Page 35 of Thorns of Deceit

I grimaced. “What is my usual background? It’s not like we FaceTime a lot. This is only the second time since we graduated.”

“So,” Isla started, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Are we all ready for Paris? Only a month to go!”

A round of “yes” echoed around while I kept a firm but fake smile on my face.

“It will be wonderful,” Reina said, bouncing a little. My eyes locked on Phoenix who looked slightly pale, her excitement matching mine.

“Are you okay, Phoenix?” I signed, zeroing in on her. She was older than Reina, but the two were inseparable. If something were wrong, her sister would know. That’s the kind of connection siblings had—one Athena and I could only imagine.

A shadow passed across her features but she immediately schooled them and signed, “Yes, everything’s perfect.”

Reina let out a theatrical sigh. “Phoenix has been incredibly stubborn and refuses to admit something is bothering her.”

I frowned.Interesting.

“You know you can tell us anything, Phoenix,” Isla chimed in.

“We’re a non-judgmental bunch,” Athena added.

I nodded. “Exactly, we’re five musketeers.”

“All for one and one for all,” Reina confirmed.

Phoenix waved her hand, smiling, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes as she signed, “I appreciate it, but everything is just fine. Now, let’s discuss Paris.”

Isla nodded. “Very well. But if you change your mind, you know we’re always here.”

“Always,” I echoed as I paced around the kitchen island, the Italian marble tile warm under my bare feet.

Guilt tugged at me. It was hard not to feel hypocritical when I was also keeping secrets. But how could I possibly explain what had happened without mentioning the mayor’s murder at the hands of an Irish mobster? That wasn’t exactly a story you told over the phone.

Before I could even form a sentence to admit recent changes in my life, Athena asked, “Isla, that apartment you mentioned. Will all of us fit in it?”

“Yes,” Isla answered. “It has a bedroom for each of us, except?—”

“Oh, here we go,” Reina muttered.

“It’s not a big deal,” Isla protested. “We just have to share one bathroom.” A round of gasps traveled through the screen, causing Isla to roll her eyes. “It’snota big deal.”

Athena gasped. “Five girls and one bathroom is not a big deal? We’re going to kill each other.”

“Exactly!” Reina echoed the sentiment. “Can we maybe renovate?”

“We should be grateful,” I protested weakly, knowing that mere weeks ago, I wouldn’t have cared if there was no bathroom in that apartment. I’d happily make do.

The screen froze—or maybe it was just my friends—with their eyes fixed on me. A heartbeat passed, then another, before Athena finally said, “What’s up with you lately, Raven?”

I’d seen this coming. That was why I kept my presence in the group chat to a bare minimum. Athena had known me thelongest and she could read me too well; my unease was as obvious to her as hers always was to me.

“You know you can tell us anything,” Isla said.

“No matter what, we’re always on your side,” Reina reiterated.

“Are you okay? That’s all that matters to us,” Phoenix signed slowly while I considered how much to tell them exactly.

“Please don’t tell us you’re not coming to Paris.” Athena’s voice was laced with worry. “We’ll tolerate anything and everything but that.”

My shoulders slumped. The truth was that I couldn’t see a way I could possibly make it to Paris now that I was married to Aiden. It was clear he had certain ideas about this marriage, and that didn’t encompass spending months apart.