He chuckles. “Yeah. Don’t let her fool you, though. She’s tiny, but she’s got as much bite as she does bark. Don’t underestimate her.”

“Noted.”

He pauses, then, more soberly, he says, “She’s one of the best people I know. Loyal to a fucking fault.” He waves a hand in the direction of the stairs. “Case in point.”

I nod. “So what you’re saying is I don’t want to be on her bad side.”

“Exactly.”

I cringe into a smile. “Too late for that, huh?”

He laughs. “Nah, it’s always an uphill battle with her. Even if it wasn’t for Way, she would have found some reason to try and scare you off. When it comes to Ivy, everyone’s guilty until proven innocent.”

“Good to know.”

A phone starts ringing. Mason reaches behind him, digging it out of his pocket. He flicks his eyes over the screen before sliding to answer. He holds up a finger to me as he answers, “Hey, Reg...”

Turning away, I only partially pay attention to the one-sided conversation as I suddenly remember the other bomb dropped earlier.

Reg. Reggie.

Uncle.

My would-be landlord is Waylon’s uncle.

Again, What are the fucking odds?

Not that it sounded like they were all that close. Still...

I can’t, in good conscience, actually take Mason up on this offer now, can I? Especially after Waylon’s outright hostility. I’d be an idiot to stick around after that.

“Yeah, I’ll head over in a few.” A pause. “I actually might have found you a new tenant—at least for a little while—an old friend. Kind of a last-minute thing...”

I slide my eyes shut, trying not to laugh. I’ve a feeling Mason’s not going to make saying no to this any easier than he did when he invited me to follow him here.

Do you even want to say no? That voice again. Zayne’s, but not quite.

I pinch the corners of my eyes.

I can’t...

Unable to help myself, I sweep my gaze over the bar, over the space Waylon once occupied. I see him in my mind’s eye—the image of him a stain I’ll no doubt never be rid of for the rest of my days.

Chest bared. Jeans hanging low. A bottle of beer in his hand and a cigarette perched between his lips. Standing on the bar like he fucking owned the place.

Well, I guess that wouldn’t be too far off.

And it’s not like I couldn’t not look, even before I realized who it was. Not check him out. Not when there was all that unexpected flesh on display like that.

And even more unexpected? The muscles engraved into his stomach. The tattoos scrolling over his arms and spreading across his collarbone...

That fucking nipple piercing.