Page 62 of Make Me Yours

River shoots me a look like he’s begging me to drag him out of this conversation.

“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out,” he says flatly.

“Damn right, I do.” Zane taps the side of his head. “Gotta stay three steps ahead, baby.”

He finally acknowledges me with a chin lift. “Hey, Cap. Feeling better? Couldn’t believe they had to carry you out on a stretcher. That was rough, man. Low-key embarrassing.”

I keep my tone neutral, even though my knuckles twitch. “I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

Zane turns his attention back to River. “You still dragging ass, or are you finally coming out with us next weekend? Gigi’s got a friend. She’s a model, twenty-two, barely speaks English. You don’t need conversation, right?”

“Hard pass,” River says without blinking.

“Man, when did you get so boring? You used to be a good time.”

“I don’t know,” River says dryly. “Maybe when I started giving a shit about the right things.”

Zane barks out a laugh. “Iamfocused on the right things. Money, exposure, and banging ten-out-of-tens. Tell me, what’s more important than that?”

River’s jaw tightens. “Have you checked in on Callie lately? Or seen Nora?”

Zane waves him off like he’s being asked about the weather. “Callie’s good. She’s solid. Honestly, if I had to knock someone up, I picked the right girl. She can handle it. The last thing she needs is for me to hover.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal. Like fatherhood is something that happenedtohim, not something he should take responsibility for. “And she’ll be working that charity thing on Thursday,” he adds with a straight face. “I’ll check in then. She can meet Gigi in person.”

River’s jaw tics. “Yeah, I’m sure Callie will love that.”

Either Zane doesn’t catch the sarcasm or he just doesn’t care. “Probably. Maybe Gigi’ll give her an autograph or something.”

My gaze shifts to River. His whole posture has changed. His shoulders are drawn and his arms are crossed as tension rolls off him in heavy waves.

“You’re a real dick,” River says, voice calm but cutting.

Zane just grins like it’s a compliment. “Come on, man. Don’t beso fucking serious.”

When his phone buzzes, he glances at the screen before answering with a grin. “Hey, babe. Yeah, I’m on my way. They’re filming already? Perfect.”

He ends the call and slips his phone into his back pocket before slapping River on the shoulder like they’re still bros. “Catch you losers later.”

We watch him stroll off like he didn’t just insult the mother of his child and brag about his airtime without missing a beat.

River’s jaw clenches again. “Was he always that big of a douche?”

“Yup,” I say on an exhale. “Although, it used to be less obvious.”

River doesn’t say anything for a moment. Just stares down the hallway where Zane disappeared, like he’s fighting the urge to go after him and unload everything he’s been holding back.

“I really fucking hate how he treats Callie,” he mutters.

I nod. “I know. She deserves better.”

He doesn’t respond, but then again, he doesn’t need to.

Both his thoughts and feelings are written clearly across his face.

It’s only a matter of time before he acts on them.

19

LILAH