𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 𝟏𝟖+

20. sadist

GABRIEL DALTON

✥

As soon as Poppy leaves, the front door slams in my face. I turn to find Alexia and Lonzo talking–or arguing–in the kitchen. My anger is bubbling inside me as I stroll back over to them, eyes narrowed.

"What is your problem?" My voice booms across theirs.

Lonzo glares at me. "I'm doing us a favour."

I feel my nostrils flare at his words. "That's not your call to make," I say heavily.

"Agreed," Alexia nods her head and then stares at Lonzo, her eyes burning from all the alcohol she has consumed. This isn't going to end well. "Why did you do that? She came here to celebrate something and you made her feel uncomfortable."

"Because I don't trust her." His voice is sinister.

My head shakes in disbelief, I slide my arms over my chest. "And what exactly don't you trust?"

"Ray ran some background checks on her."

"And?" Alexia says sharply.

Lonzo glances over at my sister. "Go upstairs."

Her mouth falls open. "You are not dismissing me right now."

"I'll talk to you about it later," he states, eyes still simmering with something that makes my skin crawl. I don't like it one bit. "But I need to discuss this with Gabriel. Alone."

Alexia's expression morphs into a look of horror. She hops off the stool, muttering something under her breath and shaking her head. "You are unbelievable. You can't dismiss me like I'm your fucking dog, Lonzo."

"It's not like that," he groans but she's already walking off. "This is for your benefit, Alexia."

"Fuck you. You can sleep in the spare room." Alexia's voice is like gravel despite all the alcohol she's drunk. Then she mutters, "Asshole," under her breath.

Lonzo releases a sound from the back of his throat. "I heard that."

"Good," she spits over her shoulder before stomping her way upstairs.

My hand grips onto the counter as I stare down Lonzo. "What could be so bad that you couldn't say it in front of her?"

"She's drunk," his dark eyes cut across to me. "Talking to her about it now will be like negotiating with a five year old. It'll never happen."

I snort to myself. "She's not going to let this go lightly."

His eyebrows raise so high they almost meet his hairline. "That's for me to worry about," he grumbles. "But what I have been noticing is your emotional connection to Poppy is becoming stronger and you don't know her."

"Then tell me," I grit through my teeth. "What did Ray find?"

Lonzo flicks his eyes between mine for a moment. "Did you know that she testified against a murderer in court? Put him away for eight years."

My brows raise. I know barely anything about her background. Only the odd thing like her favourite colour and the fact she grew up dancing. But other than that, Lonzo is right. I know barely anything about her.

When we're together we don't necessarily discuss our lives in detail, it's more about the now.

"So?" I exhale. "We all have a past."

"The day she showed up covered in blood–"

My eyes close in frustration. "Like we haven't come home looking the same before."