“Why are you on the floor?”

“You kept kicking me. I nearly fell off the bed…and you snore.”

“I do not!”  I threw a pillow at him and then realized I had no way to hide my flushed cheeks. He laughed when he caught the pillow.

“You’re pretty wild.”

“Well I’m awake now. So come on.” I patted the bed and looked at him with a look that I prayed was seductive. He smiled sheepishly and shook his head.

“I’ve created a monster. We don’t have time for the bed.” He stood up and headed for the door and I pouted. “But if you come get your sexy ass in the shower with me I’ll give your first quickie,” he tossed over his shoulder before leaving.

I wasted no time hopping out of the bed and running after him. I already decided sometime between him pounding me against the shower wall and my screaming orgasm that it was my favorite place to have sex.

Not long after, we were downstairs making breakfast when he said, “I want you to stop digging into my past.”

“I can’t do that,” I said without looking at him. I heard him slam his cup down and felt his eyes burning through me.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because I want answers that you won’t give me.”

“And for a damn good reason. Damn it, Lake. This goes beyond you and me. You’re going to uncover some shit you’ll wish you didn’t and I won’t be able to save you.”

“So what happens then? You’ll kill me too?” Instead of answering, he shot up from his seat and was around the table before my brain caught up to common sense. His hand was in my hair, pulling my head back and my eyes met his stormy gaze.

“It won’t come to that because you’re going to do what I say. I don’t want to have to hurt you again. Don’t push me that far. Are we clear?”

I peered into his eyes and saw something I never thought I would see in his eyes ever. I saw fear. “What are you afraid of?” His gaze shifted from my face before he met my stare again.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” he answered, shortly. He let go of my hair and left the kitchen before I could respond.

“Everyone has something to be afraid of,” I whispered to an empty house.

***

I don’t remember the ride to school. After the breakfast that I ate alone, I looked around for Keiran even though I knew he was gone. I purposely made it to school with only a few minutes to spare. Even though Keiran was no longer terrorizing me within these walls his attention put me on the receiving end of glares and snide comments from his ex-cum buckets – Anya especially.

I was surprised that she was walking around unscathed and even still claiming Keiran after Trevor’s confession that she was a part of the setup. The irony of the situation did not escape me. Maybe he really did have feelings for her…

I entered art class and found that my seat was taken. I didn’t think it was a big deal until I noticed that the only seats left was one beside Keenan and the other next to a member of Anya’s twat squad.

Keenan didn’t seem to hate me anymore but I wouldn’t exactly call us buds. I tossed my head back, annoyed, before marching over to his table. He looked up and grinned when he saw me. It was still uncanny how much they looked alike. I reluctantly sat down next to him.

“Sup sis-in-law. You still mad at me?” I tried not to react to his nickname for me. People were getting ideas about Keiran and me that I wasn’t particularly fond of.

“Not mad. Aware.”

He frowned before saying, “I didn’t make the best impression…”

It was more a statement than a question. I shrugged and left to retrieve my project. I returned to my seat and looked at him curiously. He was glaring at his poster like it offended him. I took a peek and saw that he was drawing a picture of Sheldon doing one of her routines at a game. I was impressed with how good he was and the detail he captured. His art really seemed to come to life.

“You’re pretty good. Is art something you want to do?” Making conversation was my way of a truce…sort of. I didn’t owe Keenan anything but I wasn’t going to be a bitch either.

“Huh?” He jerked his head up and looked at me. “Oh…maybe. Hey, uh…can we be friends?”

“Why?” He definitely threw me off guard with that one and I didn’t try to hide my surprise or suspicion.

“Because I was a dick to you? I’m sorry for how I treated you.”

“I get it. You were protecting him.” I didn’t get it but that didn’t mean that I had to be the dick.

“Keiran hasn’t had the best experience with having a family so I try to have his back.”

“I know. Last night, he told me about his mother be a prostitute and a drug addict after I dug up some things from his past.” Keenan’s expression was mixed with surprise and confusion.

“He told you that?” he asked as his brow furrowed from his deep frown.

“Yes.” I studied the expression on his face and then asked, “Did he not tell you?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, he told me. I’m just surprised that he was so…forthcoming about it to you.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” I said absently. Keenan’s look was more than just surprise. “Anyway, do you think he would have done the same for you, if he doesn’t believe in family?” He hesitated and I could tell he was thinking his words over.