Page 14 of Silver Tears

I swallow and continue to keep my eyes on the passing scenery. “It’s none of your business.”

“Well, I made it my business. Did he cheat on you or something?” I flinch at the word cheat and that is all he needs as confirmation. “Fuck him. You’re too good for him, anyway.”

I snort and finally give him my attention. “Oh, really? This coming from you, the fuck boy of HBA! The irony.”

Seb narrows his eyes at me. “The difference is, I am free and single and allowed to mingle, Mills.” He turns back to face the front of the car, signalling that the conversation is over. Why is he everywhere right now? It’s like I breathe and he’s there!

“How is your brother?” Archer asks me. His eyes meeting mine through his driver’s mirror.

“Much the same. Stable.” I sigh. “How is Eliza?”

“She’s okay. Banged up, but good. You should come by and see her when you’re next visiting Damon,” he suggests as he pulls up outside my house.

“I’ll do that,” I reply as I unbuckle my belt. “Thanks for the lift.”

“What, no thank you for me?” Seb chirps up, glancing over his shoulder at me as I reach for the door handle. “No thank you for rescuing you from your persistent boyfriend?”

“Ex-boyfriend,” I correct. “Thank you,” I say begrudgingly. I don’t know why I have no issue thanking Archer, but with Seb it feels like pulling teeth saying those words to him.

Seb grins. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? I’ll be seeing you, Mills,” he promises, winking at me.

“I hope not,” I mutter under my breath as I exit the car. Seb leans out of the passenger window as they pull away, his ice-blue eyes concentrated fully on me. Shivering, I rub my arms and hurry into the house. Closing the door behind me, I lean against it and close my eyes. There is something about Seb that pushes all my buttons. When I look at my phone, there is message after message from Ryan and one from Ruby, who has obviously heard the drama of what happened. I text her back quickly and tell her I am fine and strangely, I am. I thought splitting up with Ryan would hurt me more than it had done.

When I lie in bed later that night, it isn’t Ryan I’m thinking about. It’s Seb Collings and his smile that plagues my thoughts and my dreams. I can’t escape him, even in my sleep.

MILLY

The next seven days are hard. We spend our days and nights at the hospital by my brother’s bedside before he finally wakes up. Getting the call from my sister, Emma, that he’s awake and talking is the best news ever. The relief I feel when we arrive at the hospital and I see him, eyes open and smiling at me.

I burst into his room, eager to see for myself that he is awake.

“Hey sis,” he says weakly. I pause, wanting to hug him, but scared of hurting him. “Get over here,” he orders me.

I don’t hesitate. I throw my arms around him and breathe a sigh of pure relief. “We’ve been so worried.”

“I’m okay. Take more than a blown tyre to take me out.” He gently ruffles my hair. I perch on the side of his bed, keeping a hold of his hand.

“Does Eliza know you’re awake?” They discharged her a few days ago. She’d visited Day in his room whenever she could convince one of the boys to wheel her down.

“I’ve texted her,” Emma informs me, gesturing at her phone that shows Eliza is calling. She puts the phone to ear and leaves the room to take the call.

“So, an Ace saved your life, huh? That’s a turnout for the books,” I say, grinning at my brother.

He chuckles. “Who’d have guessed it?” His expression sobers. “He saved my life. A few seconds later and—”

“Don’t,” I hiss. “I can’t bear to even think about it.” The thought of losing my brother terrifies me. It’s always been the four of us, for the last four years since Emma moved out. “Maybe the three of them aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be.”

Damon scoffs. “Oh, they are, but maybe they differ from their predecessors.”

“Maybe.” I shrug my shoulders. “The blond one is still a fuck boy, though.”

“Language little sis, but yeah, you’re right there.” He adjusts his position in bed, and I help him with his pillow. “So, what have I missed? Anything exciting?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. I broke up with Ryan.”

“You did, huh?” He playfully pinches my cheek. “He was never good enough for you, anyway.”

I snicker. Here we go. In my brother’s eyes, no one is good enough for me. He is right, though. At first, I questioned whether I was to blame. That maybe I hadn’t been a good girlfriend as I’d been so busy with work, school, and helping my mum. Ruby had quickly snapped me out of it. She pointed out that while I was at the hospital by my sick brother’s bedside; he was dipping his dick in the first willing girl that came along. Ryan has been texting me non-stop, but I have ignored every one of them. I’m glad I no longer attend the community school, so I don’t have to evade him every day.

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