Page 67 of Let the Light Shine Through

“Gia,” Fletcher says, “what are you still doing here?”

I eye him, then Gia.

She says, “Breakfast,” like it’s the only possible reason before her face splits into a grin spotting Annalise. I’m already preparing for a catfight between the two, but then Gia asks her, “How was your sleep?” before glaring at Fletcher.

This is…new.

Or is it? Her words from last night come rushing back to me. “Lay a finger on her and I’ll run your dick through the meat grinder at Al’s.”

Well well. So it wasn’t jealousy after all. Gia didn’t want a girl, a girl she didn’t even seem to like, to be taken advantage of while she was incapacitated, so she went for Fletcher’s jugular to ensure she wasn’t.

Gia enters the kitchen and proceeds to steal the coffee right out of my hands, taking a small drink.

Personally, I’d prefer a violent tongue down my throat as a morning greeting but…caffeine.

She hands it back, barely glancing in my direction before facing Annalise again.

“I woke up alone, so,” Annalise says, her gaze plummeting, “you know?”

“I do.” Gia nods. “I didn’t know where to put you, but Fletcher here offered his own bed. Isn’t he sweet?” There’s no mistaking the undertone in her statement.

Fletcher frowns at Gia, but I frown at him. She’s in the right. Fletcher should’ve offered up his room to the drunk girl. Had I known about the situation beforehand, I would’ve insisted Annalise take mine. I don’t know where he gets off being a little bitch about it, but I’m happy to have a talk with him after everyone leaves. Gia’s threat will look fucking tame by the time I’m finished.

Gia ducks into the bathroom, reemerging a second later with a bulky plastic bag in her hand.

“Oh, crap. You were the one I puked on, huh?”

“No worries.” Gia waves Annalise off. “You didn’t seem to know what was what, and it just kind of came out. Like legit everywhere.”

Everybody groans sympathetically, and I’m really hoping someone already cleaned it up, so I don’t have to. I’d rather take on that sea breeze freesia-scented water stain left behind from that bubble bath again.

“I’m so sorry,” Annalise says. “Can I clean your shoes at least? Or buy you new ones?”

Gia heads for the front door, telling her, “I’ll stick ’em in the wash when I get home. I do it all the time. It was good meeting you though.”

A snort finally pulls Gia’s gaze my way, and I realize I’m the one that made the noise. The shit with Fletcher may not have been driven by jealousy but Gia was jealous of Annalise before that. She nailed her in the back of the head with a volleyball for Christ’s sake. I didn’t buy that eyelash story then, and I don’t buy it now.

“Okay…” Gia raises her eyebrows along with a hand. “Well, bye.”

What? I was going to bring her breakfast in bed, but she’s trying to leave already?

I grab a random muffin from a bakery box someone must’ve picked up before I got down here, jogging over to the entryway as I hear Annalise and Fletcher behind me talking quietly.

“I’m sorry for stealing your room.”

“It’s fine. I prefer the couch.”

I fight a second snort.

Gia gets the door open, freezing when I ask, “Hey, what about breakfast?”

“I had coffee.”

“You had one sip.” I find it hard to believe that the daughter of Al, the man who makes fucking feasts for breakfast, actually thinks she can get by with a sip of coffee for a meal. And if Fletcher and Annalise weren’t talking so loudly, I bet I could probably hear Gia’s stomach growling right now.

I put the muffin in her hand, asking, “Wanna borrow a pair of my shoes?” She’s already got at least a few of my shirts, a pair of shorts, a pair of pants, my jacket, and now my beanie. Might as well complete the wardrobe.

After glancing down at the muffin, she twists at the waist, telling me, “Nah, I don’t think so.”