Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

I do. I don’t know what the hell Nathan is doing.” She sent another heated glare my way before turning back to her mom. “Can we do this another time?”

“I thought so, but that only works if you answer your phone. You didn’t, so here I am.” Kim held out her hands in a dramatic display. “In Nathan’s kitchen when you clearly told me you were staying with Dylan. Well, no. Actually, I had to hear that little tidbit from Wendy. I’m kinda surprised that she didn’t tell me about this too.”

“She doesn’t know,” Maddie said with a groan. “We haven’t told anyone in Nathan’s family about us.”

“So I’m the first to know?” Kim practically preened. “I finally have one up on Wendy Wagner? Really?”

“Again, Mom, this isn’t a competition or a show. This is my life. Why are you here?”

“Sorry for taking an interest in my daughter’s life. I tried to go at your pace, but you weren’t communicating with me. I didn’t know what was going on. I was worried about you.”

“I talked to you two days ago! I’m fine. I’m figuring out my apartment and my job. There is nothing for you to worry about!”

“Your job? What’s going on with your job?”

I put one mug back into the cabinet and pulled out an insulated travel mug. I had a feeling this was gonna take some time, and I had a bike reveal I was running late for. I poured some coffee into my travel mug and joined Maddie on the other side of the kitchen.

Her glare was fierce, but I’d had a few sips of coffee so I was feeling bulletproof. Or maybe it was the sight of her in my kitchen wearing my shirt. Either way, I knew she was really gonna hate what I had to say next. But I still said it. “As much as I’d like to stick around, I have a bike reveal that I’m late for. Lock the door when you leave?”

Maddie’s glare promised retribution, but I still risked it to give her one more kiss.

A kiss that she grudgingly returned.

When I straightened, I couldn’t help but give her one more, a little peck on the tip of her nose. Her eyes had that dreamy, aroused fogginess that I couldn’t resist. “We still on for tonight?”

“Yes.” Her voice was all breathy when she replied. Then she blinked and her eyes narrowed. “I mean no. I have book club tonight with my friends. And I’m mad at you.”

“I like you with a little fire. Call me when you’re done with your girls’ night.” I grinned and took a step so I was out of her reach, just in case she was feeling a little too fiery. “Kim, nice seeing you again. And maybe give my girl a break? She’s had a rough couple of weeks here lately.”

Kim raised her eyebrows. “Well unlike you, I’ve been out of the loop, so I didn’t know anything about that.”

I sighed. I’d tried. “I gotta get to work. See you later, baby.”

Just before the door closed behind me, I heard Kim repeat in a teasing tone. “Baby? He calls you baby?”

Maddie was definitely going to kill me later.

* * *

Dylan showed up to the reveal. Late. Which was embarrassing. We had people counting on us to do our job—camera operators, makeup artists, assistants—not to mention having the client waiting on us. And judging by the bags under Dylan’s eyes, I wondered how much of him was really here.

I swallowed down my anger and didn’t confront him about it once he finally appeared—over thirty minutes late. And once we got underway, the bike reveal went off without a hitch.

The cereal company loved our take on their product, judging by the huge grin on the CEO’s face as he sat on the bike. He didn’t actually ride it, but then that wasn’t exactly surprising. Most of these corporate builds were really just product placement to get whatever they were hocking a little airtime and a shiny trinket to show off at trade conventions.

Sometimes I wondered why we put engines in them.

“We gonna talk about why you were over thirty minutes late this morning?” I tried to rein in my anger. The camera crew was still on site, and I knew without looking that more than one lady was looking out the windows at the only two available Burns Brothers standing in the parking lot.

“You’re not my father. Get off my fucking back.” Dylan shoved his sunglasses on and tried to shoulder past me.

I shoved him back with one hand. “Are you fucking high? I’m not your daddy? Really?”

“What’s your problem?” Dylan shook his head like my reaction baffled him.

Really?

Really?

I was vaguely aware of the sound of approaching footsteps, but the haze of anger muffled it all.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I roared as I closed in on him, jabbing a finger in his direction. “You have the fucking gall to compare me with that bastard? Last I checked I haven’t murdered anyone. Or tried to kill our sister while burning down Aunt Wendy’s livelihood. And unlike that son of a bitch, I’ve been there every fucking day for you. Every. Day.”

A muscle flexed in Dylan’s jaw like he was biting words back or something. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“What the fuck is going on?” Austin shouted, wading in between me and Dylan and putting a hand on both our chests. “Are you two seriously throwing down in our client’s parking lot in full view of them?”

Dylan sneered at both of us. “This asshole decided this was the perfect time to give me shit about siding with Dad.”

“You’re so fucking clueless you don’t know your head from your ass.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw the cameras and James’ gleeful expression, but I didn’t let it deter me. This had been building up for a while. “All I wanted to know was why you were late. Again. You were the asshole who