Maybe that was why the fact that his newfound brother avoided looking at him and avoided him in general bothered Liam more than it should have. Maybe it was his vanity again. Maybe he should just get over it. He didn’t have to be the center of attention all the time.
Still, this was his brother. If even his own brother didn’t like him or didn’t want to spend time around him, what did it say about him?
Finally, after a week of Anthony barely glancing his way, Liam had had enough.
He might be a relatively mild-tempered person, but even he had his limits.
“I want to speak to you,” Liam said, entering Anthony’s office.
Anthony’s shoulders stiffened slightly, his eyes remaining on the documents in front of him.
“I’m rather busy at the moment,” he said without looking at him. “Perhaps later?”
“Later,” Liam repeated flatly, shutting the door behind him. “I have a feeling you’ll be busy with something else later.”
At long last, Anthony lifted his gaze, his eyes inscrutable. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Liam smiled humorlessly. “Don’t you? You’ve been avoiding me ever since your arrival, Anthony. Have I… have I done something that displeased you?” He hated how small his voice sounded. Uncertain. It wasn’t him.
Anthony looked away for a moment before looking back at him. “You have done nothing wrong,” he said in an even voice.
Liam stretched his senses, trying to gauge Anthony’s emotions by his scent, but it was difficult: his sense of smell wasn’t that good. He needed to get closer.
So he did.
He walked closer to the desk.
Anthony seemed to become more grim with every step he took.
“What are you doing?” Anthony said, his gaze fixed on him warily.
He stopped by Anthony’s desk and inhaled carefully, allowing his scent to fill his senses. The scent of man—the scent of alpha. Liam inhaled it deeper, feeling inexplicably better. How peculiar.
“You don’t smell angry,” Liam noted.
A muscle jumped in Anthony’s lean cheek. “Scenting an alpha without permission is pretty rude, Li.”
Liam’s brows knitted together. “You’re my brother. I wouldn’t do it with other alphas. And you smell nice.”
If possible, Anthony seemed to become even more tense. His scent lessened, as though he reined it in.
Liam looked at him in puzzlement—and not a small amount of disappointment. Why did he do that?
“Why do you avoid me?” he said, rounding the desk and stopping next to Anthony. He tried to tell himself that it had nothing to do with wanting to smell him better, but he was honest enough with himself to know that was a lie.
Anthony turned in his chair and just looked at him in silence, his expression impossible to read.
“You don’t like me,” Liam said quietly, dropping his gaze.
Anthony let out a grunt that could be interpreted either way. It wasn’t a denial.
To his mortification, Liam felt his chin—his lips—start to tremble.
Anthony cursed under his breath and got to his feet. His hands made an aborted move, as if he intended to touch Liam but thought better of it. “Don’t be silly,” he said, stepping closer. His tone was rough but his gaze was significantly softer. “Why would I dislike you?”
“Why are you avoiding me, then?” Liam said, breathing deeper, his nostrils flaring as he tried to scent his brother. It was difficult—Anthony seemed to be reining in his pheromones and scent. They were barely noticeable; his self-control must have been immense.
“I’m not avoiding you,” Anthony said, watching him with a strange expression.
“You are.” Liam glared at him, hoping he looked stern and not like he was pouting. Jules always made fun of him for his tendency to pout and make puppy eyes. It was embarrassing, Liam knew it—a childhood habit he hadn’t yet managed to outgrow. As a child, his cuteness had allowed him to get away with pretty much anything, and old habits died hard. Unfortunately, as a side effect, Liam rarely managed to look properly angry. It always seemed like he was pouting or sulking, not pissed-off.
“Don’t be a child,” Anthony said, glancing at Liam’s lips.
“Wanting an explanation for your avoidance hardly makes me childish,” Liam said in his most biting tone. “You’re my brother. My alpha.”
A shade of emotion crossed Anthony’s stony face, but it was gone so quickly Liam couldn’t identify it. His eyes were half-lidded and he stared off into space, a tiny furrow between his brows the only sign of tension in his expression.
“I’m just very busy, Liam,” he said.
“You aren’t too busy to joke with Jules or listen to Eric geeking out over some video game,” Liam said. To his embarrassment and annoyance, his voice sounded upset rather than angry. “But you barely look at me.”
“I’m looking at you now,” Anthony said, finally looking him in the eyes. His expression softened.
Liam gave him a small, uncertain smile.
Anthony smiled back, and at last, he touched him. His knuckles stroked Liam’s cheek, the touch barely there.