Page 62 of Made For Ruin

I force myself to smile and say, “Um, yeah, of course. Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Gosh, I can’t believe that Lorena is getting married,” Ruby says. “It feels like just yesterday we were all sitting in Mr. Hargrove’s chemistry class.”

“Are you kidding? Lorena’s been planning her wedding since second grade,” Axel says with a smirk. “Her marriage has basically been arranged since birth. You know how those mafia families are.”

Ruby shakes her head. “I could never do that. Marry someone I barely know just because my family says so.”

“Aw come on, Ruby. We all know you act all independent, but deep down you’re just waiting for a man to come along and tell you what to do.” Axel winks at her playfully.

Ruby throws a chip at him. “Hard pass. I’m no one’s arm candy or broodmare, thank you very much.”

Axel laughs then Axel turns to me, his eyes locking onto mine in that way that always makes me feel like he can see straight through me.

“What about you, Lainey?” he asks casually.

I swallow hard. “What about me?”

“Your love life,” Axel says, leaning back with that easy grin of his. “Anything interesting going on?”

I take a sip of my drink, hoping it’ll buy me time to think of something to say. But Axel’s gaze doesn’t waver, and Ruby is that one friend you can never look at when things are serious, because her facial expressions give everything away.

“Nope,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “Nothing going on there.”

Ruby lets out a snort and I shoot her a warning look.

“Really?” Axel tilts his head, studying me like he knows I’m holding something back. “Nothing at all? You’re telling me you haven’t been swept off your feet by some rugged mountain man or something?”

I nearly choke, coughing into my hand as my mind immediately goes to Marcus. His strong hands, his deep voice, the way he looks at me like he wants to devour me whole.

“No. No mountain men in my life,” I manage to say once I catch my breath. I decide to change the subject. “Just dealing with my brother. He got let of prison on good behavior.”

Axel’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, what? Derrick’s out?”

I sigh. “Yeah. He got out a few weeks ago.”

“I thought he had two more years left.”

Ruby snorts. “We all did.”

Axel whistles low under his breath. “Damn. How’s he doing? Is he, you know, staying out of trouble?”

I bite my lip. “I mean, he’s trying. Or at least that’s what he says. But you know how he is. He always got some scheme or another brewing.”

“Please tell me he’s not working at the diner.”

“Thankfully, no,” I say quickly. “He’s back running with his old crew. And apparently, he’s got some new business idea he wants to tell me about.”

Axel lets out a sharp laugh. “Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Yeah,” I mutter. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

The room falls quiet for a moment, the weight of everything hanging between us. Ruby shifts uncomfortably in her seat, and Axel reaches across the table, his hand covering mine.

“Hey,” he says softly, his voice gentler than before. “If you need anything—if you need help dealing with him—you know I’ve got your back, right?”

I look up at him, surprised by the sincerity in his eyes.

For all the history between us—for all the messy, complicated feelings we still haven’t fully untangled—there’s something comforting about knowing he’s still here. Still cares.

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