Page 8 of Unstable

Aster recapped the bottle and moved to put them back into her purse. “Thanks.”

“Hey, Mags?” Rina nodded to the prescription bottle. “Can I have those?”

The redhead looked torn. “I’m really not supposed to leave them…”

“Please?” Rina affected a pitiful expression. “You know how hard this whole thing has been for me. What if I need them?”

“Well…” Aster’s hand tightened on the bottle before she reluctantly passed it over. “Okay, but don’t tell Louis.”

Rina beamed as she clutched the bottle close to her chest. “You’re the best.”

He bit down on his tongue to keep his automatic response from flying out of his mouth. Typical spoiled little faux celebrity. Rina couldn’t even make it through one day without medicating herself. There were a lot of people in this world a heck of a lot worse off than she was, but she was too caught up in herself to even realize it. With a little shake of his head, he looked at Aster. “I’ll close up after you.”

He showed Aster to the door, then locked up behind her and strode toward the couch. He dropped his duffel bag on the floor next to the coffee table, resigned to spending the next few nights in this very spot. He was still too antsy to sit and chill, so he made his way back to the kitchen. The sooner he and Irina hashed things out, the better off they’d both be.

On silent feet, he headed through the doorway and spied Rina standing at the counter, her back to him. The orange prescription bottle sat open on the counter next to her, as well as various other bottles of supplements, and pills were scattered over the granite surface.

Fury rose up, and he stormed toward her. He snatched up her wrist, and the empty bottle landed with a clatter at their feet. “What do you think you’re doing?”

She gasped as she whirled toward him, trying to pull free of his grasp. “You scared me!”

He scowled down at her. “What are you doing?”

“What?”

She looked up at him blankly, like she had no idea what he was talking about—or she was desperately trying to hide something.

“I’m not an idiot, Rina. What’s with the pills?”

Her brows drew together, and he finally released her wrist as she gestured to them. “Trying to find a match.”

“For what?”

She rolled her eyes. “The capsules. I’m looking for something similar.” She studied him for a second. “What did you think I was doing?”

“You’ve got pills spread all over the counter, Rina. Take a guess what went through my head.”

She glared at him. “No, I’m not planning to kill myself. But thanks for your concern.” She turned back to the pharmacy in front of her but didn’t say another word.

Frustration and curiosity welled up. “So, what exactly are you doing?”

“Looking for a match,” she repeated, like he was slow. “I need to find a replacement so Aster won’t be suspicious.”

“About what? Whether you’re taking them?”

“What’s with all the questions?”

He shrugged. “Just curious.”

She turned to him, and her eyes narrowed. “Why? So you can run and tell Louis?”

He threw one hand in the air. “It’s a simple question. Why do you have a dozen different medications spread out like a buffet?”

He picked up the bottle Aster had handed her before she’d left. “What are these, anyway?”

“I have no idea.”

His eyes flared at her response. “You take meds without knowing what they are?”