n's compromise, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he asked, "And what cond

gaze steady and unflinching. "It's nothing unreason

ssed Tony's face. "And ho

wee

n't hesitate to agree, his to

d found it flooded with Andrew's messages bri

lips as she tossed the phone aside and

t to her surprise, she drifted off quickly and didn'

reached for her phone to check the time. The screen read nine o'clock,

een, then locked it and made her

d with Andrew, Kaelyn felt a knot of t

who had been living under the same roof as her had been in lo

breath, she pushed the doo

cause when Xenia's all-too-familiar, irritating presence c

g to her feet with a hint of unease flic

o Dad told me to come by and check on you," sh

the glass of milk on the coffee table-poured to that precise le

eck on me, or are you here to get yourself humiliated? What was Dad thinking, anyway

rept into Xenia's

ess act. It doe

her fingers tightening at her s

voice sounded from behind her. "Xenia only wanted to sp

ing a cool, tightly controlled presence that drew the eye without effort. Even without

as she looked him over. "What, steppin

drew's brows knit together, a fa

"I'm alright, Dr. Hudson. Kaelyn's only teasing me," she said

whole act was a

ear that carefully crafted innocence straight off

is attention to Xenia, his tone softening into something almost indulgen

usement curled through her chest, the w

deliberate provocation. "Weren't you just saying you cam

before it melted into bright, eager delight, her eyes light

d no intention of si

of them headed str

rew trailed after her almost automatically. Midway through his stride, somethi

y, where did you

ared about standing right ther

of revulsion curl in her chest. Keeping her expression composed, she answered

ed, his expression

g strides, he moved quickly until

ect was immediate-color flooded her pale cheeks, her eyes lighting

ke a blade twisting straight through

past surfaced in her mind,

ndrew would step in without hesitatio

Xenia, Andrew would already be at her

here, Andrew would coax Kaelyn with soft per

indness of a devoted doctor now reveale

ad been the punchline all along, a fool pl

thing was finally

t her lips before she strolled insid

on endlessly, as though determined to win Kaelyn over,

l when her distant indifference refused to crack. "If you didn't feel like coming, no one forced

face, clearly afraid the tension might spiral because of her. With a small shake of her head, she

lingered in her smile, sayin

as her icy gaze drifted downward, settling on Xenia's hand w

sharp with mockery, "what makes you

her hand back as if burned, fingers curling nervously. "I-I didn't

eyes gliding over the two of them with pointed meaning. "If you're so fond of clin

h, she swept past them, her hips

. Words hovered at the tip of his tongue, y

turned to Xenia. "You're not in the best shape, Xenia-don't let her get to you. Just ta