Page 73 of Bitter Arrangement

“Other than that?”

“He falls asleep in like ten seconds when he wants to. He reads every night before bed.”

“He reads? Seriously?”

“History stuff mostly. A few sci-fi thriller novels. He listens to podcasts too, like dozens of them. I think he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met.”

“I’m having a hard time connecting podcasts and history books to your scary-looking mobster husband.”

“I know, right? But it’s true.”

“And what about, you know—” She waggles her eyebrows up and down. “The intimate stuff.”

“We’re working on it.” My cheeks turn red, and I drink the seltzer to hide my embarrassment.

“Sounds like you’re working on a lot.” Her voice softens as she snuggles in closer. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m good. No, really, I’m honestly good. Alexan’s nice to me. He’s cold and distant, but he’s also protective and caring. I was worried he’d end up being a controlling prick, and it’s really not like that.”

“I’m honestly so relieved to hear you say that. I was partly worried I’d show up here and find you, like, a battered shell of your former self.”

“Nope, still the same old me. Thriving and conniving.”

“And badly rhyming.” She sits up and stretches her legs. “Alright, so we’ve established you’re still a wretched goofball. Can you show me the rest of the place?”

I give her a tour of the rest of the place. We joke around and poke fun at each other the whole time, and I realize how much I missed her. It’s like I came to live with Alexan, and my old life went on pause. I didn’t reach out to friends, and I barely heard from them, except for Cass. But now that the shock of my marriage is wearing off and the reality of my life is setting in, I’m starting to take stock of where to go from here.

And maybe it’s not so bad, this whole situation.

Minus the murderous organized crime syndicate hell-bent on cutting our throats, obviously.

We end up on the back porch. I want to tell Cass everything about what’s going down, but I really can’t get her involved. She’ll want to go to Liam, and Alexan already made it clear that he doesn’t want anyone else to know, much less the head of the McGrath family. Instead, I give her an update on Brenden, which she doesn’t seem too surprised about.

“I’ve heard rumors,” she admits. “Just some of the cousins talking, you know? They said whatever Brenden did went really bad, but I don’t think anyone knows how much trouble he’s in.”

“He thinks he can handle it himself, but I don’t know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Honestly? Right now, I’m going to keep calm and avoid making it worse. But I can’t sit around and wait for his situation to resolve itself.”

“I didn’t think so. That wouldn’t be the Riley I know.”

“Can you do me a favor? Can you ask around about it?”

“Sure, I promise I’ll see what I can find out.”

We change the subject, but I keep thinking back to the way my brother sat at the kitchen table, hunched over his wounds. Normally, he’s got a big smile on his face, and the world’s like a playground, but now he seems withdrawn and terrified.

It kills me, seeing him like that.

We’re finishing up when Alexan comes home. He doesn’t notice us out back at first, and I have to wave him down to get his attention.

“Cass, this is my husband, Alexan. And Alexan, this is my best friend.”

“Great to officially meet you,” Cass says, smiling huge at him.

He frowns at her and stares for a long, awkward moment. I don’t get why he’s being so cold, but he finally quickly shakes her hand.

---