I put my arm around her.
"Why would he care?" she asked.
I shrugged.
"I don't know, he's your older brother. He's probably just looking out for you," I said.
She nodded and yawned.
"I'm going to bed," she said.
I got up and pulled her to her feet. I hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"G'night, love you," she mumbled.
"Love you too. Good night, Jacie," I said as she left.
I walked into my room and plopped face-first onto my pillow. I fell asleep, snoring loudly.
*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
I got up and fed Gryphon. I poured some coffee for myself and Jacie and walked out. I knocked on her door with my head and waited. When she opened the door and saw me she looked a little nervous.
"Here's your coffee," I said, handing her her mug.
"Thanks, but I think I'm coming down with something, and I don't want you getting it, so you should head back," she said nervously, tugging on her hair.
"Jacie, is something wrong?" I asked.
I pushed my way past her into her apartment. Drake was sitting on the couch. He got up when he saw me.
"Hey sis, what's this tramp doing here?" he asked, taking off his sunglasses.
"Sorry, but since when was I a tramp?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Drake, don't," Jacie pleaded.
"No, you just need to stay away from my sister, or you'll regret it," he threatened.
I gave him a shove.
"Why would I do that? I love her, and besides, I live right down the hall," I said, setting down my mug.
He wound back and punched me in the jaw. It hurt like hell.
*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
I woke up with my hand on my jaw. I was on the floor by my bed. When I pulled back my hand there was blood. I looked up. I must've rolled off and hit the nightstand on the way down. I got up and stumbled into the bathroom. I groggily washed out my mouth with water. The water turned red when I spit it back out. I put some gauze in my mouth and came back out. I poured our coffee and walked over to Jacie's. I knocked and waited. She opened the door and gasped.
"Toby, what happened?" she asked, lightly touching my cheek.
I grimaced and handed her a mug. I pushed my way into her apartment and sat on the couch.
"Nothing, I just had a bad dream and rolled off. I hit my nightstand on the way down," I explained.
I went to drink my coffee but she stopped me.
"You shouldn't be drinking this with an open wound," she said, taking away my mug.
I stared at her as if she had just said she thought Santa was sexy.
"What?! Coffee is my life! Gimme that," I said, reaching for my mug.
She set hers down and chugged mine. She handed it back and smiled.
"There, you can have it back," she teased.
I reached for hers but she kept it away from me.
"Jacie, gimme the goddamn coffee," I said, straining for the coffee.
She got up and ran into the kitchen, drinking her coffee.
"Get back here," I teased, chasing her.
She set down her mug and wiped her mouth.
"Finished," she said.
"No," I yelled, falling to my knees dramatically.
She laughed and squatted down next to me.
"Hey, you can have all the coffee you want when that's done healing. Right now it's an open wound and a really big bruise," she assured me.
I sniffled and stood up.
"My coffee," I whined.
She put her head on my shoulder and leaned against me.
"You'll live, I promise," she said.
The door burst open and Drake stepped in.
"Sis, it's Lila," he said worriedly.
"Who's Lila?" I asked, totally confused.
Jacie sighed.
"My biological sister. Haven't spoken since I was 16, and that's when she was nice enough to drop by to give me a present. Other than that she kept her distance," she explained.
"How many siblings do you have that I don't know about?" I asked.
Seriously, when was she ever going to tell me about these people?
