Wrong For You (Before You Series Book 3)(64)

Eventually, he stepped back, feathering his fingers between hers, pulling her toward the kitchen. “Breakfast first and definitely coffee,” he practically groaned. Alec didn’t do anything in the morning before he drank at least two cups of coffee. It was his ritual, but she didn’t mind. It was kind of endearing the way he made her set the timer on the coffee machine every morning so he didn’t have to wait for it to brew when he woke up.

“Yes, we’ll feed and caffeinate you before we leave. How does that sound?”

“Like you know me well.”

A faint smile curled her lips. He didn’t mean it as some monumental confession, but it felt profound and permanent as though he intended to be part of her life for the foreseeable future. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Nothing you make.” He squeezed her hand, letting her know he was teasing her.

“I know. You’re the cook, not me.”

Pausing at the end of the hallway, he smiled down at her.

“Vi! Get your lazy ass out here.”

“Ryder,” she said, dropping Alec’s hand and running to hug her brother, who stood in the middle of the living room.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up.” He lifted her up and twirled her around. “We have so much to do today. I can’t believe you slept this long. I was starting to worry about you. You’re always up at the crack ass of dawn.”

Alec stepped into the living room, leaning against the wall.

“You’re just in time to help.” She waved her hand in Alec’s direction. “This is Alec—”

“Alec fucking Reed, Chasing Ruin’s drummer,” Ryder interrupted. “I thought your name sounded familiar when Vi mentioned it, but holy shit, it really is you. I’m a huge fan.”

Ryder patted Alec on the back like they were long lost friends and Violet…she did nothing. She couldn’t. Her eyes ping ponged back and forth between her brother and Alec, and for the first time in her life, she couldn’t say a word. Alec’s eyes searched hers, pleadingly for something. She didn’t know what because she was still trying to process that Alec might not be Alec, or at the least the Alec she thought she knew. As the minutes ticked ominously, her heart sped up with every inhalation and exhalation until she wondered if it would explode in her chest while she waited for Alec to say something, anything, either acknowledging or denying her brother’s words.

“When is the band starting work on the new album?” Ryder asked, looking at Alec with total, sickening fan worship and her stomach lurched.

Silence hung in the room, a tangible presence, heavy and awkward, pressing on her chest. Her fingernails dug into her palms until she was sure she drew blood.

“Next week,” Alec said without looking away from her, his eyes tormented and shadowed.

The room swayed, anger and deceit slicing through her body one tiny invisible, but no less painful, swipe at a time. Until that moment, she had hoped there was a mistake or some explanation, but with those two words Alec shattered her last remnant of hope and all the dreams she’d been building with Alec in her mind. In its place, a big voluminous void of loathing sucked at her soul.

“Violet,” Alec said, his voice low and cautious as he reached for her hand, but the minute he made contact, she ripped her hand away from him. His touch caused icy anger to crept in her veins.

“Wait,” Ryder said, looking between the two of them. “Are you dating my sister?”

“Yes.”

“No,” she snapped so loud that she hoped it erased Alec’s admission because whatever they’d been doing, she had no intention of continuing. He took what they had and threw it away before it even started and, at that instant, she didn’t know if she’d ever recover from his callous game.

“Can I talk to you outside for a minute?”

“I’m good. I’ve heard everything I need to hear,” she said, taking a deep breath, trying to beat back the roller coaster of emotions whipping through her. A part of her wanted to walk down her long stretch of hallway and climb back into bed and pretend as though nothing happened, that Alec didn’t just rip her heart out by admitting that everything was a lie, a big fat lie from the first day he walked into her life. But this was reality, and no matter how long she hid, it wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t change that she’d just spent almost four weeks with a person she knew nothing about. With that thought, a cold sweat rippled through her body, making her lightheaded. “Um, I need a minute,” she said, walking backwards out of the room, needing to be alone. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of Alec and her brother.