The Other Brother (Snow and Ash Book 3) by Heather Knight Read Free Book Online Page B

shuts me up. I cock my head.
    “So from now on, I’m going to lay out some rules for you. I’ll give you a list tomorrow.”
    A list of rules? He’s got to be kidding me!
    “I’m disappointed,” he continues. “You lied to me.”
    I suck in a breath. “I did not lie!”
    “I asked you several times what was wrong, and you said everything was fine. You lied.”
    I cross my arms over my chest. “I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to talk to you.”
    “I don’t know if I can trust you now.”
    I gape at him, and my hands drop to my sides. “You not trust me?”
    “You should have told me right away you had a problem with me instead of lying and hiding it. How am I supposed to know how to help and protect you when you don’t let me know when something’s troubling you? If you’re mad and I don’t know it, how am I supposed to fix things?”
    Heat tingles my face. I did try to hide it. I didn’t give him a chance.
    “I thought you’d get mad at me for being down there,” I admit.
    “And I would have been, but like I just told you, it’s partly my fault. That’s still not an excuse for deceiving me.”
    What the eff?
    “I told you. This can only work if you’re honest with me. What else have you lied about?”
    “Nothing!” I scowl. I don’t like being treated like a ten-year-old.
    He shakes his head. “I don’t know if I believe that. I thought you were ready to be my wife, not some silly little girl.”
    Ice fills my veins, and I glare at him. “Don’t you dare expect me to act like some middle-aged mom. I’m nineteen, okay? And I’m not sorry.”
    His lips thin.
    “And don’t expect sex tonight, either,” I throw in. I’m so not doing him.
    “Oh, I agree. In fact, tonight you can sleep on the floor.”
    What?
    “What?”
    “You don’t deserve to sleep in my bed. You can sleep on the floor.”
    I gawk at him. “I’ll sleep in another room.”
    “No. You won’t. Don’t push me, Bianca. I’m in charge. You know that.”
    “In charge? You suck, Kent. I hate you!”
    “Oh yeah, you’re definitely on the floor tonight.” He flings a pillow. “I’ll think about what to do with you tomorrow.”
    I pick it up and fling it back at him. He makes no attempt to catch it, so it bounces off his chest back onto the floor.
    “Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “Why don’t you sleep in that bed of yours and fuck yourself!”
    I charge into the bathroom and shut the door. Hard. I brush my teeth longer than necessary, and I take my good old time washing my face, under my arms, my crotch. Not that he’s going to get anywhere near that, but I hate it that he’s freshly clean and I’m not.
    Finally, there’s no more stalling, and I exit the bathroom. Again, there are no pajamas waiting for me, and I don’t know where they’re kept. Why don’t I know where my own clothes are? Seriously, is that weird or what?
    A pallet of blankets and a pillow wait for me on the floor. I lie down fully clothed and shut my eyes. A few minutes later I hear slapping noises.
    “What are you doing?”
    “You told me to go fuck myself,” he pants. “Figured you wouldn’t mind.”
    My blood boils as I turn onto my side and close my eyes. The throw rug that seems soft underfoot is like a concrete slab against my hip. Kent groans, then sighs. A few minutes later I hear a gentle snore.
    I haven’t so much as dozed when someone pounds on the door.
    “Damn it.” Kent throws back the covers and gets to his feet. Good thing, because I have no intention of meddling with his business.
    He takes a deep breath and pulls the door open. “This better be important.”
    “Sir, it’s the general. He’s been shot.”

CHAPTER FIVE

    Kent and I sit alone in a dimly lit hospital waiting room. He props his elbows on his knees, and at even the smallest sound, his eyes fly to the door. No one ever comes.
    When someone finally does show, it’s Colonel Wagner. Kent rises to his feet.