Page 111 of Mace

Shit. “Apart from be obnoxious?” Riot’s expression tells me he doesn’t believe me.

“Maylie, if he’s done something, Mace’ll find it out. My brother is like a bloodhound when it comes to the people he loves.” He’s the second person today to tell me Mace loves me, and my pulse flutters of its own accord. “Talk to me.”

I rub at my neck, which suddenly feels constricted. This is the last of my secrets, though I thought Bernie was in the rearview mirror considering I’d paid him. I didn’t think I’d ever have to admit the disgusting proposition he made to me. “He?—”

The front door opens, cutting off my words as my sister peers around the frame.

Her cheeks heat as she locks her gaze on Riot. My sister would never admit it, but she likes him, even though Riot treats her like a little sister.

“Are you okay?” She directs this at me. “We got worried when you didn’t come back. Hey, Riot.”

“Darlin’.”

I understand why my sister is hot for Riot when he says that, because it has the same effect on her as it does when Mace calls me endearments. My stomach sinks. This is not a good relationship for her to pursue, and not just because Riot is twenty-eight. He’s also a total whore. Every time he leaves the flat after sitting with my siblings, he doesn’t go home to bed—he goes to find a girl. Ivy’s still processing what happened between her and Link. She doesn’t need to rush into another situation that could potentially get her hurt, and I don’t mean physically. Riot would never hurt her that way, but he would inadvertently crush her heart.

“Are you staying?” I ask.

“I was just checkin’ in, but now, yeah, Maylie, I’m stayin’ until Mace is back.”

Ivy smiles at him. “I’ll make you a coffee.”

As soon as she heads inside, I swivel my gaze back to Riot, folding my arms over my chest. “She likes you.” It comes out more accusatory than I intend.

“What’s not to like?” It’s not delivered with the usual cockiness he has, which makes my eyes roll.

“No, Riot, shelikesyou.”

He snaps his gaze to me. “What? Shit, Maylie, youknow I’d never. She’s only seventeen. I’m not like that fucker.”

His words offer me relief, though I feel a little kernel of sadness for my sister. Unrequited lust is never a good place to be in.

“I know, but you seem kind of oblivious about it, which is weird considering you’ve slept with most of the female population of Birmingham?—”

“Not most,” he interrupts.

“Enough of them.”

“Babe, I wasn’t even lookin’ for it because she’s young. Ain’t anything gonna happen between her and me. She’s a minor and she’s also pregnant. I ain’t lookin’ to be anyone’s stepdaddy.”

He shudders at the thought. “Okay. Thanks.”

That eases my fear more than anything because I don’t picture Riot with the family and picket fence life.

“Fuck,” he mutters. “You know I have to tell my brother about this shit, right?”

“Ivy?”

He snorts. “No. There’s nothin’ to tell there. I mean the eviction and that prick.”

My shoulders slump, but I would never expect Riot to lie to his brother. Mace would never forgive him if he did.

“I’ll tell him,” I promise. “I don’t want secrets between us.”

There’s approval in his eyes. “Good. Secrets tear people apart, Maylie.”

He’s right, and I should have told Mace about Bernie sooner, but I figured once I paid what I owed, he would just disappear. I should have known better. Nothing in my life is ever that simple.

Riot joins us for breakfast, careful with his words around my sister, and when we’ve finished eating, Toby heads to school while Ivy reluctantly goes to her bedroom to study for her exams.

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