Page 60 of Twisted Truths

“Ah, gotcha,” she smiles. “Will you be returning next month?”

I nod. “Yeah, as long as Obsidian wants me there.” I bring the wine glass to my lips.

“I was just saying how none of us had ever done anything like that before,” Rapsody fills Cinder in.

“Yes and no for me. I used to strip for a living. That’s actually where I met Nero.” I appreciate the fact that there’s zero shame in Cinder’s tone. “But I’d never, you know, in front of other people.”

Cinder is very well-endowed, and I can imagine that she must’ve done well when she worked at the strip club.

“I never would have guessed that,” I say.

She shrugs. “None of us really met the guys in a conventional way. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be something good.”

I twirl my glass by the stem. “Why do I get the feeling that’s directed at me?”

Anabelle squeezes my hand. “You’ll have to excuse our excitement. It’s just that none of us have ever seen Sid into a woman like he is with you, and from what the guys say, he’s never been serious with anyone else.”

“How do you know he’s serious about me?” I take another sip of my wine to ground myself.

Anabelle gives me a look of disbelief. “He wouldn’t have initiated you into the club if he wasn’t serious, Ariana. They only do that for the keepers.”

Is that true? Does Obsidian see a future with me despite never having said that?

And if so, why do I feel both happy and sad at the idea of it?

But I know the answer to that question—it’s because there can be no future for us. As soon as he figures out what and who I really am, he’s going to hate me.

I try to play off their enthusiasm. “We’ll see.” Wanting to change the subject from Obsidian and me, I turn to Rapsody. “So what do you do?”

We chat for a while longer, finishing another drink before Anabelle says, “We should probably call it a night. Asher has an early phone call I need to be up for.” She pulls out her phone and texts the driver to pick us up.

“This was really fun. Thank you for inviting me.” I polish off the rest of my wine.

“You should have your meals with us in the dining room,” Cinder says.

Though I think I’d like that, I’m not sure how Obsidian would feel about it. “I think I’ll wait until Obsidian invites me, but I appreciate the invite, thanks.”

“I get ya,” she says, and we all slide out of the booth.

After Cinder says a quick goodbye to the bartender, we head outside to the car waiting for us.

Before we all go to our separate wings in the manor, each woman gives me a hug goodbye. I can’t imagine being a part of this life. A real part of Obsidian’s and their lives. It would be a dream, but who am I kidding? A life like this isn’t in the cards for me. It’s going to be hard when I have to leave them all.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

ARIANA

Something wakes me.

At first I think it’s just because of the few drinks at the bar—I never sleep well when I’ve drank—but the bedside light illuminates a trail of sand beside the bed to the bedroom door.

A chill steals over me. It’s happening again. I want to ignore it, sweep it away, but just as the last time, a feeling in my gut tells me to follow the sand.

I place the book I was reading when I drifted off on the bedside table and slide out of bed. As soon as I take the first step toward the door, it’s as if there’s a lasso around my chest, and a power stronger than me is tugging me forward. As always, the hallway is filled with shadows. That feeling of being watched crawls up my spine, but I follow the trail of sand all the way to the end of the hall and to the door that leads to the turret.

The big wooden door is swung wide open and the sand leads up the stairs, so I begin the arduous trek up and around the circular staircase. When I reach the landing at the top, the door there is open as well, and the sand ends at the threshold. Clearly, Obsidian is here since all the doors are open. Is he leaving the sand for me to follow since each time it’s led me to him?

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