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“I’m goingto go find the doctor,” Misha said, smoothing down his burgundy tie and peeling off before we got to Axel’s room. His shoulders were ramrod straight and each step landed with confidence. People moved out of his way with a combination of awe and curiosity, blinking and blushing in his wake. It was the same at Delirium, except people there seemed to know him by name since they whispered it behind their hands as quietly as they whispered Sergei’s.
Who the fuckwasthis guy?
Trying to shove the question out of my head, I headed into Axel’s room.
Seeing my brother in a hospital bed with an IV in his hand and a half-eaten cup of green jello in front of him should have saddened me or given me a sense of relief. Instead, all I felt was a fresh wave of pure anger.
“What are you doing here?” Axel asked glumly.
“Checking on you, you ungrateful asshole.” I slung the bag of his shit onto his lap and took a purposeful step backward so I’d be less inclined to deck him again. “The doctor been in?”
“He just left.”
“And?”
“And what? Do I have to fucking spell it out for you? It was a mistake. Jesus! I didn’t know it was laced.”
“That’s the problem, you fucking moron! You never knowwhatyou’re getting! You saw what happened to Levi. How could you be so fucking stupid? And in front of the kids?!”
“They’re not my responsibility!”
“Well they’re not mine either, yet here I am!” I flung my arms wide, gesturing around the room.
He shook his head, picking at the fraying strap on his duffel bag. “You should have let me die. I’d be one less problem for you.”
“Jesus Christ, Ax.” I sank into the chair near the window, holding my head in my hands. “I’ve got a thousand problems. You killing yourself doesn’t solveanyof them.”
“So now what?”
I scrubbed my hands over my face and looked at him, trying to prepare myself for the next outburst. “You’re going to rehab.”
Eyes wide, he shook his head vehemently. “No way! Those places are like prison! I’m not—”
“I’m not going to fucking argue with you! It’s already done. As soon as you’re discharged, you’re going.”
“Are you fucking serious? I have a life! School! And how the hell are you going to afford rehab? You can’t even afford a fucking car!”
“Don’t worry about it,” Misha replied from the doorway, my champion once again. “Your focus should be on getting healthy.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Axel recoiled slightly, stealing a glance at me.
“Just say ‘Thank you,’ and leave it at that, you ungrateful shit,” I snapped.
“Why? You afraid I’m going to try and move in on your sugar daddy over there? Some guys are into that.” He reconsidered Misha with a smirk.
Pretty sure my brother didn’t have any interest in dick whatsoever, but it didn’t matter. I was on my feet and out of the chair before he could blink, my fingers outstretched for his throat. Disrespecting me was one thing, but I wouldn’t stand by and let him be an asshole to the only guy in a position to actually help him.
I never made it more than two steps.
Misha’s arm snaked around my torso and dragged me back to a safe distance. “It’s the withdrawal talking.”
“I don’t give a fuck! He needs to learn some manners once and for all.” After last night, I knew better than to try and wrestle myself free from Misha’s grasp, but that didn’t mean I was any less pissed.
“He’ll suffer soon enough,” Misha said, his voice lowering. “You don’t have to add to it.”
He was right. As usual. Forcing myself to relax in his arms, I expelled a steadying breath. Misha let go a moment later, taking a step backward to give me space.
Axel’s head drooped, his dark eyes shining with regret. With one quiet reminder, Misha knocked the snarkiness right out of him, something I’d been trying to do since the little punk turned nine. He knew the hell he was in for. How many times had Levi tried to get sober and failed miserably? Even Crystal went through court-mandated drug treatment one time, which was super fun for everyone. We almost preferred when she was high—at least then she was out of the house.
