“Hey, Bainbridge,” a voice called from a distance. “Over here.”
Felicity yelped, and I nearly pissed my pants. She released her legs from me as fast as I dropped her to the ground. Then I spun toward the call and stepped in front of her, protecting her from view.
“Oh my God. Oh my God,” she whimpered against my back, gripping my shirt hard. I held my hand back behind me, catching her hip blindly to reassure her. I’d never let anything bad happen to her.
When we heard footsteps, we both tensed. I held my breath, and I swear, she did, too.
Another ten seconds of waiting later, I decided to breathe. Then I whispered, “Whoever it was, I don’t think they were calling to you.”
“What? But... They said Bainbridge. Didn’t they?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, still frowning in the direction we’d heard the call. As I crept out of the overhang of a building and down the darkened street toward the end of the block that intersected with a wider, more populated and lit-up boulevard, City clutched my shirt tighter and shadowed my every step. “You said your brother brought you into town, right?”
“Yeah, but... Max? You think Max is this close by?”
I shook my head and slowed my pace to a cautious slink as I neared the intersection. “No idea, but we should probably find out.”
“But—” She smashed herself against my spine, shaking as I slowly peeked around the corner. When I saw two people walking toward each other under a street lamp, I released a breath.”
“It is Max,” City whispered, making me jump, because for a split second there, I’d forgotten she was with me. I was too busy staring at the girl Max was meeting.
I glanced at her. “And Mercy,” I added.
“What?” She turned her attention to the girl, squinting a moment before her eyes bulged. “Oh my God, it is. But...” Shaking her head, she frowned in confusion. “Why is Max meeting her?”
I knew. An image of Bentley rose in my head, her big blue eyes and bright red hair. Yeah, I knew exactly why Max Bainbridge was meeting my sister.
We’d accused the wrong brother. And Mercedes had never corrected us.
My muscles tensed as I glared at the boy who’d abandoned her after getting her pregnant. I wanted to storm out there and beat the shit out of the rich, entitled prick.
But Felicity’s hand on my arm rattled me from my self-righteous rage. “Knox? What’s wrong?”
I shook my head, too busy listening to what the secret lovers down the street had to say to each other.
“Why did you want to meet, Mercedes?” Max’s voice was cool and his gaze hard as he looked at my sister as if she were a cheap piece of trash.
Mercy lifted her chin and stuck out her chest. “I just wanted to call you a fucking liar to your face. You said you’d help me out if I ever found myself...in trouble.”
Max took an intimidating step closer to her, and my muscles coiled. But City’s restraining hand on my chest stopped me.
“I meant an abortion, and you knew it.”
City’s breath exploded, and I realized she’d just caught on. I reached back for her fingers, but I couldn’t find her hand.
“Well, I decided maybe I wanted the baby, after all.”
Max snorted, “Yeah right. You mean, you decided having the kid would help you get your hands on some Bainbridge money.”
Mercy stepped in closer to him this time. “Well, it should,” she spat insistently. “I was your goddamn * call for six months, you bastard. I bore your fucking child. I deserve something for that. I deserve half of everything you have.”
With a mocking leer, Max shook his head. “But you won’t get shit. My father will see to it. He doesn’t take kindly to gold-digging whores.”
“You helped make me a whore, prick.”
“Then I guess you shouldn’t go around spreading your legs so much, bitch.”
“Listen here, dick face.” She dug her finger into his chest, but he batted it away.