Page 186 of Finding Delaware

“He’s...” No, but something about taking off without telling him seems wrong. “He’s my ride. I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be waiting,” he breathes as I step away, the flirty tone of his voice making my steps falter.

It’s not like men haven’t flirted with me before; it used to happen constantly at the Prospector when Christian and I shot some pool. And though I was never interested, I played into it because that’s just who I am—a major flirt. But something about it happening now that I’m with Huck makes me feel icky, and I’m not sure I like it.

When I step back in, the house has the same tense vibe, and I try my best to ignore the looks as I search for Huck, my jaw tight.

“Huck in the kitchen?” I ask Logan when I see him coming into the dining room. He nods, opening his mouth to say something, but the curt tone of Maisie’s voice cuts him off.

“Really, Huckslee, what were you thinking, inviting him? After what he did to your father?”

Logan and I both freeze, our wide eyes meeting as we stand hidden just beyond the archway, out of sight.

“He was going through a rough time,” Huck answers placatingly. “That was years ago. He’s changed.”

“And that’s an excuse to lay hands on someone?”

I flinch at her words as I hear him sigh. “No, of course not, but he’s better now. Sober. He’s been through therapy for the stuff that happened with his dad.”

“What stuff?”

My heart starts to pound rapidly in my chest, both Logan and I as still as stone.

“The abuse.”

Maisie huffs, lips smacking in protest. “Is that what he told you? Taylor is a compulsive liar, Huck. He has been since he was a child.”

I don’t even hear his response over the roaring of blood in my ears, breaths coming out in ragged, short gasps. White-hot rage licks up my spine, my hands fisting at my sides to keep from punching the drywall.

Compulsive liar. That’s a new one, I’ll give her that. As if she had ever paid enough attention to me to tell if I had lied while growing up. Things didn’t even get bad for me untilaftershe left.

Logan places a hand on my shoulder, eyes filled with sympathy, but I shake him off, backing away toward the door.

“Tell Huck I’m going for a ride with your uncle,” is all I say before turning on my heel to exit the house, blood boiling.Devon is waiting on his bike, head bent while he scrolls through his phone, and he smiles at me when I approach.

“Your babysitter give you permission?”

I grit my teeth, choosing not to respond as I climb on behind him, just wanting to get away from this fucking house and this fucking family. They aren’t mine, not truly. Never have been. Salem and Christian are all I need. Matty, Hannah, and Xed, too.

“Grab on,” he says before starting the bike, and my arms wrap around his thin waist. He feels wrong against me, nothing like the man I really wish I could hold right now, but I can’t make Huckslee choose between me and his family. I can’t. I won’t.

So I hang on tight, craving high speed as Devon peels out, taking me away from the other half of my heart.

Huckslee

My jaw clenches so hard at Maisie’s words I swear I hear a molar crack.

I’ve never hated her more than I do at this moment.

“I just don’t understand why you’d think this was a good idea. He’s violent and unpredictable, just like his father was.”

But he’s not. And I can’t believe my ears are even hearing a mother talk about their child this way right now. Over the last few months, I’ve grown to know Taylor better than I know myself—all his scars, hopes, and dreams. He’s beautiful, inside and out. It took me far too long to realize that, and it eats me up that his own mom can’t even see that about the human she brought into this world.

“Now, Mais, let’s just catch our breaths.” Dad tries to calm the storm brewing in the room, but his wife is having none of it.

“I do not want him here. Not after what he did to you, Aaron. And Huckslee, have you forgotten that he wreckedyour car? You boys never got along, I don’t know what’s changed—”

The anger inside me bubbles to its boiling point, and finally, I snap, unable to stand her vitriol any longer.

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