Alpha Male Romance(89)

“X?” Nori's voice came with the light as she flipped the switch for the lights above the stairs. “What are you doing?”

I looked up at her and wondered why she was home so early. Tanner hadn't looked like the sort of guy who'd kick a woman out of his bed, and definitely not a woman who he wanted to get back together with.

“What's wrong?” Concern filled her voice as she knelt on the landing next to me.

“Father O'Toole's dead.” The words felt thick and heavy on my tongue, as if they themselves had weight.

I watched her face as she processed the information. Watched as she went from disbelief and denial, to acceptance of the truth and the grief that came with it. She hadn't been as close to him as I was, but I knew she'd be sad that he was gone.

She reached out and put her hand on my good arm. “Oh, X, I'm so sorry.”

I started to jerk my hand away, but the expression on her face was so genuine, so caring, that I found myself wanting to believe it.

“I would ask if you were okay, but that's a stupid thing to say right now.”

She started to lean closer, but then her eyes dropped to my hand, and I felt her entire body stiffen.

“What the hell is this, X?”

Before I could react, she snatched the pill bottle from my hand. She pushed herself up on her feet, whether to get the pills out of my reach or to put herself further from me, I didn't know. I struggled to stand. I wasn't drunk, but my legs didn't really want to hold me at the moment. I had to press my back against the wall and force myself upright.

“Why do you have these?” she demanded, her eyes glinting with tears. She jabbed her finger at the vodka bottle. “Planning on downing a few pills with that?”

I almost tried to reassure her, but I didn't have the strength for it. And, if I were completely honest, a part of me didn't want to be nice.

“That's none of your business,” I snapped. “The closest person I have to a father just died. If I want to drink, then I'm going to fucking drink.”

The expression on her face hardened. “I'm not going to insult your relationship with Father O'Toole by saying that I cared about him too, because I know the sadness I'm feeling is nothing compared to what you're going through.”

I felt some of my anger start to trickle away, and I fought to keep it. Anger was better than pain.

“Then just give me the damn pills and go away.”

She shook her head. “I don't think so.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why does it matter? He was my only family, Nori. And now he's gone, and you're leaving, so why the hell does any of it even matter?”

If I thought my short burst of anger would soften her, I was wrong.

“Why?” Her eyes were blazing, and several spots of color had appeared high on her cheeks. “Why the hell do you think, you stupid bastard!”

She threw the bottle at me, the action taking me so off-guard that I didn't catch it. It fell at my feet and I let it lay there on the floor as I stared at her. I hadn't seen her this worked up since she told me about her brother.

“I told you about Logan, about what losing him did to me.” Her hands were shaking. “I can't lose someone else I care about.”

For a brief moment, I almost wished that what she said was real. Not that I thought she was lying. I just knew that we had two totally different definitions of the word. I didn't doubt that she cared about what happened to me, but it wasn't the same.

I looked away from her. “It doesn't matter,” I said. “I wasn't trying to hurt myself. I took one of the pills and I wanted a drink. Don't worry. You won't lose a patient on your watch.”

I heard her take a step toward me, then caught the scent of her perfume.

“Dammit, X, look at me.”

I clenched my jaw.

“Please.” Her voice was soft. “Look at me.”

Fuck. How was I supposed to deny her when she asked like that?

I raised my head and my eyes met hers. My stomach clenched, and the intensity of what I was feeling nearly choked me.

“Why are you here?” The question came out flat, harsh. I regretted it the moment I saw Nori flinch, and I quickly clarified. “I mean, shouldn't you be out with your boyfriend, celebrating? Planning your move back to Texas.” I gave a bitter laugh. “You don't even have to wait until I'm completely better. I'll be fine whenever you want to go. I'm sure Tanner doesn't want to stick around here any longer than he has to.”

When I finally stopped talking, I realized that Nori had gone from pissed to quiet.

“Tanner isn't my boyfriend,” she said. “Not anymore and not again.”

“Oh.” It seemed like a pretty stupid response, but it was about all I could manage at the moment.