Page 44 of Faking it with the Bad Boy Bikers

I turned off of Main Street to go back to Ms. Vivian’s and collided with someone. We both ended up on our asses and I looked up to see Maxie staring back at me. My big sister. She hadn’t come to see me since I’d been back so I’d assumed she didn’t want to.

Sitting there across from me then, though, she looked like she wanted to grab me and hold me. Her eyes filled with tears which she quickly blinked away and then she cleared her throat. “Nellie.”

I didn’t know how to act and I’d just been screwed emotionally raw by Woodrow so I just let it out. “You haven’t been by to see me. Or Waylan.”

She winced. “I know. I should’ve. I should’ve brought a gift to welcome you home and maybe gotten Waylan something for school. She’s in school here, right? I’ve heard she’s really smart and ahead for her age. Just like you always were. I’m sorry. I, uh, I should’ve stopped by. Things have just been busy and I’ve—”

“Maxie.” I stared at her and felt an ache form in the pit of my stomach. Maxie had always been the good girl, the first daughter and the best daughter. She’d always been high-strung and was quick to panic but the woman sitting in front of me was wound tighter than I’d ever seen anyone. She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked like a strong wind would shatter her.

She bit her already raw looking lip and looked down at the ground. She seemed to realize we were both still sitting on the sidewalk and gasped. Jumping to her feet, she swayed like she was going to faint, but she’d steadied herself by the time I stood up. “You probably hate me.”

I reacted like she’d slapped me. Gaping at her, I shook my head hard enough to dislodge the bun I’d put my hair in after finishing up with Woodrow. “Maxie, no. I don’t hate you. I didn’t come to see you, either.”

“How could you? With what our parents did to you? With the way our brothers have been acting? I knew you wouldn’t come back to the ranch. I wouldn’t if I were you.” She looked away and I would’ve sworn I saw longing on her face. “I should’ve come by. I’m sorry. I…”

“Do you want to get a coffee or something with me now?” I felt like the big sister then, full of worry for Maxie. I wanted to take her under my arm and make her lie down for a nap.

She winced, though. “I’m so sorry. I can’t. I have to meet with a lawyer for Mills. After everything with the Mays, their ranch isfor sale for hardly anything and Mills wants it. He’s busy today so I have to— I get to meet with the lawyer. And I’m running late. I hate being late.”

I grew even angrier at my brothers. “You could blow it off. Mills should do his own bidding. You look like you could use a break, Max.”

Those tears filled her eyes again but she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I… I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

I watched her hurry around me and pulled out my phone right away to call Vera. She answered, out of breath, on the third ring. “What’s going on with Maxie?”

Vera hesitated. “What? Nothing that I know of. Why?”

“I just ran into her and she looks awful. She almost passed out when she stood up. And she’s still doing Mills’ shit for him. Despite looking like she needs to sleep for the next week straight.”

“Don’t even try to step in to help, Nellie. You know Maxie. She always has to be perfect. The perfect daughter, the perfect sister. She’s obsessed.” She sighed. “I don’t get it. I could talk to Mills, though. Since I’m about to make him an uncle, I have a little more sway. Maybe I could ask him about it.”

I already knew that would feel like a betrayal to Maxie. “No, no. I’ll figure something out myself. This is beyond Maxie’s normal perfection, Vera. Does she ever come toDoll’s Club? Maybe I could corner her there and get her to talk to me?”

“Ha. That’s funny. Perfect Maxie at a meeting about sex and shit like it? I tried to invite her once and she acted like I’d asked her if she wanted to come join my orgy.” Despite the bite in her words, Vera sounded more concerned than she had. “I don’t know what could be wrong. I haven’t noticed anything. Which I guess is pretty shitty, huh?”

“You’ve been a little busy growing a child, V. I didn’t call you to guilt you. I just wondered if I’d missed something. I’ll figure itout.” We said our goodbyes and I considered going against what I knew was best and calling Mills.

In the end, I couldn’t. I knew Maxie enough to know she’d take any concern from our big brothers as a comment about her performance. She’d feel like she’d messed up and then try even harder to be perfect. I didn’t know what to do but I knew she wasn’t okay.

CHAPTER 35

Henry

The door to the station blew open and in stomped one very angry looking Hellstone. I’d figured we’d be getting a visit from Mills sooner rather than later so I wasn’t surprised. Annoyed and already over it? Yes. Surprised? Not at all.

“You three have a lot of fucking explaining to do.” He braced his hands on the front desk and leaned across it to get in my face. “I told you to look out for my sister. Keep her out of trouble. Instead, you’re putting on a show in front of the entire fucking town, making sure every breathing person over twelve knows you’re screwing her!”

I turned my head to look at Seth and then Woodrow. We’d been considering what to eat for lunch but that looked like it wouldn’t be happening for a while.

Woodrow, still on a high from his tryst with Nellie the day before, stood up. “She’s not in any trouble, is she?”

“You’re making her into a fucking spectacle! Everyone knows the three of you are going at her like a bunch of bitches in heat. I consider that trouble!”

“You asked us to stay close to her and keep her out of trouble and we’ve done that. That’s where your concern should end. Your sister is a grown woman. Who she sleeps with is none of your business.” I stayed seated, not wanting to escalate anything.

The door behind him banged open again and in came Tate and West, looking just as angry. West came around the desk and grabbed Woodrow’s shirt, pulling him close. “I just heard a table at the diner go into graphic detail about how they saw you fucking our baby sister inside a car and a fucking bathroom. That’s our baby sister! What the fuck is wrong with you? A bathroom?”

Woodrow raised his brows. “Neither of those were me. Sorry.”

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