’s Bianca?
I stared my phone a moment, not at all surprised that he also had lingering concerns. She had died. And it hadn’t escaped my notice that, very obviously, he was madly in love with my sister.
My chest was tight as a surge of protectiveness invaded my senses.
It wasn’t proper.
I was half tempted to brush him off. Bianca was with me, after all. And I would never let anything happen to her.
But…
My fingers tightened around the rectangular phone, and I briefly stole a glance to the girl across the table.
She was still quiet—dazed. And even though she’d been through so much, I couldn’t forget the debt that I now owed Finn Abernathy. All these years, he’d done the best he could and kept her safe when my family couldn’t.
He deserved a response, even though I knew without a shadow of a doubt his interest broke protocol. He’d earned that much—and more.
Me:She’ll be fine. I’ll brief you tomorrow.
Message sent, I pushed from my seat, briefly meeting Bianca’s gaze as she finally noticed me again.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her. “Just picking up dessert.”
In the past, she might have watched me in distrust, but now she only nodded. “Thanks,” she almost whispered, then once more stared at the falling rain.
I wished she would glare at me again.
I didn’t recall crossing the room. The next thing I knew, I was leaning my shoulder against the counter as I continued to watch Bianca from afar.
And at everyone and anyone who so much as glanced in her direction. “One chocolate ice cream.”
“Please,” a woman muttered under her breath—obviously not expecting me to hear—and I looked at her. She’d been in the process of grabbing a bowl and froze, staring up at me. “Ah…” She began to sweat lightly, and her top lip quivered. “I mean…”
“You will put extra whipped cream on it,” I told her. “And lots of sprinkles.”
The human nodded. “Yes sir.”
My attention turned back to Bianca. Even though she was alone at the booth now, she still wasn’t paying attention—she remained oblivious to everything that was going on around her. Her shoulders remained slumped and the distant, pensive look remained etched in her expression.
How was I supposed to help her?
“Is that your little sister?” the ice cream girl asked as she dropped spoonful after spoonful of sprinkles over the chocolate dome.
“What?” Mysister? We were at this establishment together, alone. Most people would guess we were a couple on a date. The nerve to evenassume. “She’s mywi—”
“You resemble each other,” she interrupted, glancing up. She blushed under the force of my gaze. “And I’ve been watching the way you two interact. You are just likemyolder brother.”
