I frown hard, but Maxx puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. Much to my own embarrassment, I jump at the contact. His fingers are too hot, and he’s dating my sister, and I’m a colossal asshole.
Parrish notices the strange interaction between us and narrows his eyes, pouty rich boy mode in full force as he pushes some of that pretty hair of his back from his forehead.
“You’re lucky Chasm is so nice to you,” Parrish drawls as I draw my attention away from Maxx with no small amount of effort. The universe must really be out to get me. First, the kidnapping thing. Now, the Maxx thing. I’ve never felt such a natural, magnetic chemistry to a boy before. And, of course, this particular boy happens to be the love of my sister’s life. Heart, meet bullseye. Just stick an arrow right through me. “If I were him, I’d simply point out that blood and money can’t erase years of ignorance and poverty.”
“Ignorance?” I choke out with a harsh laugh. I try to reign myself back in, I really do, but I’ve never been under such constant attack before. “Do you know what your father said when I asked him his opinion of Mitch McConnell?” Parrish just stares at me. “He said who’s that?” I keep staring at my stepbrother as he keeps that cool head of his, letting his mouth twist into a cruel smirk. He doesn’t know who Mitch is either, apparently. If he did, he’d try to school me.
“Maybe Tess would like to know about your visits with the kidnapper’s kid?” he muses, and I feel the color drain out of my face. Even with all the quips and bullshit, I never expected Parrish to bring that up. I was under the impression there was some sort of code between us, some unspoken rule. Let each other’s transgressions ride. Guess I was wrong.
“Come on, Parrish,” Maxx says, turning and giving his friend a look that reminds me he was once a part of this group, and that he probably fit in well. His handsome faces takes on an arrogant tint, something that hints at a bit of ruthlessness hiding beneath the kind façade. “Don’t take it that far.”
“Really?” Parrish asks, blinking like he’s surprised as he turns to his friend. “Because in the past, you haven’t had any problems taking things to the brink. Freshman year, you drove a guy to drop out of Whitehall.”
Maxx makes a face, like this isn’t a particularly pleasant memory for him.
“Yeah, well, people change.” He gives me a look and shakes his head briefly before turning back to Parrish. “Just because you acted like a dick once doesn’t mean you have to keep acting like a dick.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve changed your ways for the sister?” Parrish asks with a scoff, like he can’t imagine Maxine being worth that sort of effort. “Excuse me if I find that a little hard to believe.”
“Well, start believing it,” Maxx snaps back, getting up in Parrish’s face. “Because I’m done with the high school drama bullshit. Grow up, Vanguard.”
The two boys stare each other down as I debate getting involved. Honestly, I’m a bit surprised to hear that Maxx was a tyrant in high school. He seems so … nice? … right now.
“Look at you,” Parrish drawls, ever the consummate rich boy. He knows exactly how to throw his weight around to make other people look like shit. “The scholarship student with an attitude.”
Maxx just throws his head back and laughs at that, raking his fingers through his dark hair.
“Right, Parrish. Rag on me for being middle-class. It suits you, doesn’t it? That sort of petty cruelty.” Maxx pauses as my eyes flick between the two boys, and our gazes meet. Clash, is more like. There’s this protective glint in X’s gaze that makes me feel like I’ve got an ally in this boy. We stare at each other for a moment before I finally turn to Parrish.
He’s watching me, too. More like watching me and Maxx, I think. And he doesn’t like it, the way we’re looking at one another. Because he’s jealous. He’s so totally fucking jealous. Only … that makes no sense, right?
“Kids,” Tess greets, sweeping into the room in a pair of red Louboutins, a black pantsuit, and a careful chignon at the back of her head. She heads straight for the fancy espresso machine in the corner and goes about making herself a flat white with almond milk. There hasn’t been a day in this house that I haven’t heard either Tess or Paul or Kimber moaning about how fat they’ve gotten and how they desperately need a diet. It’s a bit … mm … toxic as fuck? “What are the three of you up to?”
“Maxx was just leaving,” Parrish says blandly, and Tess glances over her shoulder to give us all a look. After a moment, something dawns on her.
