The energy shifted and my arm fell away from Mayhem as she launched herself in front of me.
“Hey!” Mayhem snapped, forcing Lana’s mother back. “You stick that finger in his face one more time and you’re going to need a doctor yourself. Knock it off.”
Everyone froze.
“Holy shit,” Lana whispered.
This right here was the problem. My mistakes were never going away. There would always be someone looking to tear into me for what happened.
I could take it. Did take it.
But the people I love didn’t have to.
“Mayhem, don’t.” I wanted her to defend herself like that. Not me.
“No,” she said with a sharp glance at me, her eyes shining with barely banked rage. “You know what? No, dammit. I won’t have someone attacking you right in front of me after everything you’re doing to help us. I won’t have it.”
“Stay away from my daughter. Do you hear me? And you,” she said, this time looking at Mayhem, but thinking better of pointing a finger at her. “You think your team will have success while you’re connected to him. Think again.” Lana’s mother stormed off back the way she came.
Lana sat in her chair, rubbing her forehead. “I’m sorry. She’s the last thing you needed tonight.”
“She has a right to how she feels, Lana. It’s not your fault.”
“What?” Mayhem said, turning on me. “She does not have the right to tear into you whenever she wants. How the hell is anyone supposed to move on with her lashing out like that? And why the hell did you just stand there and take it?”
My skin prickled. Trapped between secrets that weren’t mine to tell and what I wanted, what I needed, frustration bubbled up inside me. Tired, scared for my sister, and so damn sick of being tempted by what I couldn’t have, humiliation took complete control of my mouth. “Me taking it? You’re one to talk.”
Lana flinched and dug her fingers against her temples. “Oh, Coach…not the right reaction.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she demanded.
“Six elbows to the ribs, Mayhem. That’s what I mean.”
“And you invited her on the team despite it. So who’s the asshole here?”
I knew who the asshole was and yeah, I was still pissed at myself for fucking that one up, but pride. Fucking pride. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll stop taking it as soon as you do.”
Her eyes flashed, the look there, I was pretty sure I had pushed her to a new territory. Barely banked fury. “Tell Lilith I hope she feels better.”
“Wait.” I reached for her, but she shook me off.
“You want to come to our practice, you’ve got it,” she said, resting her hand on Lana’s shoulder. “Give me a call at The Shipwreck in the morning and we’ll work out the details.”
Lana and I watched her head for the door. When it slid shut behind her, Lana looked up at me. “You’re great with the ladies.”
“My fucking kryptonite.”
“Does this mean she’s not your girlfriend?”
“Fuck if I know.”
I wasn’t wrong. If it was something she cared about, she was all over it, but when it came to protecting herself, she backed down.
But the way I said it—where I chose to say it, wrong in every conceivable way.
The team was good. Damn good. Every last one of them workhorses who didn’t run their mouths when it was time to get to work. If I could figure out what the hell was going on with Mayhem—what she kept locked up in there—they might even have the chance to be brilliant.
And clue pointed to Tilly.
Tilly, even on her best behavior, would always have power over Mayhem if she didn’t confront whatever history they had. Because right now, Tilly hadn’t done one damn thing on that track to step out of line and it was like that might actually be fucking with Mayhem worse than if she did.
“I think it’s time for the truth, Coach,” Lana said quietly.
“That’s not for me to decide.”
“You’ve been protecting me way too long. It’s costing you too much,” Lana said with a shrug. “Anyway, what can they do with the truth now? Statute of limitations doesn’t really apply here, right?”
“No. But it’s a small town. People will talk.”
“They already do…but not going to lie, Coach…I just don’t care.” She glanced past me and smiled.
A tall, broad-shouldered guy with an easy smile on his face walked over. “I got hung up. Sorry about that.” He squatted down and pulled Lana in for a sound kiss. “Hi,” he murmured to her quietly.
I backed up a step, feeling like an interloper. An old interloper.
“Coach, this is Zach. Zach, my old—uh, former derby coach,” Lana said with a wink like she could read my mind.
I reached out and shook the man’s hand. “Cain Bishop.”
“You’re the guy who’s had my little delinquent’s back.”
“Guilty.”
“Cain Bishop?” the doctor called from the reception desk. “You can go in now.”
Lana took my hand. “Coach? If I come clean, it doesn’t screw you, right?”
“Nah. As you can see, I’m really good at getting myself in trouble all on my own.”
“Spectacular at it,” she said, tugging me in to collect the kiss on the cheek I always had for her before I headed in to see Lilith.
Two hours passed before I was finally able to head to my truck. Of course, I would have stayed overnight if that’s what Lilith needed. Or even what she wanted. A urinary tract infection—I’d never been so damn relieved to hear those words. They’d keep her overnight, giving her antibiotics through an IV and monitoring my nephew while they did, and if everything went according to plan, she’d be able to go home by lunchtime tomorrow.
She was tired and uncomfortable, but my nephew was strong.
The sound of his strong heart echoing through the monitors gave me a smile after a spectacularly shitty night.
I’d never heard his heartbeat before. He wasn’t even mine, but I hoped I’d
