See No Evil (Brotherhood Trilogy #1)(28)

His eyes glass over and before I can stop it, he lurches forward and plants his lips on mine.

I kiss back.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but the second his soft lips hit me, I’m taken by this primal need I don’t understand. His tongue swipes across my lips and I give in to it, opening my mouth and searching for a taste.

Our breath is hot, hitting each other with a mindless desperation I can’t control.

Until my senses kick in and the thought flitters through my brain…

I’m kissing a guy.

My eyes bulge and I jolt back, wiping a hand across my mouth.

Chris’s lips part with horror. He can’t believe it either.

I stumble back, crashing into the edge of the desk.

“That wasn’t…” I raise my finger. “I’m not into…” I’m shaking as I wipe my lips with the back of my hand.

He won’t say anything. He’s just staring at me with those glassy eyes. Tears line his lashes and the second the first one spills over, I bolt from the room.

Running straight to the bathrooms, I lock myself in the back stall and thump onto the toilet seat. I grip my knees. What the hell just happened? Burying my head in my hands, I try to gain control of my thundering heart and come to terms with the fact that Chris is gay, and there’s a chance I might be as well.





#17:

Cold and Restless



Christiana



I can’t believe I kissed Trey.

But he was right there. He was angry, steamed…irresistible as melted chocolate on a marshmallow.

Something about his eyes drew me in, took control of my senses and made me forget the fact I was in hiding.

And he kissed back.

His tongue was warm and commanding. I wanted to melt against him, feel his arms encase me. He could wipe it all away—my fear, my isolation. He could make it better.

But he can’t! Because he can’t know what I am.

All my impulses did was confuse him and create a massive rift between us. I’ve never seen him so pale as the moment he crashed into my desk, wiping his mouth like I’d burned him. His brain must have been spasming big time.

Guilt sears me.

I shouldn’t have been so impulsive. Emotions always get in the way of common sense. It was emotion that probably got me into this position in the first place.

Rage carried me to the police station the night of Robbie’s death.

Stubborn indignation made me defy my mother.

Righteous anger made me squeal on Ivan.

Fear made me push Mr. Adler.

And desperation made me kiss Trey.

I close my eyes and wince, reliving the moment from the outside.

My face was on TV today! I’ve been accused of murder and there’s a price on my head. I should be burying myself in an underground bunker, but no, I decide the best approach to this new revelation is to kiss the guy I’m lusting after!

“You’re such an idiot,” I mutter into the darkness.

Rybeck will be livid if he ever finds out. I wonder what he thinks of the news reports this afternoon. He and McNeal are probably buzzing around trying to squash it. I want to call and yell at both of them.

He knew something when he came in acting like my irate father. What’s the bet the Candellas have been making life difficult for everyone.

I don’t understand why they think Sorrentinos are so bad.

Well, except for Marco Sorrentino—the devil himself.

But why me?

Why would I kill Robbie? And why was hanging out with Robbie such a bad thing?

I don’t even know who the Candellas are! His last name could have been Frogsbottom and I still would have hung out with him.

I’d be stupid not to wonder if it had something to do with Robbie’s death though. Did Marco have a grudge against Robbie’s family? One that ran so deep he decided to off a Candella just to make a point?

And why can’t the Candellas just be satisfied that one Sorrentino will be going down for the crime? Why go after me?

I swallow.

I thought my biggest problem was my uncle, but now I’ve got a raging family to contend with too.

Shit! My dad will now know that I was with Robbie the night I ran away. He’ll put two and two together. He might try and deny it but he won’t be able to.

How the hell did the Candellas figure out Robbie and I were together that night? We were so careful to keep our date a secret, and we didn’t even understand why. It was like instinct warning us to keep things under wraps.

But of course Uncle Marco had to find out.

Wait. Was he following me?

I rub my aching head. Questions keep pummeling me and I can’t answer any of them.

Whether my uncle was following me or not, he will never admit to what he did…what I saw. My father will kill him if he jumps on the Candellas’ bandwagon though. I’m his precious daughter; surely I’d beat out his evil little brother. Dad wouldn’t want me testifying against Marco, but he’d never accuse me of murder either.

So, the devil’s only option is to get rid of me before I testify.

Mom’s reaction when I busted in the door that night told me Marco was a killer. He’ll have no qualms about taking out the witness who could put him behind bars.

Even though I’ve been accused on TV, it doesn’t change the facts. My testimony could bury him…and once the Candellas hear what I have to say, they’ll know I’d never do anything to harm their son.