Page 28 of Cinder & Secrets (Ink & Ashes #2)

Charlotte

“Chug. Chug. Chug,” Lyric and Maisie chant in unison as I tip the glass further, emptying the remaining contents in seconds. Slamming the cup down, I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and then hold it out, smiling.

“Pay up,” I say to Maisie’s brother, Jackson, who foolishly bet he could drink a beer faster than me. Obviously, he had no idea who he was messing with.

“You guys set me up.” Jackson grins, pulling out his wallet before dropping a twenty-dollar bill into my outstretched hand.

“That’s on you, Brother.” Maisie snorts. “We did try to warn you.”

“Rematch.” His blue eyes flash toward me.

“How about no,” Kai interjects, narrowing his gaze on his drunk friend.

I snort out a laugh. Not that I’m one to judge—all my cares fucked right the fuck off about an hour ago after our third round of shots—but he is swaying slightly, whereas I’m still pretty steady on my feet, so I guess I’m technically in better shape, or I guess worse shape, depending on your point of view.

“Don’t be a buzzkill.” Jackson clasps Kai on the shoulder, giving him a cheeky grin.

“You forget you’re sleeping on my couch tonight, and I will not, under any circumstances, be cleaning up your vomit when you inevitably start puking.”

“And let’s not forget that the only reason you’re even here is to come to my game in the morning,” Maisie reminds him. “If you miss it because you’re too hungover, I will kick your ass.”

“Like to see you try, little sis.” His eyes flare in challenge.

“And for the record, I came tonight so I could have a good time. If I just wanted to see your game, I would have driven over in the morning,” he says matter-of-factly, like he’s just shown her.

“Again?” He tilts his head in my direction.

“I’m game. It’s your wallet that’s going to be empty,” I warn him.

“Double or nothing,” he slurs.

“Even better.” The smile that slides across my lips feels too easy, thanks in large part to the alcohol buzzing through my veins, but right now, I’ll take it. Anything to keep my mind off...

Nope.

I shake off the thought before his name even crosses my mind, focusing instead on the handsome blue-eyed man across from me.

Jackson is hot. There is no mistaking that. But since I’ve had enough of messing around with my friends’ brothers to last me a lifetime, I will not go there, no matter how easy it would be to do just that.

“Jackson,” Maisie scolds. “She handed you your ass already. Are you really so eager to lose all your money?”

“It was a fluke.” He cracks his neck by no more than twisting his head from side to side. “And I’m gonna prove it.” His gaze comes back to me.

“It’s your money.” I shrug, handing my cup back to Lyric, who happily fills it, then fills Jackson’s from the same keg.

“Ready?” He holds his cup up in front of his face.

“Ready.” I smile, victory already mine.

“Go.”

We both tip back our cups. Ever since I was little, I’ve had the unique ability where I can pretty much just pour liquid down my throat without barely swallowing a single drop.

Because of this, my cup is empty in a matter of a few seconds, whereas Jackson still has at least a third of his cup left when I finish.

“You are insane!” Maisie squeals, holding up my hand to declare me the winner.

Jackson throws his cup down as soon as it’s empty, scowling at me like the sore loser he is.

“I believe you said double or nothing.” I reach out my hand as soon as Maisie releases it, wiggling my fingers at him.

“Fucking sorcery is what that is,” he grumbles, pulling out his wallet to hand me two more twenties.

“Thank you very much.” I giggle, tucking them into the back pocket of my jeans with the other twenty. “Easiest money I’ve ever made.” I burp... loudly. “Excuse me.” I grin.

“I’d say so.” Kai chuckles, shaking his head at me.

“I wanna dance,” I announce abruptly.

“Yes, please!” Maisie wiggles her hips next to me, nearly as intoxicated as I am.

Meanwhile, Lyric is leaning into Kai’s side like he’s the only thing keeping her standing upright. Lightweight . The thought makes me laugh to myself.

“Lyric?” I arch a brow at her.

“Hmm...” She taps her chin. “Only if you’ll come with me.” She looks up at Kai, batting her thick lashes at him.

He grins, trapping her chin between his finger and thumb before pressing his mouth to hers.

The sight feels like a hefty punch to the stomach, and it takes everything I have not to bend against the impact. Jealously slides through my chest, spreading like a lethal poison, reaching every single one of my extremities in seconds.

I close my eyes, remembering the feel of River’s kiss. The way he would always scratch his teeth gently against my lower lip. The sounds he would make when he was close to falling apart...

My eyes dart open and I suck in a ragged breath.

How could I not see how hard I had fallen for him until he was letting me walk away? How could I not appreciate what I had and do everything to hold on to it? How could I just let him go so easily?

The thought that I might never feel his touch again. Might never hear his laugh or the deep gruff of his voice when he first wakes up. Feel his smile against my skin as he nuzzles his face into my neck. Hear him say my name... Red .

I have to fight the urge to fold in on myself.

“You good?” Maisie slides up next to me, slipping an arm over my shoulder.

“I will be.” I force a smile, allowing her to guide me from the room.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. One minute, I’m dancing in a crowded room being handed shots from what feels like every direction. The next, I’m outside, Lyric’s arm tucked into my right, Maisie’s into my left, as the three of us follow Kai and Jackson to his car.

“Did you have fun tonight?” Lyric asks, nudging my hip with hers, nearly knocking herself over in the process.

“I did.” I try to force my words to come out even, but there’s an undeniable slur to them just the same. “But I think I might be a little drunk.”

“You think?” Maisie snorts out a laugh.

“Are you drunk?” I ask no one in particular.

“Wasted.” Lyric grins, the action splitting her face in two.

“Very,” Maisie agrees.

“I need you girls to promise me something...” Lyric licks her lips like they’re too dry to continue until she does so. “Promise me that we won’t ever let anything come between us.” When she says this, her eyes come to me.

“Promise.” Maisie hiccups.

“I promise,” I say, all traces of humor leaving my body in an instant. “I’m sorry about River.” Emotion tickles the back of my throat.

“We aren’t doing that.” She shakes her head, matter-of-fact. “I know why you lied. And I also know it wasn’t to hurt me.”

“I never want to hurt you.”

“I know.” She gives me a soft smile.

“I love him,” I blurt abruptly.

“I know,” she repeats a second time.

“But the real question is...” Maisie interrupts. “What are you going to do about it?”

“What can I do about it?”

“You can tell him point blank how you feel.” She suggests. “Lay it all on the line. If he rejects you, then you’ll know for certain. But if he doesn’t...” She raises her eyebrows suggestively.

“He already knows how I feel.”

“Does he?” Lyric’s forehead crinkles in question. “I mean, he overheard you tell me that you were in love with him, but that doesn’t mean he fully grasps the enormity of your feelings for him.”

“He knows,” I state flatly. “And as you can all see, he’s done nothing about it.”

“Give him time.” Lyric pats my arm sympathetically. “If I know my brother, he’ll realize his mistake eventually. Might take him a while... Men, ” she grumbles, earning herself a scowl from Jackson before a knowing smirk slides across his lips.

“In the meantime”—Jackson turns, walking backward, his eyes fixed on me—“if you need a rebound or someone to make him jealous, I’m happy to volunteer.” He holds his arms out at his sides as if to say I’m all yours .

“Um, no,” Maisie cuts in. “Turn back around.” She does a swirling motion with her finger.

“You’re such a buzzkill,” Jackson tells her, humor lighting up his handsome features.

In another life, and by other life, I mean a year ago, Jackson is totally someone I would’ve hooked up with.

He’s tall. Handsome. Funny. And those eyes.

.. That was before, though. Before River.

.. Before I went and fell in love with a man who doesn’t love me back.

Suddenly, the urge to hook up with random men is gone, replaced by an achingly painful longing for only one man.

“And you’re a whore.” She sticks her tongue out at him.

“The mouth on my baby sister.” He nudges Kai as he spins back around. “When did she get so vulgar?”

“Pretty sure she’s always been that way, brother.” Kai laughs, the sound deep and rich. “You just refused to see it.”

“We should call him.” Maisie drags my attention back to her.

“Who?”

“River.”

“Yesssss!” Lyric agrees much too excitedly.

“Why would we do that?” I look between the two of them.

“Tell him how you feel. Put the ball in his court. You’re Charlotte O’-fucking-Malley,” Maisie says like that actually means something.

“I’m not calling him.” I shake my head, way too drunk to even consider what she’s suggesting.

“Yes, you can.” Lyric stumbles as she fights to retrieve her phone out of her back pocket. “If you don’t, I will.” She waves the phone in front of my face.

“I would expect you, of all people, to be against this horrible idea,” I tell her flatly.

“Well, too bad, I’m drunk and my brother is stupid, so we’re doing it.”

Before I can stop her, she presses a button on her phone and then holds the device to her ear.

“Lyric.” I move to take her phone, but she releases my arm, stumbling out of my grasp.

“Come here.” Kai turns, and without warning, plops her over his shoulder so that she’s hanging down his back.

“I can walk.” She giggles.

“Not very well.” He huffs.

It takes me longer than it should to realize her phone is still pressed to her ear.