Page 28

Jess does not like being dismissed, one thing she has in common with her brother, and she moves further into the kitchen. “You need to stay away from Kyle.”

Kayla sets down her fork and turns on her stool to face Jess. “And you are telling me this because you think I want that loser back?”

Jess scoffs. “I know you do. You show up at the bar and call him at all hours of the night. I think you need to get it through your head that he does not want you.”

You could hear a pin drop in the kitchen.

Vero is invested in the drama; Brawley is uninterested but keeps his eyes fixed on Vero. Clay appears in the doorway and steps behind Jess, and I study his face. He is listening without reacting; it’s interesting that he has nothing to say right now and is letting his sister lead.

Kayla sighs. “Does anyone know where my phone is?”

I reach into my pocket and hold it out to her. She takes it and unlocks it.

“Just so you know, I worked at The Pit before I met Kyle. Before you, he brought many other women in, trying to make me jealous. As for the calls, it is not me.”

Jess rolls her eyes, but Kayla holds out her phone. “His name is saved under Douchenugget. Look at our message history—check the call logs.”

Jess takes the phone and her face drops the more she scrolls. She looks up. “He told me you were obsessed with him.”

“His ego was hurt when I dumped him for cheating on me. He won’t let it go.”

Jess looks back down at the phone, and the tears well up in the corners of her eyes. Clay hasn’t moved from behind his sister, his arms still crossed, but he is watching Kayla as if he is seeing her for the first time now that his hatred is no longer justified.

Jess hands the phone back, and to her credit, she doesn’t argue her way out of this to hide her embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “He told me . . .”

“I know what he told you,” Kayla says. “He is great at making himself look good while playing the victim.”

Jess nods and looks at the floor, then toward Clay, who pulls his sister into his arms.

“I feel so fucking stupid,” Jess cries into her brother’s chest.

“Don’t feel stupid,” Kayla consoles. “Men like him prey on women with good hearts, who like to see the best in people. And they say, the best way to get over someone is to get under . . .”

Clay whips his head toward Kayla. “She will not be fucking anyone,” he snaps.

Vero snorts. “I hate to break it to you, bro, but your sister is far from an angel.”

“I swear to god, Vero, if you have fucked my sister, I will kill you.”

Jess laughs. “Now that I would love to see. Vero comes with his own attack human, but just for the record, I have not fucked him. No offense, but he isn’t my type.”

“None taken,” Vero replies with a grin. “Dealing with one Rourke sibling is enough for me. Brawley and I are on day shift, so we need to go. I’ll clean the kitchen when I get back.”

I roll my eyes. He will not clean the kitchen when he gets back—he never does. Honestly, he would just make more mess.

“I’ll be back—I need to go get changed.” Vero runs out of the kitchen, and we all watch him leave.

“I’m going to go,” Jess says. “Gerald has baby bunnies, and he said I can play with them.”

Clay laughs and releases her from his embrace. He doesn’t trust many people with his sister, but while Gerald is a scary man to look at, he has a heart of gold. He loves those fucking bunnies.

“I will swing by later and take you to lunch,” Clay says, and Jess nods before bouncing out of the kitchen with a wave.

Brawley gets up from his seat and grabs his plate and Kayla’s. He hesitates for a moment and gazes down at her.

She must feel him looking at her, and she peers up at him.

“Thank you for being kind to Vero—he needs more genuine friends. I really hope you come back.”