Spiral (Off the Ice, #2) (52)

She smiles, pushing back her glasses. “It means that his prescription will be renewed and sent to him as needed. No more dealing with us.”

“How?”

She turns back to her screen and after a few more clicks angles the monitor my way. “Paid in full by Elias Westbrook.”

No.





ELIAS




THE MOMENT THE front door slams and a heavy purse drops behind me on the kitchen counter, I realize it’s not one of the guys or Summer.

“How could you?” Sage’s voice is charged with emotion.

I peek over my shoulder to find Sage in her ballet outfit, staring at me with a fire behind her eyes that I’ve only ever seen once before—when she stormed into the guys’ changing room to lash out at me for giving her Mason’s number.

For some perverse reason, I enjoy it when Sage lets me see her whole range of emotions. It makes me feel like I scored the winning lottery ticket.

My sauce for the alfredo pasta we’re having tonight bubbles.

“Try this.” In one quick move, I stir it and bring the spoon over to Sage, slipping it between her parted lips.

She can’t react quickly enough, and when the flavor hits her tongue, she gives an involuntary sound of appreciation, and her stomach makes an approving rumble. When her eyes open again, she’s disoriented, but then she returns to her previous expression.

When her gaze slips to the bouquet of pink and blue carnations, Sage glares at the flowers. Okay, not her favorite.

Dropping the spoon in the sink, I turn back to the stove and lower the heat, only to hear a frustrated exhale before she slams the cupboard. Sage pours herself water and gulps it down.

I assess her stiff posture and turn to give her my full attention, leaning against the counter to look at her. “Is there something you want to talk about?”

She scoffs, turning dramatically, her curls bouncing off her shoulders.

“I don’t know. Is there?” She narrows her eyes and stares at me like my face alone is driving her crazy. She lets out a frustrated breath. “If I knew you were insane, I wouldn’t have offered to fake date you.”

“I believe your exact words were insanely hot.” I can’t help when my lips curve into a smirk, and her tight expression is only amusing me more. Ever since the night of the party there’s been a thick haze floating around us.

“Don’t play innocent. How could you pay for Sean’s medication without telling me?”

Oh. I should have known that was coming. “I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

She looks at me with big angry eyes. “It is to me! He’s my brother.”

“And you’re my girlfriend. I don’t see the problem.” I hold her gaze. This is a speech I might’ve practiced in my head a few times because Sage is allergic to help. “You’ve set up your life to never have to rely on anyone, but when you’ve come to a point where you need to, you’re angry about it. Why can’t you let me do this one thing for you?”

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Because people rely on me. What do you think will happen if I’m relying on someone else? It would all fall apart, Elias.”

I know what she’s saying is all from experience, but I hate that she forces herself to deal with it all alone. I care about her, and it’s not only because of our arrangement.

“It doesn’t have to,” I say.

“I can’t rely on something that isn’t even real.” She runs a hand through her hair. “You can’t make promises you can’t keep. I’ve had enough of that in my life, and I won’t let you do it too.”

“God, Sage, it’s like you want to live in this place where you don’t even have a second to breathe, just because you think you have to carry it all alone.”

“That’s all I know!” she exclaims. “It’s not easy to let it go and let someone like you in.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing.”

I don’t let her off the hook. Instead, I take a step toward her and wait for an answer.

She catches my gaze and sighs. “You have your shit figured out, Elias. Soon enough, you’re going to realize my life is exactly as everyone says it is: a disaster. It’s a facade because I ruin things. I ruin people.”

“You haven’t ruined anyone.”

“Sean’s been late on his meds a million times because of me. Not to mention he was getting bullied at school for months before I found out. My parents? They never wanted to be home because I reminded them of everything they wanted to escape. It all pushed them to just up and leave.”

“None of that is your fault. Sean is a strong, capable kid. And don’t you dare put your parents’ choices on yourself. They are not yours to carry.”

Sage drops her gaze. “It’s not just that. It’s like no matter what I do, no matter how much I try, I’ll always be scraping by. I’m a goddamn mess.”

“You’re my mess.”

Sage snorts. “Was that supposed to be romantic?”

“It’s supposed to be me telling you that I’m here, and all of this—all of you—is safe with me.”

She registers the words like I’ve spoken a foreign language. Slow and confused.