Page 114 of Reflections of Peonies
“No.” I sighed. Gathering my composure, I pushed away from Julian. Though my gaze locked with Brayden only momentarily, I didn’t miss the surprise in my brother’s eyes.
His acceptance made me feel better about my following actions.
“I’ll go talk to him myself.”
18
My heart pounded,and my stomach twisted as I approached Bryce’s door. It was cracked open, and I took the opportunity to peek through the gap.
I’d never meant to go this far. He’d been mean, and I’d been embarrassed. I’d only wanted to make him hurt, too.
I never thought it would feel this bad, though.
His bedside table light was on, and the dim glow threw his face into shadows as he sat on the side of his twin-sized bed. His face was buried in his hands, and his shoulders slumped.
It felt like I was spying on him, and my breath caught. Guilt was guiding my actions now, and I pushed the door open. “Bryce?”
His head snapped up, eyes wild and unrestrained. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m sorry…” I bit my lip, locking my hands together at my back. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“What?” He sounded confused at first but then cleared his throat. “Oh, that. No worries, I didn’t take it personally. Braydensaid you might lash out, and I’m not known for being great with people.”
That was an understatement. But I was the same way, so I couldn’t judge.
“I didn’t hurt your feelings?” I asked.
“No,” Bryce replied, a frown heavy in his voice. “I needed some time to think.”
Relief swelled in my chest. I hadn’t hurt his feelings. Bryce was brutal and heartless. He drank poison for fun and probably had no soul. It would take a bulldozer to move his emotions. “What were you thinking about?”
“Our mother,” he said. “You reminded me of her. She would have liked you.”
His response floored me. Of course, people always thought about their parents; that was to be expected. At least, I thought that was normal. I tried not to think about the Griers and knew almost nothing about the family biologically related to me.
I knew Declan was my father, and that he was supposed to train me. But I didn’t know my mother’s name. I knew hardly anything about her.
And his statement. How could he know? “Why do you think she’d like me?”
“She always wanted a girl and thought she’d never have one. You’re a lot like her,” Bryce replied. “She loathed being sheltered and being told what to do. She’d put up with it but found small ways to rebel. Despite that, she was beautiful, graceful and feminine…” His words trailed off as his eyes ran over me critically.
My face was warm. This was the first time he’d said anything remotely nice to me—
“Well, therearedifferences,” he said. “I’m not certain that the last part applies.”
I frowned, and the warm feeling spreading through my chestvanished. “You’re mean.” Should I ask? It felt stupid to bring it up now, and the worst he could do would be to refuse to answer…
He sighed, sitting back on the mattress. “What is it?”
My voice was smaller than I hoped, but I couldn’t help myself. “What was her name?”
Bryce blinked at me, and his mouth dipped. My nervousness made it difficult to stand in one spot, and when he finally answered, his voice echoed in my spiraling thoughts. “Alyssa.”
The name registered, and so did the connotations. I frowned at him. “Alyssa.”
“Yes…” Confusion flickered across his expression. “Is something wrong?”
Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. Only that I was going to kill Finn. Again.
