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“You knew he took me upstairs and you never said anything this whole time. It’s been months.”

Alex just shrugs, looking innocent as fuck.

“I figured it either didn’t go as Daemon had hoped, or—”

“How the fuck would you know what I’d hoped for?” he grunts, but Alex just rolls his eyes at his brother.

“Well, I didn’t think you were dragging her off for a fucking Scrabble duel, man,” Alex mutters lightly. “Or I thought it did go to plan, and I knew you wouldn’t want me sticking my nose in.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Well, when you both ignored each other like it never happened, I assumed Calli shot you down and wasn’t interested. But then as time went on, I saw glances between you when no one was looking. It was nothing really, but at the same time, it was something.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? For weeks, you’ve been openly flirting with me, yet you knew that I was…”

“Fucking my brother?” He shrugs once more. It seems to be becoming his favourite move. “I wanted one of you to open up, to admit what was going on. But clearly, neither of you trusts me so…”

His words fade to nothing as hurt washes through his grey eyes.

My lips open to respond as guilt burns through me.

“I need you to know, baby C. If Daemon was with anyone else right behind my back—literally—then I’d have joined the party. But you…” he says, pushing to his feet, “you’re it for him. And no matter how close you think we might have got to anything happening, it never would. Even if Daemon changed his mind, you’ve been his since we were kids. You just didn’t know it.”

My mouth is gawping open as Alex moves toward me, his face emotionless once more, reminding me of the guy who’s also been stunned into silence behind him.

“Excuse me, I need…” He doesn’t finish that sentence. He just marches deeper into the house before a sliding door slams, leaving Daemon and I alone once more.

The silence that hangs between us is so heavy, it presses down on my shoulders as I stare into his dark eyes.

“Calli, I—”

“I need the bathroom,” I say like a pussy, and bolt toward the bedroom, quickly closing the door behind me.

I use the toilet on autopilot, but I didn’t really need it, and it’s not until I’m washing my hands that his knock comes.

“Angel, are you okay?” he asks softly. So softly it makes my heart fracture.

I stumble back, my arse pressing against the counter and my hands still wet as I replay those few moments in the kitchen.

I kissed the wrong one. I should have realised sooner and stopped.

They’re like night and day different. How didn’t I fucking notice before I freaking groped him?

How far would he have let it go if Daemon hadn’t dragged me off him?

“Shit,” I hiss, embarrassment washing through me.

“Angel?” His deep voice rumbles through me. My skin prickles with his proximity, but my shame stops me from looking up from the white tiles beneath me.

His feet appear before he’s standing right in front of me, the heat of his body warming me instantly.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he says softly, obviously able to sense that I’m balancing on the edge right now.

His hand cups my cheek and he lifts my head, forcing me to meet his gaze.

My breath catches at the dark and intense look in his eye.

“I kissed him,” I whisper, but as much as I might want to look away, I can’t. He’s ensnared me, and I’m powerless to sever it.