~Alistair's POV~
Alex paused, his fork hovering in mid-air as he stared at me, his eyes searching mine for any sign that I was joking or being cruel.
"You're staying?" he murmured, his voice cracking. "Alis, yesterday you said... You said you couldn't stand the smell of this house. You said it smelled like betrayal."
I didn't want him to keep digging, and I certainly wasn't ready to tell him I'd spent the morning laughing at his mother's misfortune. I needed to keep the upper hand. I narrowed my eyes slightly and made a show of pushing my chair back.
"It sounds like you want me gone, Alex," I said, my voice dropping into a cold, dramatic tone. "Fine. I'll stand up right now and go pack my things. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome."
"Baby, what do you mean you've overstayed your welcome? This is your home."
I didn't answer him. I simply pushed my chair back and began to stand.
