Page 59 of Twisted Truths

I nod. “Will do. Thanks for the invite.”

Sid walks through the door and halts when he sees I’m not alone. “Anabelle. Asher being unbearable? Need me to straighten him out?” He sips his cappuccino and continues toward his desk.

“It’s funny that you think anyone can straighten that man out,” she says with a humorous lilt. “I was just inviting Ariana out for girls’ night tonight. Well, I’d better get back to work. Don’t want the boss firing me.” She winks, turns on her heel, and leaves.

Obsidian stares at me, chewing on his cheek.

“Did you want me to turn down her invitation?” I ask him.

“Not at all.”

But his words don’t match the look on his face.

We settle in a booth, and I sit next to Anabelle with Rapsody and Cinder across from us. Rapsody has a blond chin-length bob and is about as sweet as they come, while Cinder has big blue eyes and long blond hair styled with a wave. I feel a kinship with Cinder instantly, as if we’ve both seen some shit in our lives.

I’m anxious about being here with someone other than my brother, as though they’re closer to discovering my secret by sheer proximity to where our exchanges go down. But the bartender isn’t the one I’m used to seeing on Saturday nights, so at least I don’t need to worry about her calling out my frequent visits in front of the girls.

Cinder takes our drink requests, then goes over to the bar.

“She used to work here,” Anabelle says.

She and Rapsody laugh when they see the surprise on my face.

“None of us come from money,” Anabelle adds.

I don’t know why I assumed they did, but it just seemed most likely. Don’t the Voss brothers kind stay in their own pond?

“How did you all meet them?” I look between her and Rapsody.

“I met Kol while my mother was in the hospital. He was there visiting someone,” Rapsody says.

I get the distinct sense that there’s more to Rapsody’s story, but I’m not going to pry since I don’t want them to pry into my own.

“And I met Asher when I came to work for him. Kinda like you and Sid.” Anabelle knocks her shoulder with mine.

“I never expected…”

“Oh, we know,” Anabelle says. “There’s just something that draws you in about those Voss men, isn’t there?”

My cheeks heat. I realize as I’m sitting here talking to them that they would have been there the night of my initiation. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that until now.

“Were you guys there the night I…” I glance around the bar. “In the basement?”

Both women give me a sympathetic look and nod.

“It’s only weird if you make it weird,” Anabelle says.

Right. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.

“I’d never done anything like that before,” I admit.

“Oh, neither had we,” Rapsody says.

Cinder returns and sets the drinks on the table, sliding my glass of wine over to me. Normally I’d order a beer, but I felt like maybe I should order something a little more sophisticated in front of these ladies. Although now that I’ve chatted with them, I don’t think it would have mattered.

“What are we talking about?” Cinder asks before taking a sip of her drink.

Rapsody whispers the answer in Cinder’s ear.

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