"Seraphina Ashford, how long are you going to keep this up?"
William frowned, adjusting his cufflinks, his tone dripping with impatience.
He shoved a cup of hot milk he'd just bought into my hands. That was his usual move: slap you first, then offer you a piece of candy.
"I'm not 'keeping up' anything. I'm taking back what's mine." I didn't accept the milk. I let it fall to the floor.
I pressed a hand against my aching lower back and pointed at the door. "Take your precious neighbor and get out."
"Please don't be upset, Seraphina. This is all my fault."
Alma struggled to sit up, her eyes reddening instantly, her voice thin and pitiful.
"My foot just hurt so badly, and William saw I couldn't stand, so he let me come in to rest for a minute. I had no idea you'd been waiting all morning for this room. I'll leave right now..."
She made a show of climbing off the bed. The moment her toes grazed the floor, she let out a sharp whimper and collapsed straight into William's arms.
William caught her without hesitation, his face going completely dark.
"Alma, you have an old injury. Stay put and don't move!"
When he turned back to me, his eyes were full of blame.