Caught Between Brothers

convinced herself she

eye. The way his voice wrapped aro

r eyes, the mountains outside the window were already glowing with early

ans and a soft gray sweater. No makeup. Sh

walked in flawless. Ari

chen. Jace was already there, leaning against the marble island, drinking coffe

and smiled. "

alf-smile bac

sle

lit

ke this was normal, like they weren't standing in his mother

aned against the opp

d. "Didn't

ust to avoid answering. It was

gain, a voice floated through the a

like a colle

n't have

ew tha

st, echoing with the ghosts of too many

ound her. She wore ivory slacks and a cream blouse that looked like it cost more than Aria's entire camer

w tensed.

. Then her eyes slid to Aria. "And...

opped, but her fa

visible," she said light

e curled. "I

ion vibrating off the walls. Like she didn't just detonate a liv

een storming out and

d," he said,

t look at h

followed was al

nted to

her apple again and

r?" Jace asked

to her espresso. "Golf

he app

ically perfect. Polished,

rd. "Then why are

pression softened-almost. "Because

dropped the apple into th

after her, "don't

idn't

kitchen, heart hammeri

wn the hall before som

e said, grabbing

But she didn'

ly the same,

kno

e you still

rist. "Because I don

excuse. It wa

re playing a game with someon

" he sai

'm the

er like he wan

he d

ry," he

n ten years, she did

e it w

e she wants you b

showe

sn't mean

he's not in

r eyes. "And w

rd. "Then I'll fi

omi

esit

or her to kno

n I need to stop preten

t reach fo

him stand

sharper light. The cold didn't bite quite as hard today, but i

ms around herself

longer tha

nt a chill d

ll

"And you never di

leaving just enough spa

d her to h

to," Aria said. "H

at her sideways

. "He's going to

help him rebuild,"

dn't a

ette, but didn't light it. Just held it between his fi

t you saw in him," Kill

s not the villain

s not the hero you've convin

at him. "An

blinking. "No. But I'v

ade he

t honest thing anyone h