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“I do have a job, and I was going to pay it back. I was just going to borrow it until I get paid on Friday.”
“In that case, you can wait until Friday to buy your tickets.”
She was not going to let this go. She knew she was wrong, and I knew she knew she was wrong. But the way Kira’s brain worked meant if she could fight her way through it, she was going to. “Why do you always take Riley’s side?”
This was my fault. I had bailed her out too many times. When she was short on rent, when she needed help with a car payment, when she was stranded in America and didn't have enough money to come home, I always bailed her out.
Kira and Riley were my foster siblings from the last home I was in before I left for the UK. That house was my longest placement, and I'd always felt like Riley and Kira were my own brother and sister. I had done my best to look after them when I left. Maybe some of that was guilt because I'd escaped. I had left them behind, and I couldn't forgive myself for it.
What was I supposed to do? They were my siblings.
“I love you, Kira. But no. You'll have to sort out your ticket when you get paid.”
I could almost hear her brain working, trying to find an angle. Trying to find some way around my refusal. “Okay, just lend me the money. I'll pay you on Friday. The tickets will be more expensive on Friday.”
My head throbbed. “I'm sorry, love, but no.”
Kira had this never-say-die attitude that I’d always admired and wished to God she would apply to something productive. “Well, if you don't give me the money, I'll use my rent money.”
“Okay, you probably forgot that I pay your rent directly to your landlord now.”
She shrieked into the line. “I hate you.”
The line went dead, and too exhausted to cry, I just lay there. None of this was new. For the last three years, this had been the nature of our relationship. Family therapy had taught me that maybe I needed some separation from her, then after she learned some responsibility, she might thank me for being firm. But I had never been able to go no-contact. Kira and Riley were my only family, such as it was. All I wanted was to have a good relationship with them.
Riley and I were close, but I knew he felt put in the middle with Kira. So as usual, I tried to mitigate that. I didn't want to make anything harder for him. I just wished to God that Kira would make my job easier and not harder.
With Kira off the phone, I sat up and took in my surroundings. It wasn't until I glanced at a photo on the dresser across the room that I knew where I was.
The photo in the room was of a smiling, light-brown-skinned couple, a ten-year-old Saff with a giant afro puff ponytail on her head, and a broad-shouldered but skinny Gabe. He was young in that photo. Fifteen, maybe sixteen? But he was already starting to grow into his looks. His barely-there smile already held a hint of mystery.
I flopped back in bed and tried to take deep breaths. What the fuck was I doing here?
Before I could ponder on what level of stupidity had brought me here, the door opened softly and in walked Gabe, shirtless and wearing workout shorts.
He didn't even look toward the bed, but I drank all of him in. His skin was tanned from running shirtless in the woods at the edge of the property. I knew exactly the path he took every single day without fail at 5:00 a.m.
He’d certainly filled out since that photo. He was well muscled but still lean, with every single muscle defined and on display, right down to the deep V that hinted more was just under his workout shorts.
He marched back out of the closet toward the loo but then stopped short, his gaze snapping to mine. “Good, you're awake. I left a glass of water for you and a vitamin blend that will help with the hangover and dissipating some of the drugs in your system.”
I blinked at him, unable to compute the words he muttered. “Drugs? I don't do drugs. You know that.”
“I know. But your dance partner from last night apparently thought you might like some GHB. And he dosed you.”
What the fuck? My brain tried desperately to grab onto anything tangible from last night, but I just couldn't. All I had were snippets of Saffron laughing, all of us having fun, me, Nissa, and Kaya shaking it on the dance floor, and Gabe staring at me.
“I don't remember much. I can't really piece it together.”
He nodded. “I figured as much. I saw him dose you and I carried you out.”
“You carried me out?” What was he saying?
He turned to face me then, giving me full view of that damn sculpted V. My gaze kept flickering to the waistband of his shorts. And maybe just a little bit lower as my mind tried to visualize some kind of imprint. My stupid luck, he probably had on a pair of boxer briefs underneath.
“Yes, I carried you out. As soon as I saw it happen, I got you out of there. I texted Saff from your phone that you were exhausted and not feeling well and you'd see her today. I suggest you drink the B12 formula so that you can handle the wedding preparations. I saw the planner drive onto the property, so she'll be looking for you.”
“I don't understand. You kidnapped me and brought me here to your room? Where did you sleep?” I'd stayed in the mansion lots of times. Saff and I would often crash out in her room watching movies and just hanging out, but I had never been in Gabe’s quarters.
