Headstrong Like Us (Like Us 6)

I close Instagram and stay still. Able to distinguish Maximoff’s parents.

“Lo, don’t,” Lily pleads.

“What do you think I’m going to do?” Lo retorts, his sharp-edged voice caustic and biting. Uncomfortable silence passes until he snaps, “It’s fine, Lil.”

Maximoff is suddenly awake. Like their voices are two paddles to his chest.

He turns his head to the door, brows furrowed in concern. I haven’t heard his parents fight in a long time. Probably not since I was Lily’s bodyguard. They’re the type of couple who make up a split-second later—but when the intensity heightens, the catalyst is almost always their addictions.

“It’s not fine, Lo,” she says strongly.

Long silence.

Lily speaks again. “Let’s talk somewhere else; I don’t want to wake up Moffy and Farrow.” Footsteps drift away.

Maximoff looks back at me. “How long have you been up?”

I raise my brows at him. “Longer than you.”

His irritation sits beneath hard confusion. “Did I miss anything else they said?”

“No, that was it.” I worry about his parents too, but anything could make today more stressful than yesterday for them.

He sits up, the air mattress squeaking and undulating beneath us. I prop myself on my elbow. We sink, and he’s pushed more into my build.

He braces a firm hand on my chest, and I feel the calluses on his palm. He soaks up my features, lingering on my lip piercing and unkempt bed-head hair.

My smile stretches.

Maximoff growls out his frustration. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything, wolf scout.” I’m about to clasp the back of his head and kiss him, but he takes the lead and kisses me.

Short and more teasing—he’s getting better at that. My gaze is roped to him as he stands up with pure confidence and walks off the deflating mattress with force and uncommon grace. Bare-assed, buck-naked except for the knife on his shin. He lands on the ground, no misstep or falter. The mattress didn’t even bounce him or rock him.

That shouldn’t have been that easy, but for Maximoff, hard things come more naturally on the first try. I’ll give him that.

I’m on my feet too, and I tug on black Calvin Klein boxer-briefs.

Maximoff puts on a gray pair. “My parents sounded worse than normal.”

I can’t disagree. “They usually work it out.”

“Yeah,” he says with full belief. “They’re strong.” He searches the room for more clothes, and I go back to the air mattress for my phone.

I missed a recent text from my father. “Shit.”

Med call: 9 a.m. at Birdsboro Quarry. Ryke Meadows & Sullivan Meadows are climbing.

Whenever the Meadows family rock climbs, an on-call doctor goes on-site, and ever since Sulli has moved back home, she’s been speed climbing more with her dad.

It’s pulled me away from Maximoff more than I like, but I go where I’m needed. And I love helping these families.

“What happened?” Maximoff asks, tugging his arms through a green crewneck.

“Med call for rock climbing.” I pull my black slacks to my waist and find my security radio on his dresser. If Banks can’t go on-duty for Maximoff, I might lose my shit on Akara.

Banks Moretti switches out with me every time I have a med call.

Until recently.

I fit in my earpiece and raise my mic cord to my mouth. “Farrow to Akara, I have a med call at 9, and Maximoff has to be at the Philly Aquatic Center at 9:30.”

Akara responds through comms. “Banks is on Sulli’s detail today, so I’ll send a new temp over to Maximoff.”

My jaw tenses, and I comb a hand through my hair. There might be social media upsides to Akara’s new firm, but there are downsides to this fledgling company. We can’t use any of the temp guards from Price’s firm. So we have less manpower when a 24/7 personal bodyguard needs extra security or to go off-duty.

And while Akara is busy with business shit, he’s been hogging Banks and using him for Sulli’s detail. Which leaves Maximoff leftovers in the form of green temps. Who we’re all taking turns training when we’re off-duty.

I click my mic. “The temps can barely tie their fucking shoes right now.” He’d never put one on Sulli.

“That’s the best I have, Farrow.” He sounds apologetic. “Work with me here.”

I lock eyes with Maximoff.

“It’s okay.” He tries to fix pieces of his hair. “I’ll be fine on my own for a couple hours.”

I run my tongue over my molars, pissed. I know he thinks he can protect himself, and that’s exactly what Akara believes too. But Maximoff could easily be in a situation where he needs another set of experienced hands, a trained bodyguard—and if he’s alone…

“My uncle can pick up the med call—”

“No.” Maximoff buttons his jeans. “You’re not bailing on a fucking med call. I’ll just cancel today’s swim class and go with you to the climbing site.”

I attach my radio to my waistband and give him a harder look. “We have a problem, wolf scout, because that’s not happening either.” We’re both stubborn.