Page 22 of The Toy Maker (The Pink Cherrie #1)

Before I could process my thoughts, Jason descended from the stage and headed right for me with the black cape sweeping behind him like a shadow.

The half-mask he wore only emphasized his sharp jawline and the green eyes that seemed to lock onto me whenever we were in the same room.

He towered over most of the crowd, and if I didn’t act fast, there would be nowhere to hide.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, and my heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the music still playing in the background. Confrontation wasn’t my strong suit, and the thought of talking to Jason—looking like that —was overwhelming.

“Hold this, thanks,” I blurted, shoving my empty cup into Ethan’s hands before he could even react. Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and hauled ass to my fellow princesses. I figured they’d emerged during the Phantom’s grand entrance.

My heels clicked against the floor as I hurried past clusters of costumed partygoers, my dress swishing awkwardly around my legs.

“There she is!” Sarah squealed when she noticed me approaching. Her golden Cinderella gown shimmered under the party lights as she stumbled toward me. Before I could respond, Sarah threw her arms around my neck and giggled, her head resting heavily on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry I was cranky.”

I tried to respond, but she placed a finger to my lips.

“Shhhh, I love you,” she whispered, and then her lips crashed into mine.

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 do you taste 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 am not staring,” 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 of The Music of the Night played 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.

Reluctantly, I followed, feeling the squeeze of my corset as I moved. The cold floor seeped through the thin fabric of my costume when I sat, and I struggled to find a comfortable position. And when I caught a sidelong glance at Jason, it seemed to tighten until I was struggling to breathe.

As the game began, I tried to focus on the questions, because no one would risk choosing dare in front of the party, but my attention kept slipping.

Every time I looked at Jason, the corset felt like it tightened. He was leaning against the wall, talking to a customer I had seen in the store once or twice, each time with a new woman.

He wasn’t even looking at me and my heart was pounding in my chest. I fought to steady my breathing, but it was a losing battle. I didn’t even care when Amy joined the circle, whining about feeling left out.

“Truth or dare?” one of the Cherries purred, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blinked, realizing the question was directed at me.

“Tara,” Wendy pressed, her smile widening. “What’ll it be?”

I hesitated, glancing around the circle. My hands were clasped tightly in my lap, fingers fidgeting against the stiff fabric of my skirt. Jason shifted slightly in the corner of my vision, and I felt my face grow warm.

“Truth,” I said finally, my voice barely audible.

The circle erupted in giggles, and I braced myself, knowing that whatever came next would likely be trouble.

“What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done?” Wendy asked.

“Unpaid,” Naydine added quickly. “Things at work don’t count.”

The other girls murmured in agreement.

I cleared my throat. “Uh…”

“You have to answer,” Theresa laughed. “We all did.”

They did? I should have been paying attention. Finally, I sucked in a breath. “I used the bathtub faucet to get off … a lot.” I nearly drowned, but the orgasms were worth it. Of course, that wasn’t the full truth. The kinkiest thing I had ever done started when I agreed to be Jason’s toy tester.

Jade scoffed. “That doesn’t count.” She whipped her dark hair over her shoulders and in the dim light, with an ungodly amount of alcohol in my body, she held authority.

“Why not?” I asked, but it came out more like whining.

“Because you’re lying,” Wendy said, her painted lips curling into a smug smile before she took a sip of her spiked punch. But what did she know?

Naydine laughed. Her hooded red cape shifted slightly as she crossed her legs, the movement drawing attention to her sky-high heels. “You don’t think we know a fake secret when we hear one? Give us something good,” she said, her dark eyes narrowing playfully.

I hesitated, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. “You said I couldn’t say anything from work,” I pointed out, folding my arms over my chest.

“You’re only kinky at work?” Wendy raised a perfectly arched brow. It was a pointed question, really.

“Not exactly,” I said, shifting uncomfortably under their stares.

“How exactly?” Naydine pressed.

I glanced at the cup in Wendy’s manicured hand and fought the urge to snatch it and chug what was left. “I had a thing with my brother’s teammate once,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could overthink them. My pulse quickened as both girls’ faces lit up.

“And?” Naydine prompted, leaning in closer. Her brown eyes sparkled, hungry for the scandal.

“And he liked… foot jobs,” I blurted, my voice dropping as I said the last two words.

Wendy choked on her drink, coughing before she burst into laughter. “For how long?”

“Too long,” I said, finally laughing along with them as the tension eased from my shoulders.

“First time that’s ever been said around here,” Jade chuckled, shaking her head.

Somehow, I had narrowly avoided suspicion and satisfied the other Cherries. I just needed to avoid any more of their interrogations for the night.

“Isn’t that, like, kink shaming?” Amy asked, although it wasn’t a true question.

I frowned. “What?”

“Well, you just used this poor guy’s foot fetish as a punchline.”

Guilt settled in my chest. I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that.