Page 71 of Enemies with Benefits (Finding the Right Brother #1)

Sugar, more sugar, sugar free, God, what was the point of that? Salt. Basically cardboard. Cheesy.

Ugh, what I wouldn’t give for something a little savory, and a little salty. With more substance behind it. There was always the cafeteria, but that seemed like a lot of effort, and exhaustion was making me lazy.

I felt someone move nearby, and I glanced in the reflection of the machine's glass to see a hulking shape behind me. I was taking a chance assuming, but who else on the floor was not only that damn big, but willing to get that close to me?

"And suddenly, the whole lounge just got a whole lot grumpier," I said, deciding on a bag of Cheetos and punching in the number before tapping my card on the reader. "Did the sounds of joy finally drive you from his bedside?"

He grunted. “Like a cross to a vampire."

I looked over my shoulder, too tired to hide my surprise. "Wow, you took the joke right out of my head. Christ, you look like shit."

"Thanks," he said sourly, and I winced apologetically.

Of course, he looked like shit, his best friend had been badly hurt, and there had been a time when it was feared Kayden wouldn't make it.

Stress, the potential for loss, and sleep deprivation would make anyone look like shit.

Hell, I was lucky all I got was a testy reply and a dirty look because Jace, rested and with a normal level of stress, was testy as it was.

"My bad," I muttered, fishing the Cheetos from the machine. "How about some coffee? It looks questionable, but it's probably not going to make anyone sick."

"Can't be any worse than station coffee," he grunted. "Shit tastes like swamp mud mixed with motor oil and left out in the sun."

"Why do you know what swamp mud tastes like?"

"Kayden had it in his head that he wanted to go through the swamp on one of those big fan boats. Turns out, you should make sure the guy driving the thing is sober and checks to make sure you're braced before speeding off so you don't end up flung into the shallow water."

"Please tell me there's a picture."

"Kayden said he deleted it, but he's lying. It's around somewhere, probably going to crop up if I ever get married. He knows it'll end with his painful death, but that's never stopped him being an idiot before."

"He really is a man after my own heart," I said with a laugh, grimacing when I heard an alarm go off in a room and heard the sharp shuffling of non-slip soled shoes approaching it quickly.

Ah, the calming and ever-so-charming sounds of a hospital.

"What are you doing here?” Jace asked softly, and I turned to the coffee machine.

Calling it questionable had been underselling it, I thought as I pushed the dispense button to let it dribble into the paper cup.

The stuff looked like it had been made a week ago, and the smell was so acrid I was no longer sure it wouldn't make me sick.

My stomach wasn't exactly full of food to balance the god-awful brew.

"Clearly making bad choices about coffee," I muttered, swirling it around and taking a sip with a hiss. "God, I've put worse things in my mouth. Not by much, which should tell you a lot."

"That's not what I'm asking, and you know it," he grumbled at me, and I couldn't tell if he was being pissy or just plain uncomfortable. Probably a bit of both, considering there were other people around. Not that anyone seemed to be paying attention.

"Do I know it?" I wondered, debating what I should say.

Lying was out of the question; it wasn't in my nature to lie, if only because it took far more effort when you had to keep all the lies straight.

Telling him the outright truth wasn't going to cut it either, he would just get pissed at me all over again, and while I wasn't as sleep deprived as he was, I definitely wasn't ready to go toe to toe with him with my lack of sleep.

Probably better to stick close to the truth without outright saying it, spare us both another 'lovely' conversation.

Jace growled, and while I could feel his frustration, I couldn't give in to the sympathy that welled up inside me.

In fact, he didn't need my sympathy. Kayden was going to be okay, and now he could get some rest and calm down.

I had done what I'd come to do, and everyone could go on with their lives.

"Just...can you not give me shit for a moment and tell me?” he asked, and it was only the undercurrent of something softer in his anger that made me hesitate to brush him off.

"Clearly you weren't paying attention when my sister and nephew rolled up here to see you," I said with a shrug. "Can't blame you, you've been a little preoccupied with the fact that Kayden is here."

I risked a glance in his direction, seeing him frowning at the floor. "Right, yeah, I saw them. Where are they?"

"Getting something to eat. They should be back soon, it's been long enough for Micah to pick through everything and eat things in his designated order."

"Yeah, he's weird about food."

"He's weird about a lot of things, in case you didn't notice."

"I noticed."

Ugh, how weird to be weird around him. Even if it was just to antagonize him, at least I’d known how to interact with him before.

I quickly regretted not leaving once I knew Kayden was awake, but there was that weird look Moira kept giving me when she'd come out to tell me Kayden was doing alright, and she was giving Jace time to talk to him.

Curiosity had clearly gotten the better of me, and now I was stuck talking to a man who couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to talk to me or fuck off.

"So, you brought them?” Jace asked, looking up, eyes darting over my face.

It seemed like he was looking for something, hoping for something, but I couldn't figure out what.

Then again, I suppose it wasn't my problem anymore.

Well, except for the fact that he was clearly looking at me for whatever it was, or at least, that was my gut feeling.

"I did," I told him, leaving out certain details, but again, sticking to the truth.

His eyes swept over me again, shadowed by his frown. "You're doing it again."

"What's that?"

"Keeping something to yourself."

I raised a brow, torn between annoyance and amusement. "Last I checked, you were done with everything. I don't know how you handle something like that when you're on the other side, but typically, when someone ends things with you, drawing back and not telling them stuff anymore is pretty normal."

Anger flashed over his features, and I sighed. “Just forget it. Look, here comes Moira and Micah, you can talk to them, and I'll get out of your hair. Then you can go spend time with Kayden when he's not getting smothered."

"That's not…" he began, but I brushed past him.

I didn't know why he was bothering to have a normal conversation with me right now.

Maybe it was guilt over how he handled shit and wishing he could make some sort of peace, but it really wasn't necessary.

Whatever guilt he had was his own business as far as I was concerned.

It was my duty to myself to try to move past everything and get on with my life.

Maybe I had taken a little detour on the way, but that was my business.

"Hey weirdo," I said as Micah walked up, leaning against my leg, allowing me to put a hand on his shoulder and pull him in closer with a squeeze. I knew better than to hold on too long, but was surprised when he stayed pressed against me. "Get anything good?"

"A burrito," he said, peering up at me. "What are you doing?"

"Talking to you, obviously," I told him, smiling when he rolled his eyes and gave a little huff that could have come from either his mother or father through his genes.

Moira's eyes drifted beyond me and snorted softly at seeing Jace. “Okay."

"What?" I asked with a blink.

"Nothing," she said in a lofty voice that made my nerves stand at attention.

Whenever Moira said 'nothing' after a noticeable reaction, it definitely meant something.

Of course, she knew that, and she knew that I knew, so now I had to pay attention, while she knew I was paying attention.

People thought I was the game player, but that was what made Moira so dangerous, because they never saw her coming.

Except, of course, I knew my sister and knew how to fight back. “Oh...well, good. You've got more than enough on your plate anyway."

Sure enough, her nostrils flared, but disappeared as she gave me a simpering smile. “I do love you."

"I'm touched," I said, because I was, she meant it, but she also meant she was thinking about strangling me at that moment.

"Why do you guys sound like you aren't actually happy?" Micah wondered because the kid had all the perception of a seer but the tact of a warrior.

"Because they're actually fighting," Jace added as he came up to us.

"I knew it," Micah said with a sigh. "I'm glad I'm an only child."

"Mmm, it has its perks," Jace agreed. "But you've seen how your mom and uncles are with each other. Both good and bad."

"Hmm," Micah hummed thoughtfully and shrugged. "I guess. Do you think Mom and Kayden are going to have a kid so I can have a sibling?"

"Oh, now that is a very good question," I said with a grin, eyeing my sister, who had gone a shade paler at her son's question. "Have you two talked about that, or is it still too soon?"

Moira's eyes flashed, and she glared at me. “I don't know, did the two of you plan on adopting at any time?"

It was my turn to go pale, trying to wipe all expression off my face as I finally realized why she had been acting so strangely, and why she'd reacted to seeing Jace near me. “Ahh...well?—"

"She knows," Jace muttered.

"Thank you, Jace. I managed to squeeze a few brain cells together to figure that out on my own," I said as unease slid through me.

"Like...a couple of hours ago," Jace added. "Micah told."