“Thanks, man, now go home to your girl, put her to bed.”

Mac grins. “She’ll just be waking up by the time I get there.”

“And she hasn’t been dicked down in a few days,” Royce jokes. “I believe in you.”

Mac laughs, his fist lifting to meet Royce’s. “Later, bro.” He tips his chin, glancing at me with a smirk and low salute. “Later, Bishop.”

I smash my lips together, offering a small wave, and then we watch him drive away.

As I look back, I find Royce’s attention on me, where it stays for several seconds.

Studying.

Measuring.

Curious?

He looks off, slipping right into the driver’s seat so I make my way into the passenger’s.

A few minutes up the road he pulls into a Cruiser’s station and unbuckles his seat belt, so I step out with him.

As we walk in, he follows behind, crowding my space the second I open the glass door to the cold drinks.

His pecs are pretty much equal with my shoulder blades, the buckle of his belt gently scraping at the high curve of my back as he presses me forward. He cages me there, shuffling closer until he’s so close, I have to bring my hand up to grip the cool plastic racks to keep me from falling against the shelving.

In contrast with the chilled air blowing against my front, his heated breath burns along the skin behind my ear, and I incline my chin just enough to meet his eyes.

“Are you trying to seduce me in the fridge of a mini-mart that smells like recycled mop water?”

“Come on now, little Bishop, you’re smarter than that.” He leans in, his smirk a mischievous one. “If I wanted to seduce you, you’d be in my hotel room already.”

Before I can blink, the chilled air wraps around my back, the heat of his body having disappeared, but you bet your ass he can hear my laughter wherever it is he ran off to.

I smile to myself.

Man, he’s seriously on that pro ho level.

It’s over the top and unnecessary, but it’s also a breath of fresh air, loosening it a bit.

With a shake of my head, I grab my drink, circling the back of the store in search of my go-to breakfast, and make my way toward the register.

As I round one corner, Royce does the other, both of us already biting into our item of choice—a chocolate-covered donut with sprinkles.

His eyes narrow, dropping to the Yoo-hoo in my left hand as I spot the one tucked beneath his arm.

“You don’t have to get the same shit I do,” he scolds me like a child. “I’ll buy you whatever you want.”

My eyes widen. “Oh, I copied you? Nice try. What, you afraid to show your food of choice?”

He glares. “This is my food of choice.”

I shrug, biting at a small piece of the chocolate glaze before it falls and set my drink on the counter. “Well, mine, too, and before you convince yourself otherwise, know I can pay for a three-dollar meal.”

He’s full of suspicion as he lowers his drink beside mine on the countertop, and with more force than necessary. He ignores what I said about paying, throws a twenty down, and walks out.

He doesn’t speak once back in the car, and before I know it, we’re pulling up at my aunt’s house. He puts the car in park, grabs his phone, and starts pressing buttons.

I hesitate, taking my time looping my backpack through my arms as I wait for some sort of insight as to why today happened, but he doesn’t take his face from his screen, so I step out and close the door behind me.

My feet have barely crossed the curb when he’s pulling away.

I’m not sure why he bothered to be there after school and insisted I ride with him when all he did was silently bring me back here, but does it really matter?

I keep my head held high as I walk around to the back yard and set my bag down on the grass.

From the far side of the house, I grab the small milk crate basket, and bring it around, laying out the blanket stuffed inside it, and flip the thing upside down.

I allow myself five minutes to relax and enjoy my Yoo-hoo and the last bites of my donut, and then I get to work.

I pull out my books and start on my homework, feeling guilty for wishing the light away, but so ready to be able to climb into bed and stare at the stars.

Chapter 5

Royce

I drop onto the springy ass bed in the so-called suite and prop my phone up on the Bible I found in the drawer. The second I’ve got it planted right, my phone rings.

I grin, answering the video call from my family.

Raven is the first face to pop up on the screen, her black hair tied up on her head, baggy-ass hoodie covering her entire body.

“Ponyboy!” She grins.

“RaeRae, I fuckin’ miss your ass already.”

She laughs, scooting back what must be the laptop back on the coffee table. “Same. Hang on, let me make more room.”

I nod, reaching over to grab my takeout bag and drop it in front of me.

A couple seconds pass, and then Captain’s dropping onto the couch, Victoria perching on the armrest beside him.

“VicVee,” I call to her, brushing my finger along my lip. “Got a little dried cum there,” I tease.

“Fuck off.” She laughs, swiping at it. “Zoey insisted on feeding me a bite of her pasta.”

“Where is my niece?”

Cap looks past the camera with a grin. “She’s comin’.”

“RaeRae, where’d you go? Where’s Maddoc?”

“I’m here!” She comes back on the screen, dropping beside Captain. “Maddoc’s grabbing a soda from the pool house ‘cause your dad has the good shit in there.”

“You mean Maddoc replaced everything with caffeine-free shit again hoping you’d go for it?”

“Exactly.” She laughs.

I grin. “Lemme see my baby.”

“Stop saying your baby, dick!” Maddoc shouts in the distance.

Both me and Cap laugh, our eyes glued to Raven as she stretches her arms out as much as she can, pulling the bottom of the hoodie up to show her perfectly round belly. Yeah, I was with her a few days ago, but I don’t want to miss any of this.

“How the fuck’s there a person in there, RaeRae?”

I stare at her belly.

A couple weeks ago I got a surprise in the form of an envelope, and inside it was the official sex of Maddoc and Raven’s baby. The sex that they themselves don’t even know.

It was a gift she gave me, that they gave me, one I could never repay or match.

I know it’s because she wanted me to have something to hold on to, and it was a damn good one. Now all I need to do is get a little present that’s fitting so I’m prepared for when that little baby meets mama and pops. And us.

Raven smirks, knowing I’m thinking about what she’s having but doesn’t dare ask. She drops back onto the cushion, Maddoc finally beside her.

“What up?” He nods his chin, the corner of his mouth lifting, his eyes trailing every inch of me he can see. “Shit’s fuckin’ weird.”

I nod, my smile small.

It is.

It’s only been a few days, but that’s a long ass fucking time for us. With the exception of the few fucked-up situations over the last year, we’re always together this time of day, so not to be, fucking sucks.