Page 6 of Cinder & Secrets (Ink & Ashes #2)

River

Pulling into the driveway of my parents’ house, I bring my car to a stop directly behind Dalton’s SUV.

Truth be told, I’m surprised he’s here already.

He’s pathologically late. Always has been.

When he married his wife, Avery, we thought maybe that would change, but unfortunately, she’s just as bad as he is.

Once they started having kids, forget about it.

My mom began telling them the start time to any event was an hour earlier than it was just so they would arrive remotely on time, which could very well be what she did tonight.

Shifting into park, I kill the engine, grabbing my cell out of the center console before exiting the car.

This is the first time in two weeks I’ve been off work before six, and while I’m glad for it, I wish I could be going home instead of having to deal with my family for the next two or three hours.

It’s not that I don’t like my family. I do.

In fact, as far as families go, mine’s a pretty good one to have.

I’ve just been so busy with this new job that I’ve barely had a few minutes of downtime, and it’s starting to wear on me.

I’ve been assured that things will slow down, but right now we’re dealing with a major security breach, and let’s just say they wasted no time throwing me headfirst into the fire.

Not that I mind much. Work is about the only thing I have going for me right now.

Whose fault is that? My inner voice taunts me.

Shaking off the stress clawing at my spine like sharp nails ripping through skin, I climb the two steps onto the porch and then tug open the front door, a familiar smell enveloping me the second I step inside.

Mom made my favorite—stuffed bell peppers. I’d recognize the scent anywhere.

A smile touches my lips as I close the door and turn toward the kitchen, my steps abruptly coming to a stop at the sight of someone I was not expecting to see sitting next to my sister at the dining room table located just to the left of the kitchen.

Charlotte O’Malley.

Fuck me .

“River!” Lyric jumps up the instant she spots me, crossing the small space to throw her arms around my middle, and squeezes tightly.

I instantly feel guilty.

Summer break is already half over and in just over a month, she’ll be heading back to Virginia, and I’ve barely spent any time with her while she’s been home.

“Hey, sis.” I squeeze her back, releasing her when I feel little arms close down around my leg.

“There’s my girl.” I lean down and swoop up my youngest niece, Lacy, who just recently turned two. Nuzzling my face into her neck, she squeals out in laughter.

“Wiver.”

“Wacy,” I say back in my best toddler impression, very aware of the bright green eyes burning holes into the side of my face.

I can’t believe Lyric didn’t mention that Charlotte was here. Then again, I haven’t spoken to her in a few days, so I guess she really didn’t have the chance. And why would she feel the need to reach out specifically when as far as she knows, I shouldn’t care if she has a friend over.

Only in this case, I do care. I care very fucking much.

“’Bout time you showed up.” Dalton is the next to greet me, his wife, Avery, at his side.

“Surprised you beat me.” I bump his fist, giving Avery a nod of hello. “Let me guess, Mom told you five.”

“One day you’ll have children of your own and you’ll find out how hard it is to get anywhere on time,” Avery chimes in.

“He’s been this way his entire life, Av, don’t blame it on the kids,” I tease, giving her a wink as I lower Lacy back to the ground. She takes off running the instant her feet hit the hardwood. “I think her energy doubles every time I see her.” I smile, watching her little legs wobble beneath her.

“You have no idea.” Avery sighs as she watches her daughter adoringly.

Careful not to glance toward the dining room, I head into the kitchen to say hello to my mother, who’s currently got my four-year-old niece, Lyla, on the counter, acting as the taste tester. A job I used to do frequently when I was little.

“Hey, Mom.” I lean in, laying a quick kiss to the side of her head before stepping back so she can resume chopping vegetables for the salad. “Where’s Dad?” I ask, ruffling Lyla’s hair, which earns me a smack and the most dramatic groan I’ve ever heard come out of a four-year-old.

Point taken.

“In the garage, as per usual. He should be in shortly.” My mom hands Lyla a cucumber slice, which she immediately takes a bite of. “Go ahead and have a seat. The salad will be ready in just a minute.”

“Anything I can do?” I ask, hopeful that she’ll give me an excuse to delay sitting down next to a certain auburn bombshell who probably feels like I owe her an explanation. And she would be right. Not that I’m at all prepared to give her one.

I can’t lie. The night we met, I was definitely smitten.

She made me feel like a pubescent fourteen-year-old boy who could barely contain his urges .

Her age and closeness to my sister were the only things that kept me from stripping her bare and fucking her into the next century. And man did I want to do just that.

I told myself that’s all it was, a physical attraction that I’d forget the instant she was out of sight. Only that’s not what happened at all.

Instead, we started texting. Then we started calling each other.

And before long, we became really good friends.

More than friends, though neither of us ever admitted as much.

The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to know, and honestly, it terrified me.

Pussy thing to say, I know, but true just the same.

It doesn’t help matters that good friends have been in short supply for my sister, and the last thing I want to do is get in between her and someone she cares about and who clearly cares about her.

Not that Lyric would ever stop me from pursuing something with one of her friends, but deep down I know she wouldn’t love it.

Even if she wouldn’t admit to it, I know my sister.

It’s why I never told her about me and Charlotte talking in the first place and why I asked Charlotte not to tell Lyric either.

Lying to her is even worse than that truth, I know. Which is another reason why I backed off. I couldn’t tell her the truth without admitting I had been lying for months and that I had pulled one of her best friends into the lie. So I tried to make it right by cutting ties.

I’ve hated every second of it.

I hate it even more now.

“No, honey, I’ve got it covered.” My mom interrupts my thoughts and it takes way longer than it should to realize she’s answering the question I asked. “Go visit with your sister. Might be the only chance you get before Kai gets here.”

“Kai’s coming?” I’m a little surprised by this. Not because he doesn’t come around—he’s here most weekends—but because this is the first time he’s been included in a family dinner.

I didn’t much care for the guy at first, but even I have to admit, he’s growing on me.

How could he not when he makes my sister so incredibly happy?

Because of him, we have Lyric back. Not the shell that her ex, Leo, left for us—the carcass he feasted on and then left to rot in the sun.

But the real Lyric, happier and healthier than ever.

Any man who can do that for my sister is all right in my book.

Even if I do think he’s a little old for her.

Hypocritical, given the age difference between me and Charlotte is even bigger. Then again, I never did anything with Charlotte outside of talking. I mean, I definitely wanted to, but I didn’t, and that’s the real takeaway here.

“River, you remember Char?” Lyric asks as I take my normal seat at the far end of the table, directly across from my sister.

“Of course.” I tip my chin in way of hello, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “It’s good to see you again, Charlotte.”

“Yeah, you too.” She offers me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. Doesn’t take away from how striking she is.

Every reason I had for backing away now seems trivial and immature at best, and while I was sure it was the right move, I can’t deny that I’m kicking myself in the ass a bit at the current moment.

“So, how’s the break so far? I feel like I haven’t talked to you in weeks.” I turn my attention back to my sister, forcing an ease I certainly don’t feel.

“Probably because you haven’t,” Lyric fires back, her tone light and teasing. “And it’s going well. Don’t tell Mom I said so, but I’m ready to go back to Virginia.” She lowers her voice.

“I wouldn’t know why.” I give her a pointed look because we both know it has nothing to do with her eagerness to return to the classroom. “Have you talked to the parentals about your living situation?”

“They know.”

“They know you plan to live with your boyfriend and they’re okay with it?” I arch a brow.

Lyric is the baby. In my parents’ eyes, she will always be the baby, and as such, they’re very reluctant to let her grow up.

“Not sure okay is the right word, but yeah. I mean, it’s not like they can stop me. I am an adult.”

“I suppose that’s true.” I turn back to Charlotte. “What about you? What are you going to do now that this one is moving in with Prince Charming?” I try to say and act the way I would if this were just a normal interaction with a friend of my sister’s that I don’t know well.

She can see through it, of course. But my sister seems none the wiser, and that’s the entire point.

“Maisie and I are rooming together.”

“Maisie is the one with the blue eyes,” I confirm, even though I know exactly who Maisie is. Charlotte talked about her often during our months of conversation.

“Blue eyes. Perfect skin. Legs that go on for days.” Lyric nods. “That’s the one.”

“Are you as excited for the start of sophomore year as my sister is?”

“Eh.” She lifts her shoulder in a half-shrug.