Chapter 11
Eleven
Liam
While the ride up to Sophia’s room in the elevator is a bit tense, just watching Bristol is entertaining.
Until it’s not.
She sweats profusely.
I assumed it was because she’s thinking about me in some carnal way, fantasizing about the two of us together.
I’ve had my fair share of Bristol fantasies, but it usually gets cut short when she’s chasing me with a dagger, an axe, any type of weapon, really, wearing a bikini, or nothing at all.
But when I watch her eyes roll back in her head, I dash across the small space and catch her on her descent before she can hit the floor.
The girl fainted.
“Bristol.” I can feel her breathing as I scoop her up into my arms.
The elevator dings, and we reach the sixth floor. I step out, carrying Bristol, and stalk down to my sister’s room.
Sophia had better be home.
This is going to be one hell of a surprise, and not the good kind.
Bristol’s eyes open, they’re heavy, and she’s gasping for air, like she’s been competing in a triathlon. “What—”
“You passed out in the elevator.” I hurriedly make my way to Sophia’s door.
If she’s not home, I’ll have to carry her across campus to her dorm.
She’s really going to hate me, more than she already does.
“Put me down,” Bristol says, but her voice doesn’t hold the normal conviction.
I ignore Bristol and knock on the door with my left foot, trying to get my sister’s attention if she’s home. “Sophia. Open up!” My shout is louder than my knock-kick.
There is rustling and movement. The dorm room door opens, and her eyes widen.
“Bristol passed out in the elevator.” I brush past Sophia, letting myself into the room and place Bristol on the bed, not asking my sister’s permission. I know she’d understand.
“Should we call an ambulance?” Sophia glances from me to Bristol.
“I’m fine. Really, there’s no reason to overreact.” She forces a smile, but her body trembles as she brings her knees toward her chest and bends them but continues lying flat on her back.
“This isn’t an overreaction.” I’m truly worried about her. I never thought I’d see the day where I’d care what happened to Bristol Greyson.
Her humiliating me when we were six was enough to make me despise her. I had flirted with her, and she punched me in the face!
I may not have been a great flirt in the first grade; I was just trying to get her attention.
Make her notice me.
She noticed me all right.
She spewed nonsense and told me I was chunky.
I was a bit on the chubby side when I was six. It wasn’t until puberty, I gained some height and filled out, but she didn’t have to point out my flaws.
And when I called her mean, she hit me.
Talk about getting laughed at because I was “hit by a girl” and, yes, embarrassingly enough, I cried.
I tried like hell not to cry, but the girl was brutal, and I was young, unable to control my emotions.
My dad wasn’t pleased that I got hit by a girl. I kept the part where I cried a secret. The teacher only saw bits and pieces, and what got reported was only half the story. I never bothered to speak up and give my side.
Dad wouldn’t have approved or been pleased with me crying in front of the other kids.
It was bad enough that I was humiliated and laughed at by the other boys in my class. I didn’t need to relive it in front of the principal, or worse, when our parents came to a meeting, or again, when we were forced to have dinner at the Greyson’s home.
Bristol Greyson was a menace.
After that, I vowed never to catch feelings for her again.
But what I’m feeling right now aren’t those kinds of feelings, I’m concerned about her passing out in the elevator.
It’s not normal.
Sure, Bristol isn’t exactly a normal girl, but I’m also not a jackass. I wasn’t raised to walk away from trouble, either.
I can thank Mom for that, she’s always been a bit of a badass. Not that my father hasn’t been, he runs the Italian mafia in New York City. But I’ve always been closer with my mother. Probably because she raised me.
I hadn’t even met my father until I was in preschool.
“I faint all the time. It’s just … the heat.” She waves a hand dismissively, and I can’t help but witness her small body tremors as she inhales and exhales quite loudly.
Sophia grabs a chair, pulling it up beside me. “Sit.”
I sit beside the bed, reaching for Bristol’s hand. “What do you mean, you faint all the time?”
I haven’t even so much as started medical school. While I know I want to be a doctor, I’m in over my head for helping her.
“It’s nothing. Really. Please don’t look at me like I’m dying, because I’m not that lucky.” She forces a smile, but I don’t return the sentiment.
“I’m worried about you.” I glance back at Sophia, who is standing watching us. She’s silent, smart enough to know not to intervene.
“Don’t be. You never were before today.” Bristol glares at me like I’m the reason for what happened, when I, instead, kept her from hitting the ground.
She’s right, but we’ve both been awful to each other in the past.
I’m not sure why I even offered her a ride home.
That’s not true.
That kiss she stole a few months ago, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Her lips.
The taste of her mouth on mine.
The feel of her breath against my cheek.
The way her tongue felt when it slipped into my mouth.
Every part of me hums to life just thinking about that kiss.
My body responded in ways I’ve never felt, from what should be described as a simple kiss.
That was before she deepened it. Or maybe I was the one who pulled her closer.
I can still smell her perfume.
Although now I don’t have to imagine her perfect scent, I’m right next to her. I just have to be careful not to take a huge whiff, or I might seem crazy.
I’m not obsessed with the enemy, Bristol Greyson.
Not even I believe that silent mantra that itches my head.
“Quit staring, Moretti, I’m fine.”
I can’t blame her for using my last name, since I’ve been calling her Greyson.
I hate feeling that there’s a spark between us. Anyone else, and I’d be excited, elated even, but with Bristol, I’m just waiting for her to rip out my heart and stomp all over it.
“Have you seen a doctor about the fainting?”
Her eyes tighten. “It’s none of your business.” She’s pissed once again. Not a huge surprise, considering who’s angry with me.
I’ve gotten used to her hatred of me. It’s not like I see her very often anymore. That was one reason I chose not to attend Great Falls University. I heard Bristol Greyson was attending; I opted for somewhere far away from her.
I’d never admit that little fact to anyone. Not even my twin knows the reason I picked Evergreen University.
Plus, the scholarship was an added bonus. Dad was surprisingly thrilled that I picked EU, which I thought was a little weird.
Mom always had more interest in hockey, at least attending my high school games. I can’t recall Dad ever going to a high school game that I played, but he’s always busy with work.
I never really cared.
Playing hockey was about having fun.
And getting a full-ride scholarship and guaranteeing me a spot on the hockey team with Ashton and Luca, it sealed the deal for me.
While I’d met them when we were much younger, it was the fact that I’d seen Luca play against the Predators the previous year, when we toured the campus.
I wanted to be on his team.
He’s a fantastic center.
I play right wing.
We make an amazing combination, and I wouldn’t be that far away from my twin sister. Going out of state was going to be a huge adjustment for Sophia. I felt a little bad that I wasn’t going to attend Great Falls with her, but knowing we were a couple of hours apart, it was perfect.
Sophia steps closer, glancing Bristol over. “Can I get you anything? Water? Juice?”
“Do you have anything salty? And water would be good.”
Sophia grabs a bottle of water from her mini-fridge. “We have potato chips and pretzels.”
Bristol reaches for her small satchel purse and retrieves a packet of electrolyte mix. “Can you pour this in for me?”
I take the packet from her trembling hand, open the water bottle, tear open the packet, and pour it inside.
I secure the lid, shaking the bottle, letting the drink mix thoroughly.
“The potato chips should have more salt.”
Sophia hands Bristol a single serving sized bag of potato chips.
Bristol opens the bag of chips and retrieves a tiny salt packet that she probably stole from a restaurant and tears the packet over the chips.
My eyes widen at the amount of salt she’s consuming.
“Are you sure you’re not flooding your system with so much salt you’re passing out?”
Bristol glares at me and snarls, “I have low blood pressure.”
“Oh.” Well, fuck me. I feel like a dumbass. I’m so screwed when I eventually start my classes for medical school.
My silence invites her to speak more about it, which surprises me.
“I’ve been this way since I was thirteen.” I don’t remember Bristol fainting in school, but we had only a handful of classes together as teens.
“Cute. Stubborn. Causing all sorts of trouble?” I joke, trying to alleviate her concerns.
Her brow pinches. “You think I’m cute?” She moves to sit up, and I’m right there, putting pillows behind her in case she falls.
I don’t say anything.
She sits up and unscrews the water bottle cap. It takes two hands for her to hold the electrolyte drink, her hands shaking profusely as she dips her head back and takes a sip.
I want to help her, but I might get my head chewed off and screamed at.
I’m not that six-year-old boy anymore.
If she gives me shit, I’m not afraid to dish it back.
I help her steady the water bottle, and she takes another swig.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” I interrupt her. “So, you pass out a lot?”
She takes another sip and then hands me the bottle. “Can you put the lid back on?”
I take the lid and bottle and secure it for her. She lies back down and momentarily closes her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Sophia, I didn’t mean to ruin your Saturday.” Bristol’s eyes flicker open, and she stares at me. There’s a strange, unfamiliar gaze that crosses her features. It’s not something I recognize or have seen before.
I try not to let her unintentionally get into my head.
“Don’t apologize.” Sophia grabs a seat on the edge of the unoccupied bed on the opposite wall. “It’s nice to have company who isn’t reading all day and telling me to shush. I like a good book too, but I also need some socialization.”
Sophia shares a room, even during the summer, which is unusual.
Most kids go home during the summer, but Sophia and I have no desire to return to Antonio. Not that we don’t love the man—he is our father—but there’s too much business going on at home. Not enough … fun.
And I prefer the parties and girls.
Sophia’s roommate has books stacked against the wall, and she even secured a floating bookshelf, displaying several more novels.
The difference between sides is quite stunning. Sophia’s side is riddled with dragons and fairies.
My sister loves fantasy. Especially romantasy.
Sophia has been on a dragons kick lately. Two years ago, it was everything fey. The posters on display hang on her side of the room with dragons in blue, gold, black, a huge array of colors that I never even considered existing.
I always thought dragons were gray, dark, more like dinosaurs, just had wings and breathed fire.
Thankfully, I won’t run into any dragons, unless you consider fire-breather Bristol Greyson to be a dragon. That girl could set fire to a room with just a single look.
But right now, she’s anything but that fiery girl I’m used to dealing with and hating.
She’s vulnerable, and I’m not used to seeing her like that or being around her.
It’s a bit unsettling.
“You don’t have to stay and watch over me. I’m okay. I’ll go back to my room in a minute.” Bristol sits up and reaches for the water bottle that I’ve been holding.
I unscrew the lid for her, and she uses two hands to grab it, managing a little easier to take a sip since the drink isn’t full.
She takes another swig and then glances at me. “Really, you can leave.”
I smirk and glance at my sister. “Did we manage to surprise you?”
Sophia nods her head. “Yes, but worst surprise ever! I’m glad Bristol is all right, but you carrying her at my door was not something I expected to see—ever.”
“So, you’re not glad to see us?” I need to turn this around quickly, so I’m not the one losing the bet with Bristol.
“Of course, I’m glad to see you! I always like when my brother comes to visit.” Sophia stands and stretches. “Are you sure I can’t do anything else for you? Do you want me to call your dad?”
Bristol’s eyes widen in horror. “No!”
Her outburst stuns me for a moment. Shock wrestles through my veins, expecting her to use her father whenever she damn well pleases. He is a billionaire and the owner of the NHL team, the Ice Dragons.
It’s the card she always managed to play in school when something didn’t go her way.
Spoiled brat.
“Okay. And you don’t need a doctor? I’m just worried about you going back to your room and being alone. You can hang with me.” Sophia gestures to the room. “I’m not really doing much of anything. I was thinking of putting on a movie.”
“A movie sounds good.” Bristol grabs a few potato chips that are coated in extra salt and munches on them.
She’s no longer clammy and covered in sweat. The normal color has returned to her cheeks. If it weren’t for the tremors, I wouldn’t even know anything is wrong.
I feel bad leaving, but it is a little over a two-hour drive to get home.
“What are you going to watch?”
Their movie choice could very much make that decision for me.
“You’ve Got Mail,” Sophia says, and grabs the disc from her collection and puts it into the Blu-ray player.
“That’s an old one.” I’d seen it once, years ago. It’s a romance, not exactly what I’d be choosing to watch.
“I’ve never seen it.” Bristol settles back on the bed and adjusts the pillows, making herself more comfortable.
“You’ve never seen it?” Sophia’s eyes widen. “Oh my gosh! It has the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. It’s one of my favorites. Do you want me to make some microwave popcorn?”
“Yes!” Bristol’s eyes light up. “That sounds perfect.”
“I’m going to bail.” I would hang out if it was a movie I have any interest in watching. A chick flick is definitely not one of those movies.
“Are you sure? I can make room on the bed.” Bristol shifts over on the mattress, practically against the wall, leaving me half the bed to lie with her. “Come join me.”