Page 51 of The Toy Maker

My eyes widened as I struggled to find her bare shoulders, scared of grabbing something else in the process. Prying a trashed Cinderella off was far more difficult than I could have ever imagined.

After Kitty and Jade finished their photoshoot by the punch bowls, they saw the awkward kiss attack and peeled Sarah off.

“Why does your tongue taste like vanilla?” I asked while taking a few steps back, intrigued. Did all women taste like vanilla?

Sarah giggled, “Why doyoutaste like Jason?” Her laughter turned into menacing cackling.

My brain short-circuited, every coherent thought collapsing in on itself. My mouth opened and closed as I tried to respond, but nothing came out. My eyes darted to Kitty and Jade, silently pleading for help while I struggled to pick my jaw up from the floor.

We never kissed. I would have remembered that.

Kitty raised a curious eyebrow, her pink hair catching the light as she snickered, “How would you know what Jason tastes like?”

I glanced back to where the menace himself stood. He was doubled over in laughter with Ethan.Traitor.A sick, heavy feeling settled in my chest. Somehow, Jason and Ethan had become fast friends, and I hated how badly I wished they didn’t get along.

“Careful,” Kitty muttered as she grabbed Sarah’s arm, steadying her before she could topple headfirst into the bloody fountain centerpiece.

Sarah wobbled but regained her footing, her glassy eyes narrowing as she wagged a finger in my direction. “You like him, don’t you? That’s why you keep staring,”

“I amnotstaring,” I snapped, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

She snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. “Just admit it, Tara. You want to surrender to the phantom,” she slurred while leaning against Kitty for support.

I shook my head, annoyed by the jingling from the gems in my tiara. “I do not.”

“Don’t do it.” Her hand caressed my cheek. “He’ll just stick his disco stick into another whore and knock her up with his Satan seed.”

Wait—what?

My breath caught as her words registered, and the party faded into a dull hum. Sarah’s bright, glassy eyes gleamed under the lights, but something in her gaze shattered like a mirror. My stomach twisted into a knot as realization struck.

Amy was pregnant. With Lucas’s baby.

My heart ached for Sarah, and for a fleeting moment, I almost considered going through with Kitty’s murder plot.

Sarah’s mask fell off and revealed a girl whose high school sweetheart dumped her for someone else. I watched Kitty loop Sarah’s arm over her shoulder, guiding her away from the crowd. They disappeared through the curtains leading backstage as the opening notes ofThe Music of the Nightplayed softly from the speakers.

Jade cleared her throat. “She ran into Lucas yesterday at the gynecologist’s.”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “Why would h?—”

“He was with Amy,” she said sullenly.

I blinked, and the realization hit me. “We should go talk to her.” I turned, but Jade pulled me back.

“Let her sleep this off first.” Her eyebrows pinched together, dissuading me from chasing after Sarah. From the look on her face, it was obvious she had been dealing with this on her own for days and probably knew what was in Sarah’s best interest.

I nodded despite knowing she’d feel even worse in the morning. A broken heart and an ear-splitting headache would be enough to drive anyone insane.

Before either of us could speak, a group of Cherries skipped toward us, their laughter cutting through the awkward silence.

“Come on, you two!” Naydine called, her ruby-red lips curving into a mischievous grin. She wore a skimpy, deep burgundy corset with a matching skirt that barely skimmed her thighs, her thigh-high stockings dotted with tiny red bows. Her raven-black hair was styled into sleek curls that cascaded over her bare shoulder and a hooded red cape draped down to her waist.

“We’re playing truth or dare,” Theresa added, twirling a strand of platinum-blonde hair around her manicured finger. Her costume was just as revealing, the tight bodice emphasizing her hourglass figure. Glitter sparkled on her cheeks, catching the dim, flickering light.

Jade and I exchanged hesitant glances, but the Cherries weren’t taking no for an answer. Wendy grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the growing circle on the floor.

“Let’s go, princess,” she teased, her green eyes gleaming.