CHAPTER 11
SIERRA
It was past ten o’clock when I made it to the apartment that night.
“I’m back,” I announced, dragging my heavy feet to the living room, exhausted and hungry.
The smell of greasy food greeted me, and my stomach rumbled.
Raphael had his head buried in a burger, dripping with cheese and mayo, while at the same time, he stuffed fries inside his mouth.
He ate like a starved pig and had no decency. I worried for his girlfriend in the future, but knowing my brother, he wasn’t going to settle down that easily.
“Hey, Matty,” I said softly as I collapsed onto the couch.
Matty got up and came to my side. “You sit there.” He pointed at the space he vacated in the loveseat by Raphy.
“Why?” I frowned at him. I was perfectly fine sitting here. It was an armchair that faced the windows rather than the TV.
He shrugged, and I didn’t argue because he seemed to prefer this seat more whenever we hung out in the living room.
I nodded, slipping to the seat next to Raphy, who ignored my presence, watching the F1 race flashing on the TV like it was the most important thing on the planet.
Matty cleared his throat as he handed me a huge brown bag. “Raphael mentioned you liked cheeseburgers.”
What!? Fury flooded my blood as I side-eyed my brother with a glare.
That ass now had his full attention on me, grinning like his day was just made.
“So I got you everything else on the menu,” Matty said.
Raphy dropped his grin, and while my lips tugged into one, grateful that Matty was catching onto my brother’s antics.
“Thank you,” I breathed, beaming at Matty so wide my cheeks hurt. “For a second, I thought I would have to die from starvation. I don’t eat beef.” I dug into the paper bag and pulled out a fried chicken sandwich, then took a huge bite.
“Ask her why.” Raphy snorted. “You wouldn’t believe it.”
I gave a sharp elbow to his ribs, finally feeling like myself again now that my stomach was filling.
“Why?” Matty questioned in his usual monotone voice. It was so hard to get a read on what was going on in his mind. Was he curious? Was he genuinely interested to know? Or was he asking because Raphy asked him to?
I guess I would never know when it came to Matty Evans. He was like a stoic puzzle piece that was formidable to break.
“Because cows are adorable. I once saw a commercial at a restaurant about how they were ethically sourcing beef, and I bawled my eyes out. How can they do that to those adorable creatures?”
Matty’s eyes flickered. “Understandable.”
“What about chickens then?” Raphy added, rolling his eyes.
I flushed, slurping the soda from the cup. “I can’t give everything up,” I mumbled.
Raphy shook his head and went back to the TV while Matty ate his burger in silence.
I sighed, struggling to keep my eyes open when I finished my dinner.
“I’m going to sleep. I have another lesson tomorrow,” Raphy groaned before pulling me into a hug. “Congratulations, Sister. I’m so proud of you,” he whispered for only me to hear before he shot off.
“Night, big man,” he hollered, walking away to his room.
At least I had one family member’s support.
“I’m going to sleep too.” I yawned into my palm. “I’m knackered.” I attempted a British accent as I slowly slid to my feet.
Matty nodded. “You go; I’ll clean this up.”
“Thanks,” I agreed, too tired to care. Just as I was halfway to my room, I remembered something. “Hey, Matty,” I called out, and he lifted his eyes from the table.
“I wanted to ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“Hmm, do you have any PC systems that I could borrow while I’m here?” I needed to clutch up on my skills as the next rounds would only get harder, and I couldn’t lose my touch. The nearest game café was thirty minutes away, and my team was an hour away, so if I had a system at home, it would be easy for me.
“What kind?”
“The one with a fast-processing rate, like higher fps and stuff. A higher RAM too, and possibly a cooling system.”
He frowned. “Like a gaming PC?”
Fuck . “No.” I laughed shakily. “But yes, something like that would be good. I study a lot, so it’s smoother that way.”
He was smarter than that to catch my lie, but he didn’t question it. “I’ll see what I can do. Go sleep, now,” he said softly.
A smile curved my lips. “Good night, Matty.”
The following morning, I woke up with a smile, surprisingly earlier than I expected. I padded to the kitchen just in time for Matty to make it back from his workout. I knew because I was timing it. He came in around nine, an hour later than he did the first day.
I was adding the finishing touches to his caramel latte when he arrived, dripping with sweat, looking oh-so delicious.
“Morning, Matty.” I flashed a smile, flushing as I stirred his drink.
Beads and beads of sweat were dripping down the side of his face, collecting down the neck of his sports tank, showing off his broad shoulders, thick biceps, sculpted triceps, and veined forearms.
The definitions of his carved body were ripped in a way that he probably belonged in a museum somewhere.
He wasn’t as tall as the other band members, but he was still tall at six feet and towered over me like a big bear. I was barely over five-one, so everyone was taller than me, but still, something about the way I felt small in his presence made me feel safe.
“Good morning, Sierra,” he said. His low, husky voice sent tingles down the curve of my spine.
It was equal parts warm and electrifying.
“Here you go.” I handed him his drink, suppressing the shake in my hands when his fingers closed around it, brushing so close to mine.
Even his presence was electrifying.
“Thank you.” His eyes lit up as he slurped the coffee down.
He no longer brought it from the café. Instead, he waited till I woke up because he knew I was going to make him one anyway. I even stashed up homemade caramel sauce and chocolate syrup so I could make it in minutes.
It didn’t take me long to learn that Matty Evans had a sweet tooth.
I loved watching the subtle glow in his eyes when the sugar hit his mouth. It made me want to bake every recipe I’d ever known and learn more just so I could catch that look in his eyes.
“When do your classes start?” Matty finally set his drink aside, which was already half done.
Fuck, the classes . I hadn’t even thought of it. Did he pick up on the fact that I was too untamed for pre-med?
“Today,” I blurted. I was going to the gaming café, so I could probably write it off as my classes.
“Okay.”
Thankfully, he didn’t question me after that. He gave me one of his signature nods and left the kitchen.
I forced air back into my lungs. If he found out the truth, Matty, being the responsible adult, would let my parents know, which would be the grave I dug for myself.
Placing the rest of his coffee in the fridge, I made him a plate of French toast with lots of caramel sauce. I left a note on the lid, knowing he was in the shower and it would take a while.
Hmm, shower.
Matty Evans in the shower would probably be a vision to behold, way better than the posters in my room. I wondered how the water would roll down the hard ridges of his pecs. Would they be smooth rivulets gliding along the curves of his muscles, or would they collect together in a steady, streaming flow caressing his skin?
A shiver wracked through me at my wicked thoughts.
Tone it down, Sierra, you’re not here for that.
“Thank you for the breakfast. It was incredible,” Matty said with a polite nod just as I entered the kitchen, freshly showered, donning my usual hoodie but paired it with my soft-washed blue jeans instead of my shorts.
“You’re welcome.” I smiled, grabbing a bottle of water, a can of Coke, and the last of my Cheetos and chucked them in my small backpack. I needed all the energy I could get for the hours I would spend grinding today.
“Did you not eat breakfast?”
“I grabbed a few bites while I made yours.”
“You should eat some real food. That…” He pointed a wary finger at my bag. “Is probably not all that healthy for you,” he said, tugging the sleeves of his light gray pullover.
“I know,” I mumbled, heat blooming my cheeks. My mother would probably strangle me with her eyes for self-inducing a stomach ulcer. But I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t game or survive without Cheetos. I should probably cut down the intake after the tournament and get on a diet.
“I’m not saying you should quit. We all have our vices. It would be good if you took some vegetables with it,” he explained like he was talking to a child, and I hated it.
I wanted him to see me as an equal, a fully grown woman rather than a silly teenager. But then, could I blame him with the way I’d been acting around him? He was never going to see me like that, was he? I didn’t know why, but that thought suddenly made me sad.
“When will you be back?”
“Around five probably.”
“I’ll get you something healthy for dinner, so you can still have your Cheetos.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later then,” I mumbled as I left.
“See you,” his gruff voice replied somewhere in the back, but I was already halfway out. I felt dejected all of a sudden.
Matty probably just saw me as Raphy’s bothersome sister that he couldn’t wait to get rid of. I knew he was nice and kind to me, but that was who he was. He was kind and nice to everyone, but I wasn’t anything special.
He probably admired strong, elegant, level-headed independent women who had their shit together. Someone who worked out a lot and ate healthy shit, and probably had a classy, reputable job.
Not a gamer girl trying to win her mother’s approval with a quirky personality, bad eating habits, and even worse fashion sense.
“Careful,” ordered a gravelly voice before a large, rough palm slammed over my forehead. So warm that the heat seeped into my skin with a burning touch. “Watch where you’re going, Sierra. You could’ve hurt yourself.”
Only then did I realize I would have walked straight into the edge of the door that I didn’t even remember opening.
My eyes flew to the presence behind me, and they widened when a pair of sea-green eyes stared at me with a look in them I couldn’t decipher.
My heart thudded so loudly in my rib cage that I could almost hear it through my heavy breaths.
He still didn’t remove his hand, and his touch wasn’t just burning a hole through my forehead, but my entire body was aflame.
I could feel the flames licking the surface of my skin like an inferno, painting my skin scarlet.
“Sorry.” I jumped away, shifting my gaze from his piercing eyes. “I wasn’t looking.”
“That much was clear,” he said dryly. He slowly dropped his hand and stepped forward, opening the door farther as he gestured for me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, embarrassed as I scurried out.
He followed me and closed the door behind him.
“I’m heading to the studio.”
“Okay,” I muttered, hiking my bag high on my shoulder as I hurried away. I’d embarrassed myself enough for the day. Matty was never going to consider me as a possible counterpart in this universe. It would be sad to wipe away that dream from the back of my fangirl mind.
“You’re quiet.”
I jumped when his voice called out to me. I twisted to see that he hadn’t moved an inch and was regarding me with his unwavering gaze.
“You’re not usually quiet. Is everything okay?” His brows pinched in a frown as he asked.
Ideas started floating in my head at his question, like maybe he cared for me. But who was I kidding? Of course he did. I was his responsibility, and he was the most responsible man I’d ever met.
“I’m fine.” I mustered a wide smile. “Everything’s okay. Just the morning I guess.”
He had the same impassive look on his face, giving nothing away.
I sighed. “I gotta go now. Bye, Matty.”
He slowly nodded. “Bye, Sierra.”
Raphy and Matty were both home by the time I got back. I could feel a slight cramp forming in my wrist from all the training I did today as I entered the living room.
“Hey, Si.” Raphy hugged me from behind and ruffled my hair.
Matty gave me a curt nod before going back to his phone.
“I’ll go change,” I mumbled, feeling gloomy as I swatted Raphy away. My hair was a fucking mess by the time I made it to my room. I swear I was going to fucking murder my brother one day.
Thankfully, I inherited my mother’s genes when it came to my hair. It was smooth and silky straight, and so thick that it hurt my hand to comb it down sometimes. It hardly gave me trouble unless a pest like my brother fucked with it.
I stopped short when I noticed something different in my room. The once-empty desk that faced the window wasn’t empty anymore. Instead, it was set up like a gamer’s dream with a sleek monitor, a GPU with a twenty-four-core processor attached, and a cooling system matching the golden yellow color of my beloved mechanical keyboard and mouse I brought from home.
But moreover, it was all brand freaking new.
A weird feeling ticked in me. As much as I liked the gesture, I didn’t like that he spent all this money on me. Because this definitely cost a fortune, it doesn’t even come close to the one I custom-built back at home.
I backtracked to the living room, queasy energy curling in my gut.
“What did you do?” I motioned to Matty, who raised his eyes to mine in question.
He shook his head. “What?”
“The PC, I asked to borrow if you have one. Not get me a new one,” I said softly. “You can take it back.”
He blinked. “You asked for it.”
“I know, but I can’t accept something expensive like this.”
“It’s nothing.”
I heaved a breath. “Maybe to you, but it’s something significant to me. My mother didn’t raise me to accept such gifts without giving anything in return. And there isn’t anything I can give you,” I murmured.
“You cook for me.”
“With the money you gave me.”
Raphy looked at both of us with amusing eyes, like he was enjoying popcorn at a cinema.
“Fine, I’ll take it off your brother’s salary then.”
Hmm, that did seem like a good enough deal. Raphy was rich now. He could probably afford to buy his sister a gaming setup.
“Okay…”
Raphy shot to his feet, his eyes bugging out of his head. “Wait. No deal, I don’t fucking accept this.”
I gave him a hard stare.
“Fine,” he mumbled, crashing down on the couch. “The things I do for my sister.”
I met Matty’s eyes again, and they stuck on me like lightning bolts jolting a clear lake.
Sharp and exhilarating.
“Either way, thank you so much,” I said with a smile. “No one has done something like that for me, and I appreciate it.”
He nodded, his gaze flickering. “You’re welcome, Sierra. But like I said, it’s nothing, and it’s for your studies. It’s the least I could do after all the help you’ve been.”
“Studies.” Raphy chuckled, hiding his mouth behind his palm. “Matty, don’t you think being a doctor is the perfect fit for Sierra?”
I grabbed a nearby pillow and hurled it at his face, which he dodged easily, still chuckling.
“I think Sierra would be good at anything,” Matty commented, his tone laced with conviction.
He couldn’t possibly mean that, did he? I mean, he only knew me for like five seconds and thought I was going to Columbia, so who could blame him?
“I’m going to change,” I repeated once again and darted to my room before any of them could say another word.
By the time I stepped outside, they were in the same scene as yesterday with F1 running on the TV and Raphy scarfing down his meal in the most indecent way possible.
“Did Ollie fix you an appointment for the fittings?” Matty questioned Raphy with an impassive expression.
“Yes, this Thursday.”
“What fitting?” I mumbled, crashing down into my usual spot on the couch.
“For the launch party. Matty wants me to go. I’m a celebrity now after all,” Raphy said proudly.
“There’s a launch party?” I mumbled.
“You should come,” Matty said. “You did help name it after all. I want you to come.”
Not your brother wants you to come, or you can come if or when you’re free—it was I
want you to come.
Matty Evans wanted me to be a part of his big night.
Me.
I was probably reading into this more than I should, but I didn’t care. I needed some soothing after the ache my heart felt this morning. And what better way than to fantasize that Matty Evans wants my presence?
“But I don’t have the kind of dress you would wear to these events.”
“My sister will be here in a couple of days,” Matty explained with a reassuring gaze. “I’m sure she could find you something to wear.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to disturb your sister like that. I’m sure she is a very busy person.”
“Katy loves shopping. She would never say no to the opportunity.”
“Okay.” I gave a skeptical nod, smiling. “Thank you.”
His eyes still gazed at mine like they were imploring my soul.
And my heart picked up an unfamiliar beat in my rib cage.
“You thank me a lot,” he stated in a low tone. “You don’t have to. I don’t do it so you could thank me.”
“I don’t have to thank you a lot?” I frowned.
“Yes.”
I had no idea what he was telling me, but I nodded.
What did he mean by that?
Should I not be thankful?
And what did he mean by saying he didn’t do it so I could thank him?
Was there more to that?
I guess when it came to Matty Evans, I would never know.