Page 123 of Drive

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

“Burn”

Usher

I walked toward the private bar to avoid the eyes of everyone at the party. I needed a minute to get my head together. Tumbling from his words, the faint press of his lips against mine, his promises, I stumbled blindly into the room and was stopped short by the sight of my sister, Neil, and Reid drinking at the bar.

Paige saw me and stopped my retreat. “Stella.”

“Hey,” I said, approaching her.

“We’re hiding. Uncle Moto is trying toDJnow.”

Reid piped in, “How many uncles do you have?”

“A million,” my sister and I said in unison.

Paige was three sheets to something as she sat a shot of tequila down in front of me. I looked back at Reid as the blood rushed to my face. It was there, the heat, the burn, his words pulverizing all reasons to stay away from him. He loved me, and I was helpless against the pull. I needed to get away before the flames licked me and the rest of him consumed me.

“You okay?” Paige said, looking over her shoulder. “What’s going on?” she asked between Reid and me.

“Nothing,” I murmured.

Paige looked accusingly at Reid. “I thought this was over.”

“It is,” I snapped.

She turned in her seat, surveying us both. “Clearly it isn’t.”

“Paige,” I protested, realizing my sister was the most intuitive drunk in the history of mankind.

“Bullshit,” she snapped. “I could sense it then and I can sense itnow.”

She glared at Reid. “She has a boyfriend, you know.”

“Stop it,” I barked.

Reid nodded with an, “I know,” his eyes burning a hole through us both.

“Paige, I’m fine,” I said, trying to keep the angry, tequila-filled Stella at bay. Seemed I wasn’t the only one with some unspoken resentment.

“You can’t get upset, Stella. I can’t ever see you like that again!”

I jerked her to face me. “Stop!”

She pulled away from my grip to face Reid head on. “No. Not this time. He needs to know.”

“Please, Paige. Please,” I pleaded.

“Know what?” Reid asked, his jaw turning to granite. Neil took a step forward. “Paige.”

“He needs to know you had a stroke the last time he left your door.”

All animation fell from Reid’s face.

“Yeah,” Paige continued. “After you decided to drop by that New Year’s Eve and pay her a visit. She had a stroke in her sleep.”

Reid stumbled back as if she’d just struck him. “What the fuck?”