The Moth and the Flame (When Rivals Play #2) - B.B. Reid Page 0,112

evil smile. “Payback, motherfucker. Something tells me admitting to her how you feel would be more painful for you than any punch I could throw.”

I looked at him sideways, thinking he had to be bluffing. “What about your mother?”

He shrugged. “You spoke about her as if you care for her. Seems to me like you would get her out of there anyway.”

I nodded. It was the only assurance he’d get that he was right. I wouldn’t dare fuel his arrogance.

“Do we have a deal?” he prodded.

It occurred to me that Ever McNamara was more ruthless and cunning than I had given him credit for. It explained how he had not only survived but thrived in Exiled even after being fed with silver spoons all of his life. I thought about Evelyn, who also managed to pull the wool over Fox’s eyes for so long, and snorted.

It must run in the family.

“Yes.”

“Good.” Ever looked off toward the house and then back at me. The arrogance was gone, allowing me to see the stress he’d been concealing. “Because now I have a favor to ask.”

I tensed. “What’s that?”

“Stay for a few days.”

His offer was the last thing I expected to hear. “Why?”

“For starters, it wouldn’t be wise to leave Lou alone so soon with a bunch of strangers,” he pointed out, and I realized he was right. Lou would probably slash my tires if I tried.

“And the other reason?” I prompted when he simply stared off in the distance.

Sighing, he said, “Thanksgiving is tomorrow.”

AS THE BLONDE STARED OUT the window chewing her lip, I studied her more closely, unable to shake the familiarity. With her wavy hair pulled into that messy ponytail, she looked like she’d just rolled out bed. She was pretty, beautiful even, but not in the obvious, overwhelming way that made everyone else feel inferior. She stood only about an inch taller than my five foot five, and she was slender with an ass that explained why the pretty boy was so feral over her. She must have felt me staring because she turned and suddenly the full force of her dark brown stare was on me, and I saw the challenge in them.

This girl had an edge, but I had a blade.

Smiling, I let her glimpse the wrapped metal hiding under my tongue. To my surprise, she snorted before turning back to the window.

“You worry too much,” I told her.

“Are you saying I should trust that your friend won’t try to hurt him?”

“Not at all,” I said while laughing, “but you still worry too much.”

Sighing, she let the curtain fall back into place before coming to stand in front of me. Crossing her arms, she studied me closely, and I did the same. After only a few seconds, we both said, “Have we met?”

Her eyes narrowed, and so did mine. Unfortunately, she figured it out before I could lie. “Times Square,” she said through clenched teeth. “You stole my wallet.”

“And I believe I gave it back.”

“Only because your friend made you.”

“No, because forty bucks was a waste of everyone’s time.”

She barked out a laugh. “Says the girl who steals wallets.”

Just then, the front door opened, and Wren and the pretty boy stepped inside looking no worse than how we’d left them.

“Everything okay, Ever?” blondie asked her brother. She immediately went to him and started fussing over his boo-boos.

I took one look at Wren and rolled my eyes. I’d seen him with worse.

I was also still raw about the way he treated me after I told his boss where he could go. He told me I’d been stupid for challenging Fox. Well, stupid is as stupid does, and I’d learned from the master.

It had been a tense three weeks with us barely speaking to one another unless necessary. Sometimes, I wondered if Wren resented me. Would he abandon me to go back to Fox? Was that why he brought me here?

“I’m Four,” I heard blondie say, and I realized she was speaking to Wren.

For some reason, the friendly smile she gave him pissed me off, so I laughed rather obnoxiously. “What the fuck kind of name is Four?” I asked rudely.

In an instant, I knew by her somber expression and the way Ever suddenly looked ready to rip my tongue out that I’d committed some kind of egregious wrong. Wren quickly appeared in front of me, silently daring Ever to make a move. In just a matter of seconds, I managed to fuck up whatever kind of peace they’d