Page 115 of Burning Daylight
My mouth sours. “Fine, then tell me why Benjamin acted like you two were friends the other night. Does it have to do with why Ty says you’re never around anymore?”
“Ty’s an idiot. And so is Benny, for that matter.”
Benny?There’s that nickname again.
My mouth drops. “Oh my God, youarehanging out with them.”
Defiance ghosts over his face. The same look he used to get when Beverly would tell us we couldn’t have dessert, or when Dad laid down an ironclad rule. The rest of us folded like lawn chairs, but not Lance. He’d get this glint in his eye like the rule was a dare; something for him to break.
“It’s nothing,” he says.
“You do realize saying that makes it feel likesomething.”
His silence is answer enough.
I tilt my head. “Give me a crumb here, dude. Is it a cult? Some underground fight club? A super-secret sex scandal?”
He doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t even blink.
Andthatmakes worry prickle along my spine more than anything else. “Lance, what thefuck? Dad will kill you if he finds out you’ve been hanging out in Montgomery territory.”
“Rich, coming from you.”
I frown, unease flickering inside me like a light switch. “What does that mean?”
He lifts his chin, his jaw stiffening. “How do you know Roman Montgomery?”
Thatquestion takes the wind out of my sails, and I press my lips together, suddenly not wanting to talk anymore. “Quit trying to change the subject.”
“Stay away from him.”
I scoff. “You sound like Dad.”
He stiffens. “I amnotour fucking father.”
“No shit. Dad wouldn’t be sneaking around with people like Benjamin Voltaire.”
His face softens. “I didn’t come here to argue. I came here to check in. I’ve missed you, and I worry about you. I don’t trust anyone in this family to look out for you the way you deserve.”
My eyes burn, emotion swelling in my chest. For as mad as I am at Lance, I can’t help the fact that I love him so damn much. “I miss you, too.”
“Where’re Pax and Alex?” he asks, looking around.
I shrug. “I’m sure Paxton is around somewhere doing Dad’s bidding, and Alex is probably at the theater.”
Lance’s phone chimes. He pulls it out, reads whatever is on the screen, and then his brows furrow, tension lining his face.
“Who’s that?” I pry, leaning over his shoulder to try and get a good look.
I don’t see much, mostly because his shoulder is the size of my head. “Jesus, Lance, when did you get so jacked? You’re like a fucking boulder.”
He smirks and flexes without shame. “I’ve always been the superior Calloway. I don’t know why you’re just now noticing.”
I snort and smack him on the arm. “You’re an idiot.”
“And you’re nosy.” He moves his phone away from me, standing up and slipping it into his back pocket.
“I won’t apologize for wanting to know who outranks me on your priority list.”
