Page 9 of Cinder & Secrets (Ink & Ashes #2)

“Stop giving me one-word answers and explain before I march across the hall and tell Lyric.” Her threat snaps the last thread of denial I was fighting so hard to keep in place.

“I can explain.”

“You better.” She crosses her arms in front of herself.

This is the last thing I want to do right now. But given the way Maisie is looking at me, I know the only way to get past this is by walking straight through.

“You remember the glow party?” I ask, taking a tentative seat at the edge of the bed, angling myself toward Maisie.

“Of course.”

“Kai took you and Lyric home, and I stayed back with River.”

“Please do not tell me you fucked him.”

“No.” I shake my head. “In fact, nothing happened. Not a single thing, no matter how much I wanted it to. But we did have a lot of fun together, and well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t insanely attracted to him.”

“Who isn’t?”

“Right, well, after that, I thought that’s all it would be. A night of fun. But then he texted me the next day. I don’t even remember giving him my number, but I must have at some point. I really had a lot to drink that night,” I quickly explain.

“So you started talking.” It’s not a question so much as it is a statement.

“We did. But that’s all it was. Just talking. Really just texting. I mean, we did talk on the phone some, but most of our conversations were had over text.”

“So when did you start hanging out?”

“We didn’t. We’ve never done anything but talk. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen him since the glow party last year.”

“So you expect me to believe you have been talking for months and you’ve never met up?”

“It’s the truth.” I knot my hands in my lap. “He started distancing himself toward the end of the year and by a couple weeks into summer, he stopped texting me completely. Everything I told you was true with the exception of who I was actually talking to.”

“So it’s been River this whole time.”

“Yes,” I confirm a second time.

“And Lyric clearly has no idea.”

“No. River asked me not to tell her. He didn’t want to give her the wrong impression.”

“And what impression would that be?”

“That there’s something going on between us.”

“But there is.” Her brow furrows in confusion.

“Not really. I mean, up until tonight, we were just friends.”

“But if you were just friends, there would be no reason to hide it.” She shakes her head. “Wait, what do you mean up until tonight?” She seems to just catch that little bit of information I didn’t actually mean to give. “What happened tonight?”

“He kissed me,” I quietly admit.

“When? Where?”

“In the bathroom. Around the same time you and Kai arrived.”

“But he had stopped talking to you?”

“Yeah.”

“But then he kissed you in the bathroom with his whole family a few feet away.”

“I know, right?” I let out a humorless laugh.

“So I’m confused. Are you two a thing or aren’t you?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know.” I toss my hands up, letting them fall back to my lap with an audible smack.

“I guess I can see why you let him string you along now. When I thought it was Conner, I didn’t see the allure. But River... I dare say I’d let that man do anything he wanted to me, including string me along.” Maisie grins, the action loosening some of the tension in my chest.

“He’s not stringing me along. I don’t think anyway. I think he’s just hesitant.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. The things he would say to me made me feel like he liked me, and not just as a friend, but then he’d contradict himself by saying I’m a good friend or something stupid like that.

Mixed signals are an understatement of what he was giving me.

But then tonight, when I told him I didn’t want to date him, that I just wanted to fuck him, he kissed me. ..”

I blow out a breath, not realizing how badly I needed to talk this out with another person until now. I mean, I confided in Maisie and Lyric, but it never felt right because I was still lying, even if what I was saying was the truth.

“You should tell Lyric.”

“I can’t. Not without breaking River’s trust.”

“And what about Lyric’s trust?” she fires back.

“I know, okay? I know how horrible of a friend this makes me. But telling Lyric ensures this is over and, Mais, I’m not ready for this to be over.”

“So then what’s your plan?” Her expression softens.

“Truth? I don’t have one.”

“Well, if you’re hoping to keep your secret a secret for a little while longer, might I suggest you not spend any time in the same room while Lyric is present. You two are not very subtle.”

“Does that mean you aren’t going to tell her?” I ask, almost hopeful.

“I don’t like it, and I think you should tell her, but no, I won’t tell her. This is your burden to bear, not mine. If you need someone to talk to, I’ll be here for you, but understand that if she asks me outright, I will not lie to her.”

“That’s fair.” I take what I can get, and honestly, it’s more than I deserve.

“Now tell me, is he a good kisser? Oh God, I bet he’s an incredible kisser. You lucky bitch.” She smacks the bed dramatically.

“He’s pretty incredible,” I admit. “He did this thing with his tongue...” I groan. “No one has ever kissed me like that, Mais. Like I was the anchor tethering him to the ground.”

“If you’re trying to make me jealous...” She gives me a tight-lipped stare. “It’s working,” she finally says, her mouth splitting into a wide smile. “That man is F.I.N.E. fine, fine, fine.”

“On that, we can definitely agree.”

“Her older brother Dalton isn’t too bad either. Too bad he’s married.”

“Maisie.” I laugh.

“I’m just saying, I’m wondering what their parents put in the water because their children are freaking beautiful.”

“They really are,” I agree.

“And did you see Dalton’s girls? Looks like they took the pretty pills too.”

“One could say the same thing about your family,” I feel the need to point out. “Or are we just ignoring the fact that you look like a runway model and your brother looks like he stepped off the pages of GQ?”

“Please,” she sputters. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror recently? No wonder River couldn’t keep his hands off you today.”

“If only,” I murmur, thinking back to our bathroom encounter.

I guess technically it was me who stopped it from going further. I wanted it to, of course. But it didn’t feel right. I mean, it felt right. So right I damn near forgot my own name. But the timing was... Well, not appropriate. Even still, I’m both impressed and surprised by my own willpower.

“I’m going to go brush my teeth before bed,” Maisie tells me, standing.

“Okay. I’ll wait until you’re done and then I’ll go.” I watch her walk to the door. “Hey, Mais.” I wait until she looks over her shoulder at me before continuing. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Just do us both a favor and don’t lie to me again, yeah?”

“Yeah.” I nod, watching her exit the room seconds later.