Page 12 of Headstrong Like Us

Like I said, Maximoff has his leg around mine, and I can feel the wooden-carved hilt of a knife and leather holster on his shin. He hasn’t taken that off since the inferno.

He’s not paranoid or afraid of anyone.

I gifted him the tactical knife in Greece for his 23rdbirthday, and it’d been stashed in his Audi the night of the fire. Even though the car is a burnt tin can, the knife survived.

Maximoff treasures so much of the normal shit in our relationship, like the little things we gave each other, and we lost a lot in that house. I’m a little bit concerned he’s trying to prepare for another “doomsday” where the only thing that survives is what’s on our bodies.

Because most of what we have left from the townhouse is what we walked out with, what we wore that night. We didn’t have time to grab anything but Jane’s cats and each other.

I focus back on my phone as a second video clip plays. On the screen, Maximoff glances towards the door, then looks into the camera. “So you know how I’m planning to marry this really,reallyaggravating guy? I’m pretty sure he’s in the bathroom right now, plotting ways to piss me off.” He tries not to smile, but he looks infatuated with me.

I’m grinning at the phone.

“Wish me luck. Signing off, your friendly neighborhood human.” He’s such a fucking dork. Right when I think it, voices begin to escalate outside the room.

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 along 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’snotfine, 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.”