Page 21 of Brambles and Bellflowers
That was kind of sad.
He’d never been awful to me, and I hated hurting people’s feelings. If only he’d let me drink something other than that foul-tasting tea, I might go.
“Don’t tell her that.” Anthony inched closer to me. “I just came from Do Yun’s office, and he’s sitting around watching Korean dramas. He doesn’t care if she shows up—he’s getting paid either way.”
Excuse me?
He didn’tcare?
How utterly offensive. Wasn’t I supposed to be his prized patient? Didn’t he relocate his entire practice to be with me?
Who the heck was paying him anyway?
“Lord, you reallyaresensitive.” Anthony blinked at me. He tilted his head as he continued. “Fine, I lied. Do Yun is crushed.”
I knew it.
Triumph caused my pulse to soar, and my mouth twitched.
“What’s the truth?” Xavier asked, glancing between us.
“All of it,” Anthony responded. “Are you done… whatever it is you’re doing? I’ll walk with her the rest of the way. You’re going to meet Damen, right?”
I nodded.
“I’ll go with you.” Anthony smiled shyly. “I have a class in that building anyway.”
What class? Wasn’t he an intern at the hospital?
“You don’t need to…” My protest faded as shyness crept over me.
Anthony’s grin widened into a full-fledged smile. “It’s not a big deal. Plus, Julian’ll murder me if I don’t protect you from the creeps. And”—He leaned forward conspiringly, cupping his mouth—“I’ll tell you a secret. He’s the only person in the world who scares me.”
“Julian scares you?” I breathed. “But he’s your brother.”
“Yes.” Anthony’s nod was earnest. “With good reason, too. Julian might look all innocent, and he acts lazy. But when he snaps…” His words trailed off as he shivered, shooting Xavier a pointed look. “You better not be up to anything. He really will kill you.”
Xavier’s mouth had thinned, and he shuffled on his feet, throwing his bag over his shoulder again. “Don’t threaten me.”
“I’m not threatening you.” Anthony lightly touched my elbow and put himself further between me and Xavier. “I’mwarningyou. Unlike Finn, you don’t have anyone to stand up to Julian on your behalf.”
“But I haven’t done anything.” Xavier’s eyes narrowed. “And Finn deserves everything he gets.”
“That’s not how Damen sees it,” Anthony said, shrugging. “He’s been sheltering Finn forever.”
I glanced between them, the tension thick. Again, we were with the ongoing saga between Julian and Finn, but no one was telling me anything new.
I tugged on Anthony’s letterman jacket, drawing his attention from Xavier. “Why does Julian hate Finn?”
“Because he took advantage of you,” was Anthony’s quick response, but the lie was heavy in his brown eyes.
Well… “Besides that.” I frowned.
This issue predated Julian’s finding out about either of these things. He’d lashed out at Finn from the first moment he’d seen us together. Although it was understandable that Julian might be mad since Finn had been hurting me, there had been a hatred within him that didn’t exist with the other boys.
“There’s something else.” I pressed my finger into Anthony’s chest, frowning at him. “How is Damen protecting Finn?”
Anthony grimaced, and he wiped his hand down his face. “It’s not my story to tell.”
