wraps his arms around them. “Because you worry about me. Right?”
“Yes,” I say, giving him the full truth, too tired to pretend.
He actually growls at me. “I am not a child. I know that I have differences, but I am fully capable
of operating in the world. I don’t need you or anyone else worrying about me.”
“Too bad. You’re my brother. I’ve been worrying about you for your whole life, and I’ll worry
about you for the rest of mine.”
“Do you think I’m incapable? That I’m so feeble-minded I can’t take care of myself?”
“No! Never.”
“Then why are you spending so much of your life worrying about me? I am a fully grown man.”
“It’s…you just…,” I groan and shove up, resting my back on the doorjamb. “Sometimes you get so
overwhelmed. And people have taken advantage of you in the past. I just don’t want you to have to
deal with all of that. I just want to protect you from that shit.”
His face falls, making my gut clench. “I have had trouble with people. But I am not incapable of
learning from those experiences. I know how to be more careful now. I know what to watch out for.”
He pushes to his feet, suddenly looking exhausted. “As for the other, I haven’t had an anxiety attack in
public in years. And even if I did, I would handle it.” He grabs the door and slowly pushes it closed,
forcing me to move back into the hall. But before he shuts it, he deals the death blow. “Stop using me
as an excuse to avoid living your own life.”
Attempting to slam my front door on that little truth bomb, I’m frustrated by the fancy soft close.
Dumb doors. My bedroom door closes with a slightly more satisfying thunk. Why the hell does
everything have to change? Life was good. Everyone was happy, and nothing got between my brother
and me.
But now, everything is wrong. Everything is broken. And I don’t know how to fix it. The only
thing I do know is I’m going to avoid Maya at all costs.
At least until this stupid attraction dies.
14
ZACH
S o much for keeping my distance.
“Why the fuck did I agree to do this again?” I ask Nick, shooting him a glare when he laughs.
I don’t think he has a clue about how I’m feeling right now, but he can tell I’m pissed, and that’s
