“What makes you think I’d want to step foot inside that house?”
She shrugs. “Charlotte and I aren’t welcome there, but you’re good.”
“Thisis my home. If I’d wanted to stay there with Mom and George, I would’ve done it. So stop beating yourself up about it all. I’m here because I want to be—not because I’m being made to.”
“I can make you do stuff. Sometimes.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “You keep telling yourself that.”
She’s a pain in the ass most of the time, but I know how guilty shefeels about falling in love with Charlotte—who just happens to be our stepdad’s daughter. Which makes her my stepsister-in-law, as I like to remind them from time to time. It drives them crazy, and that’s how I like it. Then baby Joey arrived, which added yet more fuel to what was already one hell of a fire.
“Sometimes, I think…” She pauses, gnawing on her lip.
“Just shut the hell up before your hormones make you say something you regret. You and Charlotte did nothing wrong. Nothing—okay? I decided to leave home all by myself, like a big girl.”
When Charlotte and Raven got thrown out by Mom and her new husband, I stuck around. I kind of had to—I was fifteen and still in high school, it’s not like I had a choice. But a year later, and my home life was pure hell. I couldn’t stand how Mom was acting anymore, so I moved into the tiny apartment my sister shared with her girlfriend and my nephew. Mom didn’t even try to stop me from leaving. Ever since she hooked up with George, she’s like a whole other person. He’s the most uptight, judgiest son-of-a-bitch you ever met, and my mom fell into step overnight. She was so different, back when she was with Dad…
“Feeling better now?” I’m hoping I’ve done enough to satisfy Raven’s curiosity.
“Hmm.” She glances at me warily. “I’m gonna go pick up some groceries with Charlotte and Joey. Wanna come?”
“I need to shower, then I should start working on my presentation for class.”
Damn, girl—where’d that come from?
“Ooh, my little straight-A student! I’m super excited for when you graduate, it’ll be the biggest ‘fuck you’ to Mom.”
“That’s exactly what I am, Raven.” I nod sagely. “A straight-A student. You go treat yourself to some barbecue sauce. There’s nothing to see here.”
She turns back to the stairwell and freezes.
“Just to give you a heads-up… I told RJ that if he ever sends youoff on a job like that again, I plan on burning down his garage, car, and body—in that exact order.”
I scramble to my feet, laughing despite myself.
“That’s Hitman talk.”
Before she leaves, Raven blows me a kiss.
I decide to extend my workout by another hour—anything to shut up my brain. I really need to stop ruminating over my mom as well as Conley’s lame-ass post-fuck speech.
I’m just stretching my hamstrings when I hear tires crunching over the gravel—probably Raven back from stocking up, or RJ swinging by to work on a car. I keep my eyes on the ground, focusing on my breathing, but as the purr of the engine grows louder, my stomach flip-flops. I recognize that sound without even looking up.
Jesus… Just when I was starting to get it under control…
Lewis pulls up beside me and jumps out of the car, swinging the door shut and leaning against the hood. He stands there, all six-foot-something of him, looking at me in silence. Is the guy expecting balloons or confetti or champagne, or something? Because if so, he could be waiting a while.
“Hey, Amy.”
Oh my God… I love it when he says my name.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“What’re you doing here?”
I was aiming for curt. Crisp. But my mouth didn’t get the memo, and I end up sounding half pissed, half nervous instead.
Fuck!
