Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(111)
I paused mid-sentence and glanced up at my sister. She looked a little uncomfortable as she rubbed a spot on the lower left side of her belly. Her green eyes shimmered a little in the stage lights. I didn’t know if that was because she was feeling emotional or just really tired. Supporting a life had to be exhausting, not to mention dealing with Griffin. Remembering Anna’s monumental admittance during the meet-and-greet today, I wondered if she was okay.
Closing my laptop and setting it on the floor, I stood and pointed at my straight-backed chair. “Do you want to sit down?” It wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, but at least she could rest her feet.
Her eyes glued on the stage, Anna muttered, “Thanks,” and worked her way onto the hard metal. As she tilted her head to keep the boys in her sight, or maybe just one boy in her sight, I noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She covered them well with concealer, but I could see just a smidge of purplish-black. She would never admit it, but she was worn. She really should go home and rest up while she had the chance.
Putting a hand on her shoulder, I asked, “You okay, sis?”
She immediately lifted her chin, her liquid eyes drying. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
There were so many things I could point out, but instead I focused on the one aspect that seemed the easiest for her to talk about—the physical discomfort of being pregnant. “You keep rubbing your side.”
She grimaced and looked at the spot that she was now firmly holding. “Maximus keeps kicking me in the exact same spot.” She sighed when she returned her eyes to mine. “I think he’s bruised a rib or two.”
The remark left my mouth before I could stop it. “Well, he wouldn’t be part Griffin if he wasn’t a pain in your side.”
Anna smirked at me. “He’s not as bad as you think he is.”
Remembering the few surprising conversations I’d had with Griffin lately, I nodded. “I know.”
Anna opened her eyes wide, like I’d just admitted to something so preposterous she could hardly believe it. I flicked my fingers across her shoulder, and she giggled. Seeing more humor in her demeanor, I asked the question I really wanted an answer to. “Are you okay with what happened earlier . . . with Griffin?”
The humor immediately vanished. “What do you mean?”
I contained a frustrated sigh. Those two were both so damn pigheaded, worse than Kellan and I ever were. “You told him you loved him, and he froze up like you just dipped him in carbonite.”
Anna scowled and returned her eyes to the stage. “No, that doesn’t bother me, Kiera. We don’t have the hearts and flowers relationship that you and Kellan have.” She shot me a quick glance out of the corner of her eye. “Which is fine. I don’t need that romantic crap.” She shrugged. “I was just joking around anyway. I didn’t mean it.”
She clamped her mouth shut and swallowed three times in a row. A new layer of moisture amplified the depth of her eyes, and I knew my sister was lying. She did mean it. She did love him. It did bother her. She did want more from him. But she wouldn’t let herself admit it or feel it. When all else fails, deny, deny, deny.
Not knowing what else to do for her, I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Anna.” Griffin may not be able to say it, but she should hear it from someone. Anna looked up at me, just as a tear dropped to her cheek. She immediately brushed it away and retuned her eyes to the D-Bags’ stage. “He told me that he loved you,” I added.
I thought my words would make her feel better, but all she looked was tired as she watched Griffin onstage. That could just be the pregnancy, though.“I’m gonna go back to the bus and lie down. Let Griffin know? If he asks . . .”
Heart heavy, I told her that I would.
Griffin didn’t ask about her when the set was over, but I told him where she was anyway. He nodded at me, so I knew he heard me. But instead of heading out to the bus to be with his baby-mama, he sat in quiet contemplation until it was time for the D-Bags and Sienna to close the show with their number-one smash hit. For the first time ever, I found myself watching Griffin onstage more than Kellan and Sienna. Even smack dab in the middle of the limelight, Griffin seemed uncharacteristically pensive. I really didn’t know what to make of it.
When the show was over and the crowd was roaring its approval, the guys rejoined me backstage. Sienna was a step behind them. I thought Griffin would surely want to go see Anna now. We were playing at this venue again tomorrow night, so we had some free time to kill and a peaceful night of sleep at a plush hotel to look forward to. I, for one, was eager to go crash, mainly because Kellan had lived up to his promise and secured us our very own room. But instead of collecting Anna, Griffin turned to Matt. “Let’s go drink.”
Matt nodded, then asked the rest of us, “You guys want to go out?”
Kellan was already answering “No” when I set down my laptop and told Matt, “Sure.” Kellan’s eyes were disbelieving when he looked back at me. Kellan and I hadn’t joined the group much for drinks once the Kell-Sex explosion had happened. We’d both been keeping a low profile, much to the band’s dismay—well, to Griffin’s dismay. I wanted us to go this time, though. I didn’t like the look on Griffin’s face. Griffin rubbed his hands together eagerly, and I liked his look even less.