“It means, you’re the only problem in my life currently. You made my boyfriend break up with me.”
“I did not. It’s not my fault he felt threatened by me having to be around.”
It’s not like it was always my choice. Somewhere in our ten years of friendship, Rook had decided I was the best person to handle Evie. It had started from me doing anything for him—and her—and quickly turned into me offering to watch over her. We lived a dangerous enough life, it wasn’t suspicious she would need some sort of protection. Rook trusted me and Evie listened to me, it was a logical job for me to take on—until I was watching her too much, hanging around her when I didn’t need to, making her ride with me even if there were other open bikes.
“He feels threatened because not only do I have to be around you, you’re always aroundme. Do you need an example?” she asked, her chest rising faster now. I loved angry Evie. Her nostrils would flare and then her nose would scrunch right before her eyebrows furrowed, the raging fire in her eyes always jumping to life immediately. “What about you barging into my room in the middle of the night without knocking?”
“I knocked,” I said flatly. “You didn’t answer.”
“And you came in anyway. What if I’d been naked? Or with someone?” she asked, throwing me one of her most devious smiles. “Or even getting myself off? Did you think of that? No, you just barged in without a care.”
I bit down, my jaw so tight it already began to ache.
Maybe I should’ve thought it all through. Maybe I did—and still opened the damn door. Maybe part of me even hoped to see one or two of those things.
I tried to shake it off, but the thought sat heavy between us.
The world probably didn’t even like me enough to let me walk in on the beautiful sight of Evie getting off.
Pushing up from the bed, I knew I’d lost this battle—the only chance left was putting distance between us.
“Forget it. Good night, you little psycho.”
“That’s it?” she called after me, making me pause.
“Yeah, that’s it. I’m tired and done for the night. Your psycho antics were taken care of and I came home alone. We obviously aren’t going to get anywhere since you clearly think you did nothing wrong. You got your revenge, so good night.”
She scrambled up on the bed, moving onto her knees and showing off the smallest pair of shorts I had ever seen.
“I mean, you aren’t even going to yell at me? You’re not pissed?” Her voice had a desperate edge I hadn’t expected. “I made you lose money, sex, and hours of your night.”
“And what the fuck did you want from it, Evie? Me angry, or us fighting? I took care of it. I’m home, I’m done.”
She moved closer, shuffling on her knees across the bed until we were only a foot apart. Her lips parted like she had something else to say, but she bit it back. Evie didn’t give anything away if she couldn’t twist it to her advantage.
“What? No way to use this to piss me off more? I get it—you’re mad my presence encouraged your boyfriend to break up with you, but it’s not like I said anything to him. You don’t have to be around me all the time. You can always ride with Mason or Hero. They work with us and live here just like I do.”
It was a lie. I could easily make sure they didn’t take her anywhere. No one in the house would question it if I said Evie was riding with me.
The words I thought would smooth things over seemed to set her off more.
“Wow, so shove me to the side and make me someone else’s problem. Get the hell out of my room.”
The faint scent of vanilla caught me off guard—soft, sweet, and completely at odds with the sharpness of her words. It was a reminder of everything about Evie that got under my skin, the contradictions I couldn’t ignore. How could I spend every day around her and still not build up a tolerance?
“You could at least pretend to care about him breaking up with me in front of everyone,” she said. “Pretend you’re not only some unfeeling robot who does whatever my brother tells him to.”
The jab stung, but I didn’t let it show. “I’m not here to fight with you. And I’m not here to throw a pity party about some stupid guy being a dick to you. Go to bed. Sleep off whatever this fucking attitude is tonight.”
Her lips curved into a mocking smile, but I saw the flicker of hurt behind it. “Sure, Ace. Just keep doing what you’re told. Gobe Rook’s perfect little soldier. Was checking to make sure I’m locked up in my room another order for the night?”
I froze, the nickname making my stomach tighten. She always knew how to find the weak spots, but I wasn’t going to let her see she’d hit one.
“Exactly. Now, good night, Evie.” I turned to leave, not wanting to continue this agonizing hell another second.
“Coward,” she muttered behind me, and I stopped in the doorway, my hand tightening on the frame.
I didn’t turn around. If I did, I might not leave at all.
