Chapter 26: Chapter Twenty-Six

Alec

I'd been texting Demetri all day. He left for the airport without saying anything other than “thanks” and that he'd see me in another week or so.

Just like that, he left.

On Sunday I texted him so much that my battery died; finally, he responded.

Demetri

Have you been on TV?

Me

On TV?

Demetri

Never mind. Has Nat seen TV?

Me

We don't live together. Why don't you text your girlfriend and ask?

Demetri: Hah, you made a joke. So Angelica Greene….

I almost choked. I did not like that girl. Hell, I hated that girl. If there was one girl I could actually say that about, it was her—after all, she had the power to ruin my life.

Me

Yeah?


Demetri

You ever talk to her?

Me

No. I don't negotiate with terrorists.

Demetri

Pictures of us together.

Me

Bad?

Demetri

Define bad…

Me

Breakup bad?

Demetri

Is that what you want? For them to be so bad that Nat and I are no more?

Me

Of course not.

Demetri

Whatever. They're terrible. Now you can have Nat, maybe by the time I come back you'll be married with another kid on the way. Wouldn't that be nice? After all, you deserve it.

Me

WTF?!

Demetri

I gotta go.

He didn't answer my texts the rest of the night. When I flipped on the TV, it was to see Angelica leaving Demetri's hotel room. Well, great.

A loud knocking on the door interrupted my irritation. Shit. It was either Nat or a serial killer.

Was it wrong to hope for a serial killer, maybe an ax?

I couldn't deal with her. Not now. Not when I was worried sick about my brother having a drug overdose or finding out my dirty little secrets with Angelica.

I jerked open the door. “What?”

“What the heck is his problem?” Nat roared, stomping into the house like a woman on the edge.

“Good evening to you too,” I muttered behind her. Was it too much to ask for her to have not seen the ONE glimpse of Demetri with Angelica?

“First he's all trying to take advantage of me at your house, then spouting nonsense about you and me, and then…” Her voice rose to hysterical proportions. “He said that he wanted to be first.

“Of course, that was after his second attempt at getting me out of my dress and into his bed, and then he wouldn't let me go, and then he got all weird and I saw pills and freaked.

“It was like he was saying goodbye. More like, Sorry Nat, but I'm gonna go screw some movie star instead!” Her eyes brimmed with tears. While I was still trying to figure out what the hell to do.

Pills. Bed. Sex. Shit! “I've been heartbroken for almost forty-eight hours thinking I've done something tragic to him and he's, he's—”

“Nat,” I interrupted, my voice severe. “Stop.”

“No!” She whipped around and charged toward me, poking me in the chest. “You don't get to tell me what to do! You rejected me! Twice—wait, three times!”

I rolled my eyes. “Listen, Nat. As much as I'd love to sit here and listen to you complain about my brother's shitty decisions and lack of love for you, I'd rather not.

“Everything he's done has been for you, and you repay him by coming over here and talking shit? Really?” Yeah, I was so calling the kettle black but whatever.

“How is him cheating on me doing me a favor? Because I'm dying to know. This ought to be good.” She crossed her arms and sniffed.

“It's complicated.”

Her head snapped up. “Of course it is. It's always complicated with you two, and you never tell me why!

“Get out,” I snapped, pulling at her arm. She could say whatever she wanted about me, but not about the tattoo, not about shit she didn't know about, not even about Demetri.

We brought her into our lives and all we did was invite more drama. So even though it hurt like hell to kick her out of my house, maybe it was better for everyone if we both cooled off.

“I didn't mean it was stupid, just that—”

“Out.” I gently pushed her out the door. “Nat, go home. We should never have involved you in the first place.”

“What are you saying?” Her lower lip quivered.

“I'm saying goodbye.”

“You're shutting me out,” she said numbly, her face going pale.

I closed my eyes and whispered, “Family comes first.”

“And I'm not family.”

Silence.

“Right.” She choked back a sob and ran away from me, breaking my heart with each step. I wanted to chase after her, to apologize, but again, I was paralyzed in place.

My desire to love her, to care for her, to be with her, it was never going to trump my desire to be the brother Demetri deserved. If he slid back into old habits, I needed to know.

Nat didn't understand. How did someone who'd never done drugs understand the pull they had on you? You don't even realize you're sunk until it's too late.

I quickly dialed the number to another one of my bodyguards and, of course, our manager. I needed them to send someone over to Demetri's hotel room… immediately. I couldn't fly there in time.

An hour later—and I knew for a fact that Demetri had been passed out in his hotel room—sleeping. Big shock there. But And had been sharing a few drinks with Angelica.

Did he sleep with her? Would he be that stupid?

I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning. Regretting every single thing that had flown out of my mouth when I'd talked with Nat. Fear had a way of making me overreact.

And I owed her an apology. Which was why I was going to attach myself to her person all day Monday at school.

So it was up to me to make sure she had a good day at school. I may not be the man she deserved; I may never be that man. But I had today. And today I could protect her.