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“Thank you,” I say, making a mental note to keep my damn mouth shut. I need to learn how to accept what she’s offering without making a big deal. She clearly enjoys spoiling people. It must bring her a lot of joy, so I’d better not ruin it for her.

As Nina prepares the coffee, I can’t help but wonder how she has so much money. If she doesn’t spare any expense, won’t she go broke eventually? Was her husband rich? Were they into illegal stuff before he died? Is Scar’s motorcycle club into illegal stuff, too? There are so many questions I want to ask, but I don’t want to be rude, so I stay silent.

Scar strolls back into the kitchen carrying a huge cardboard box filled with groceries. He sets it on the counter and then begins to remove the contents. He doesn’t even glance my way. It’s unnerving. I can’t stand being ignored. I want to talk about what happened last night, but I can’t do it in front of Nina and Max. That conversation will have to wait until we’re alone.

“Let me help you put that away.” I get up and grab a box of cereal, but he snatches it away from me.

“No. Everything has its place, and you don’t know where it all goes. I do,” he says.

“He’s very particular about these things,” Nina says.

“O-kay.” I return to my seat.

As he unpacks the groceries, he carefully places each item just so in its designated spot. He turns all the labels forward and spaces duplicate cereal boxes directly behind the currently open boxes. I swear he’s about to whip out a tape measure to make sure they’re all exactly an inch apart. It’s super weird. No wonder he didn’t want me to help.

“I’m going to the clubhouse,” Scar says before walking down the hall to his bedroom. He closes the door behind him.

“Do you like butter and jam on your toast?” Nina asks.

“Sure.” I’m still staring down the hall. He’s such a mystery.

“May I be excused?” Max asks.

“Absolutely! I’ll put cartoons on for you in the living room,” Nina says. After she gets Max situated, she comes back and pours two mugs of coffee. She hands one to me. “How did you sleep last night?”

“Not that great,” I admit.

“Are you going to stay, or are you leaving with Max today?”

“I … I haven’t really thought about it yet.” I finish the coffee and set the mug in the sink. “I think I need to talk to Scar first.”

“Julia.” Nina grabs my arm as I try to pass her. “Don’t push him.”

“I just have to be sure that Max will be safe here.”

“He will be.”

“I need to hear that from Scar.” I tug my arm out of her grip, then walk away, making sure Max is doing okay before heading toward Scar’s bedroom. My stomach flutters, and my nerves fray. I take a second to catch my breath before knocking on his door.

“Come in!”

“Hey.” I walk in and close the door behind me.

“What’s up? Is Max okay?” His brow furrows as he makes the bed, tucking the corners of the sheets in with military precision. He still isn’t looking at me.

“He’s good. He’s watching cartoons.”

“Then why are you here?” he asks. He smooths every wrinkle from the comforter before pulling one edge to make it even on both sides.

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” I say softly.

“I’m fine.” He grabs a pillow and violently fluffs it. His jaw is set in a hard line as he tosses it onto the bed.

“Do you … I mean … If you want to talk about it …”

“About what?” He finishes fiddling with the bed, then heads to the closet, where he starts spacing out the hangers. He arranges each one perfectly equidistant from the next.

“The nightmares.”