Page 21 of Watch Your Back (Devil’s Backbone #2)

Her answering smile was brief. “I didn’t realize you were dating my son, or I’d have checked in to see you got adequate medical care that day. Seems you were okay, though?”

“No,” Nate snapped, seeming genuinely angry, “she wasn’t.”

Another elbow in his ribs made him jerk his gaze away from his mother so he could scowl at me. I tipped my head back to meet his eyes, trying to silently ask what the fuck he was doing. His own eyes widened slightly, like he was just as confused as I was, and his lips parted.

“Sorry, it was Ashley?” his mom interrupted, reminding me that we weren’t alone. “Nathaniel, doesn’t your father’s whore secretary have a daughter named Ashley?”

Shock rippled through me and I gasped out loud.

This bitch just called my mom a whore? Did she not know Mom and Max were married now?

Or she did know and not care? Either way, I could see where Nate’s sour attitude toward me and my mom had come from.

If Jocelyn had been speaking like that in front of her son for any length of time, it was unsurprising that it’d sunk in.

“Does she?” Nate murmured, fingers digging into my waist again.

“I don’t recall. Anyway, I really should spend some time with my girlfriend…

” The attempt to extract himself from his mother’s attention was painfully clear, but she didn’t take the hint, staring at the two of us even harder.

Like she was trying to see through the deception with X-ray vision.

“Nonsense, Nathaniel, I want to get to know your new girlfriend some more. Is this a new relationship, dear? Because rebounds are very?—”

“Nope, not new,” Nate snapped, cutting her off. “In fact, it’s very serious. Right, sweetheart?”

Jocelyn’s sharp gaze shifted to me, waiting for me to reply, so I swallowed back the urge to leave him in the shit and forced a smile to my lips. “Sure is,” I murmured. “I’ve spent more time at Nate’s place than my own dorm lately.” Which was true. Except that time was spent in his friend’s bed.

Her lips pursed, annoyance etched across her beautiful features.

“Well, how nice for you.” She drew a breath, then shook her head slightly.

“Ashley, dear, I do hope you aren’t offended, but I was just pointing out to Nathaniel that plans were already put in place for his engagement to Paige, and although I’m sure you’re a nice girl…

you’re a rebound, darling. Nothing more. Certainly not the woman he’ll marry.”

My jaw dropped at the woman’s blatant audacity. Was she hearing herself?

Nate certainly was. “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Mom. Ashley and I have actually spoken at length about our future, and Dad already considers her a daughter, so I think it’s about time you drop the Paige plans. Don’t you?”

Again…true. Just not for the implied reasons.

Jocelyn and Max must really not be on speaking terms at all for her to be so very in the dark about her son’s life.

Regardless, I had no words for how to contribute or corroborate or…

anything. So I just leaned into Nate and tried to look like I actually liked him.

Or even tolerated him. His hand shifted from my waist to my stomach as he held me closer, like we were genuinely in love, and all I could think about was how much of a dick he’d been earlier in the week.

What had he called me, again? Nevaeh Bicycle?

Thinking of that saw me tilt my head back to peer up at him. The shadow of his black eye remained, just barely concealed with makeup. Vain prick.

“What?” he murmured, eyes narrowing. Then he added a quick, “Sweetie?”

I smiled back, the first genuine smile since he’d started this weird little act.

“Nothing, sugar-butt. Just thinking about that lovely afternoon we had at your place on Monday.” Then I reached up and pressed my thumb into the bruised skin beside his eye.

“Just a loose eyelash.” I pretended to blow it off my thumb while his bruised eye twitched ever so slightly.

“Jocelyn Reynard, is that you?” a tuxedoed man called out, striding over to us and spreading his arms wide for a hug that Jocelyn didn’t reciprocate. “My dear, you seem to be aging backward.”

Nate’s mother offered a chiming laugh, patting the heavy-set man’s chest lightly. “Oh, Bernard, you are too kind. You remember my son, Nathaniel, don’t you?”

The man who eyed Nate had a rosy glow to his cheeks and a certain glassiness to his eyes. “Of course, how could I not? And who is this lovely creature on your arm, Nathaniel?”

Jocelyn answered before either Nate or I could get a response out. “Oh, Bernard, this is Ashley,” she purred, sending Nate a challenging glance. “His future fiancée, apparently.”

Jesus fucking Christ, this was getting out of hand now. Right as I was about to open my mouth and put an end to the craziness, Nate dipped his head to whisper frantically in my ear. “Bernard is the head of the Devil’s Backbone elders council. Please just…shut up.”

My jaw snapped shut, unease rippling through me. Before I could make any different decision, though, the intoxicated old man roared a cheer and clapped Nate on the shoulder. “Fiancée!” he exclaimed. “Well, congratulations, boy! Let’s get a drink to celebrate.”

Before I could even blink, Bernard had ushered Nate away and left me standing there in shock as his mother eyed me up and down.

“You two don’t have me fooled, Ashley,” she murmured, shaking her head.

“You’re little more than a distraction. But by all means, let’s see how far my son is willing to take the charade.

Congratulations on your engagement, dear.

” She clinked her glass against the champagne flute I hadn’t even realized I was still holding, then walked away as she took a sip.

Dumbstruck, I raised my own glass and gulped the alcohol…only to choke on the tiny duck I’d forgotten was floating there.

Fuck an actual duck, what had Nate roped me into now?