In Fury Lies Mischief (Midnight Mayhem 2)

“Never,” I reply instantly.

“Then let’s fucking play.”

I groan, standing and following him, as he walks back to the dining table. Kyrin is still there, flicking his knife between his fingers.

“Ky, put the fucking knife away.” Killian snatches it off him, flipping it shut and shoving it into his pocket.

“I don’t want to play.”

Kyrin grabs the bottle of whiskey and twists off the lid. “Liquid courage.”

“I’m not playing Sixers,” I answer, wrapping my lips around the rim, my focus remaining on Kyrin.

“Why?” he asks. His features morph into something of confusion as he quickly glares at Killian before coming back to me.

I shrug, unfazed. “I don’t want to. We can play something else.”

Hours later, we’re pulling into the bright lights of San Antonio and parking at our destination. I left The Brothers’ RV with my bag and the rest of my belongings but still wearing Killian’s hoodie. He tried to fight me and get me to stay, but honestly, I needed to put distance between us. Between Kyrin because he’s scary as fuck and Keaton who I sense can see every single thing that goes on in my head.

I shut the door to my RV and let out a loud breath, just as Kenan comes down the stairs. “You’re back and you smell of sex.”

Stomping up the stairs, I dump my bag on the kitchen bench and go straight for the fridge to eat my feelings. “I don’t want to talk about it. Where’s Callan?”

Kenan pauses on the bottom stair, slowly making his way to me. “She’s out.”

Tossing deli meats and butter onto the counter, I raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Is she in another RV now?”

Kenan shakes his head. “Nope. She’s out out. As in for good.”

I pause just as there’s a loud knock on the door. It swings open and Perse is walking in holding a clipboard. “Sorry to interrupt!” Her long red hair is messy, as if she’s just woken up, her eyes tired. “I just—”

“—Perse, I didn’t expect you to kick Callan out of Mayhem altogether!”

Perse sighs, resting the clipboard in front of her, as she makes her way into the kitchen. “I know, Sass, but here’s the thing; I don’t like girls like her in general and I sure as fuck don’t want them as a part of our family. Because that’s what we are. Family. If one of us can’t trust the other, the family crumbles, so she had to go. She’s more than able to take care of herself now, and there are other things surrounding why she had to go.”

I know she’s talking about what Killian told me, how they don’t think they can trust her.

I take a few deep breaths. “Wow. Okay. Where’d she go?”

“That doesn’t matter. So, obviously we need four people, so I need you to officially meet our new fourth, and please for the love of God will you both get along. Only Delila and King know that I recruited this person, but it was the best I could do.”

I’ve finished stacking my sandwich. “Promise. Who is she?”

The door opens and Perse slowly turns, displaying who it is that walked in. “You mean, he.”

Kaizer stumbles in holding a suitcase. “Surprise,” he smirks, winking at me.

Bread gets stuck in my throat and I bang on my chest, willing it to come out. “Wait! What?”

Kaizer walks farther into the RV, shutting the door behind himself. “I’m your new fourth.”

Perse is smiling at me but it’s forced. As if she knows she’s going to be in trouble for this, but she’s going to act innocent about it anyway.

“And what does King think of this?”

Perse chuckles. “Trust me, it took some convincing, but he’s fine with it if—” Perse takes a deep breath. “If I partner with Kenan and you partner with Kaizer now.” Her smile widens.

“I hate you,” I deadpan. “And your possessive boyfriend.”

Perse laughs, nudging Kenan. “Aside from the dance routine you both do solo, she’ll be partnered with Kaizer now and I with you during our group routine.”

“I’m not that bad,” Kaizer mutters, moving farther into the bus.

I hold my breath. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“What?” Kaizer grins. “My cousin?” The tension in the air crackles at that exact moment he mentions Killian.

“Well.”

“He won’t care.” Kaizer rolls his eyes. “You forget what I told you?”

I relax a little, taking in his words. He’s probably right. I’m overreacting. I just don’t want to give Killian yet another reason to cause a problem with me.

Later that night, I slip back into my bedroom, tossing and turning and struggling to sleep. Rolling onto my stomach, I play over what the conversation must have been like between Perse and Callan. Callan will for sure hate me now, and there’s nothing I can do about that at all.

Black walls cave in around me as a phone rings in the background.