“I think the whole floor hears you,” I reply. I run my tongue around my dry mouth. I’m feeling super dehydrated. Where is that damn bottle?

“I only care to get through to one person, but I don’t think it’s working. I’ll be back in twenty-four hours. Try not to fuck up too much until then,” he booms and then he hangs up.

I stare at the phone. “He hung up on me.”

Ella reaches over and plucks the device from my hand. “Are you surprised? You’re drunk in a hospital, Easton. Your little brother is passed out—the one whose heart is aching because his best friend and twin is in a coma. You’re cracking jokes about it because, for some reason, it’s too hard for you to apologize. I love you, East, but your wheels are coming off.”

A dark, mean feeling rises in my chest. She’s not even family. Her last name isn’t Royal. It’s O’Halloran. She shouldn’t even be here. The only reason she’s even living at our house is because my dad felt sorry for an orphan who he found stripping in some dirt-hole club. She keeps her place in this family by sleeping with my brother. She—

“Durand’s here to stay with the twins. I’ll drive you home.”

My dad’s driver steps into the room, a magazine rolled up in his large fist.

I swallow my angry words.

“Super.” I stalk over to my backpack and throw it over my shoulder, pretending that the clinking noise it makes is the result of two soda bottles rubbing together rather than the empty Smirnoff containers. Shame prickles through me, and I find it hard to look at Ella. If she knew what I was thinking, she’d be hurt.

When did I become this asshole? That’s my brother Reed’s role. Mine has always been the fun-loving Royal. The guy who knows how to have a good time. Is Ella right? Are my wheels coming off?

It’s the hospital. Between Hart showing up with Bran, and Seb still in his coma, I’m losing it. I rein in my temper, remind myself that Ella’s on my side even if she isn’t acting like it, and exit behind her. Neither of us says a word as we walk down the hall or into the elevator to the first floor. The silence feels heavy and awkward as if she knew what I was thinking.

I try to break the ice. “The hospital is actually the number one place to have a bender. If you’re in any danger, there’s a nurse to hook you up to an IV.”

She sighs. “And I’m sure that was your first thought when you refilled your underage brother’s glass, wasn’t it?”

“The twins drink all the time, Ella. You think this is the first time Sawyer’s gotten wasted?”

“That’s not the point. He shouldn’t be drinking when he’s this upset over Seb—”

“Did you become Sheriff since I last saw you or what?” I snap. I’m having a real tough time keeping the big ammo back. Does she want me to bring up her damn past?

“Excuse me for caring,” she snipes back.

The pressure in my chest grows again. “Listen, Ella, I already have a dad, so why don’t you back the fuck off,” I growl.

“Fine.” She throws up her hands and stomps out. “I’m worried about you, okay? I love you. I don’t want you to end up in a body bag!”

“Yeah, well, I will if I don’t let off steam now and then,” I shout back.

“Is there a problem here?”

We both jerk around to see a cop staring at us with an anxious expression. My dad would have a coronary if he gets a call in Dubai that Ella and I got hauled into the city jail for fighting. I don’t know how much more trauma my family can take.

“No,” I say.

“No,” Ella choruses at the same time. “We were just leaving,” she adds and grabs my hand. I let her drag me along behind her until we reach her car.

I shake her off and climb in, moving the car seat back as far as it goes. Deciding it’s best if I keep my mouth shut, I close my eyes and pretend to rest.

Unfortunately, Ella’s not done with me. “Val saw you with Felicity at the IC. What did she want?”

Shit, there are spies everywhere.

“To suck my dick.” I prop my knee up because there’s no room in Ella’s tiny car for my legs. How does Reed even fit in here? I swear my old man bought this matchbox of a car so that Ella and Reed wouldn’t have any space to mess around in it—not that it’s stopped them. The two can’t keep their hands off each other, and their bedrooms are about ten feet apart. The only thing that keeps them from screwing like bunny rabbits is Reed’s absence. He’s up at State during the week so Ella spends most of her nights alone.

I suspect they do some kinky shit using their computers, but I’m not real interested in their sex life, particularly since I’ve been in a serious dry spell. Hartley and I never made it that far—not for lack of effort on my part. She wasn’t ready, so I had to tuck my dick away. That wasn’t easy. Beating the meat is never as good as being inside a girl.

“What’s the sigh for?” Ella asks. “Felicity?”

“Fuck no. I’m thinking about how many times I’ve had to jerk off because Hartley wasn’t ready for sex.”

Ella groans. “Really, East? You could’ve kept that information to yourself.”

“Babe, you asked what the sigh was for. I answered. If you don’t like the answers, don’t ask the questions.”