Page 32 of Tangled Hearts

His nose scrunches. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not wearing makeup anymore,” I blurt out, unable to keep the words inside any longer.

Confusion mars his features. “I don’t always wear makeup.”

“But…” Hedid.For the whole first week I was here.

“Sometimes I do,” he says, with a shrug. “Sometimes I can’t be bothered to fuck with it.”

“It’s not my fault?”

Eli blinks at me. “What? Why would it be your fault?”

“I’ve basically overtaken your home. You lock yourself in the bedroom. Holden’s worried. Julian’s worried.I’mworried.” I shouldn’t have added that last part.

Something complicated happens to his face, and I’m justsureI’m about to get an earful. It’s no less than I deserve. “You’re… worried about me?”

“Of course I’m worried about you.” Oh shit, that came out way more intense than I meant for it to.

Eli shakes his head slowly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just get this way sometimes. Icky and sad or whatever. Don’t stress about it.”

I’m definitely going to stress about it. I mean, holy fuck, I justlied to my brotherbecause I was so stressed about it. “If it’s too much for you to handle with me being here, I can go back to the hotel.”

“Fuck no,” Eli says, eyes widening. “I definitely don’t want that.”

I nod. “Okay. I’ve been looking for a place. To buy or rent. I promise I’ll be out of your hair soon.”

Eli turns a glare on me. “What?” he snaps. “Is living with me really that fucking bad for you?”

I have to bite the inside of my cheek hard to keep from smiling. He’s so fucking cute when he gets all bratty with me. “No. Is living with me bad? You weren’t all sad or icky until I moved in.”

“Do you want me to tell you it’s your fault? Would that make you feel better?”

My chest tightens. “Not really, no. But if it’s the truth, then yes, I want you to tell me.”

He sighs, slumping against the couch. “It’s complicated.”

Fuck.

I lean back, unable to look at him anymore. We sit in relative silence. The TV is on, but he’s got it turned down so low you can barely hear it. After a few minutes, he lets out a frustrated sigh. “Can I lay on your shoulder?”

My heart jumps into my throat. “Yeah.”

A heartbeat later, his head is resting against my shoulder, the strawberry scent of his shampoo filling my nostrils. I want to bury my face in his hair and inhale. I won’t, but God, do I want to.

“Thank you,” he whispers, but my throat is far too tight to speak, so I don’t. It doesn’t matter because he seems content to fill the silence himself. “I was abused by my bio dad until I was fourteen.” The wordsmake my stomach drop. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Although, I guess I should have, given how much Safe Haven means to him. “My dads don’t know the extent. I think Roman has an idea, but no one outside of my therapist knows. I lived in filth. I didn’t even have a bed.”

“I’m so sorry, Eli.”

“I don’t need sympathy,” he snaps. “I’m just telling you. Anyway, it fucked me up. And then I met Roman at The Hart Foundation. He saved my life. And then Holden saved it again.”

Julian’s words echo in my mind.But especially to Holden.

“I understand,” I say, even though I don’t really at all.

“I like you, and I’m fine with you staying here. Iwantyou to. I thought I’d enjoy the company. I hate being alone.” The whispered confession has my heart aching. “But I don’t know. You just keep avoiding me. It puts me in a not-great headspace.”

He thinks I’m avoiding him? In what fucking world? “I’m not avoiding you.”