Everything for Her(61)

My anger spikes because Oz said he’s giving me time. I pick up speed as I make my way the three blocks toward my building. Walking in, I give Chuck my normal wave and look behind me to see Captain loiter at the entrance. He’s watching me get on the elevator. I want to hate him, too, but I don’t know if I have room with everything I have going on in my heart.

I know Miles owns the whole top floor, and to get to it you have to have a key. I pull out my set of keys for our apartment and notice the ring holds three keys. One is for our mailbox, one is for our apartment and the third Paige said was for storage. But the more I look at it, the stranger it looks. It appears to be too small. In fact, it looks more like one you’d need for the elevator. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I slowly slide the key in. It turns smoothly. Before I can stop to think what I’m doing, I hit the button for the penthouse and it lights up. The elevator moves toward the top floor.

“Holy shit,” I whisper to myself.

I panic, but then I think, why should I be upset? I did nothing wrong. I’m the victim here, and I should be allowed to do what I want. Fuck it. I’m going to give Oz a piece of my mind about this not-really-giving-me-any-space shit. I asked for some time and he sends his security to tag around and watch what I do.

By the time the elevator begins to slow, I’ve worked myself up into a ball of anger. How dare he take over my life without my permission! Who the hell does he think he is?

When the door slides open, I take three steps in and come to an abrupt stop when I see Paige standing in the living room in her workout clothes. She’s got on a sports bra and tight yoga pants and is covered in a light sheen of sweat.

She turns to look at me, and I stare back, shocked.

What is she doing here? Why is she in Miles’s home?

The way she looks, it’s as if she’s comfortable here. Like she’s been here lots of times, and my stomach drops. I think I’m going to be sick. Before I can say anything, I turn and get back onto the elevator. I see her bolt toward me, and I hit the close button over and over. But she makes it as the doors close, squeezing in beside me.

I hit the button for our floor and don’t look at her. Sparks of jealousy are flying, and I’m feeling the betrayal all over again.

“Why were you at his place?” I bite out, unable to stop myself.

“I’m staying there.”

“Why the fuck are you staying there?” I snap, finally turning to look at her.

Her hair’s a mess on top of her head, and her eyes are red-rimmed like she’s been crying. She’s not looking at me, but I can still see it. My heart aches for her, but at the same time I’m so mad I can’t give her the comfort she needs.

“How close are you two?” My implication is clear, and I cross my arms over my chest, waiting on her defense.

Paige takes a deep breath, and her eyes finally meet mine. “He’s my brother.”

That little bomb drops, and so does my jaw. And that’s when I notice it. The same sapphire-blue eyes. How had I never put that together before?

“Half brother. Same dad, different mom and all that jazz.” Her jaw ticks a little, something that always happens when she talks about her father.

The elevator dings, and I step off. I look at Paige, and without a word, she follows me to the apartment. I unlock the door and hold it open for her, closing and locking it behind us. I drop my bag by the table and make my way over to the couch. She follows right behind and sits down next to me.

I put my hands in my lap and wait for her to talk first. I don’t know what I was expecting her to say, but I’m in shock.

“This is so fucking hard, Mal.” Her voice cracks, and my fingers twitch. I want to hold her hand and comfort her, but I need to hear this. I love her, but I deserve the truth.

“I thought Miles was all I had, and I latched on to that,” she finally says after about a minute. “You know I hate my father. Fuck, hate isn’t a strong enough word. Then Miles found me when I was seventeen and offered me something I’d always wanted. A family. Revenge.”

“You want revenge on your father? Why?” She’s never told me anything about him, and sitting here now, maybe I’ll finally understand.

“Well, Miles wants revenge.” She takes a breath and her eyes meet mine. “I want—” She stops herself abruptly.

“You want more,” I finish for her. I’ve seen the hate in her eyes when she talks about him. She’s out for blood. Paige has always had this slight distaste for men, something I’m guessing her father must have given her, because it’s all over her face right now.

She nods in agreement. “When Miles found me, he showed me that I could have more than this consuming hate in my life. He offered me a little bit of a family. And he told me if I helped him, he’d work on getting our revenge.”