Page 84 of InfraRed

“She’s got you there.” Ashleigh plates another frittata.

Do they not eat at home?

Lily’s eyes drop to the floor, and a little part of me feels bad because she has apologized for all of it. “I was afraid you would hate me, and I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Yeah, well, you are sleeping with my dad, and I didn’t want him to know.”

“I would nev…” Ashleigh pauses mid-bite, one brow lifting. My own do the same and she trails off, pressing her lips together. “Okay, fine. But you haven’t called me since. And you toldAshleigh! She is with Henry? Why did she get to know?”

“She didn’t tell me.” Ashleigh swallows her food, wiping her mouth. I guess she’s finally done eating. “Henry told me weeks ago. He even predicted it the night of your release party.”

“And you said nothing?” Lily screeches. “You played twenty questions at the club that night.”

“Henry told me not to. I can keep a secret.”

“Oh, we all know how well you can keep a secret,” Lily snaps, referencing how Ashleigh didn’t tell Uncle Henry he had a daughter for years.That might have been a little over the line. In her defense, she thought he would get in trouble.

More lies to protect the people we love.

Maybe we should learn from our mistakes, but protecting those we care about is the strongest, most deeply felt part of love.

“Oh, grow the fuck up, Lily,” Ashleigh bites back, her brown eyes blazing like a furnace.

“Okay. Okay.” I wave my hand before they start swinging while wondering how I ended up with two mouthy, hot-headed, bold-as-hell best friends. “How did Uncle H even know?”

She shrugs and grins. “You’d have to ask your man about that.”

After the other day, I suspected Uncle Henry knew, but that he knew before me… When did he and Graham become so chummy? But then hedidtell Graham he needed to talk to him. I assumed it would be some macho don’t hurt her talk, but now I wonder if it was more.

“Earth to Casey.” Fingers snap in front of my face, and I blink. Lily’s hand lowers.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Me too,” she says. “I was being a hypocritical bitch. I would blame my period but that…”

“Was last week,” Ashleigh and I say together.

We laugh as I turn toward the coffeemaker and start a cup, then grab a plate for food. Thankfully, Graham made plenty because these two starving vultures would have left nothing but crumbs.

“Are you guys going to the gala tonight?” Lily asks as she sips on her mug of coffee.

Ashleigh nods. “Henry is going for GenSec because Aiden can’t. You?”

“Liam told me this morning,” she grumbles. “Ryder offered him tickets because Heaven wants to rest.”

Ashleigh makes the most hilarious sound of amusement. A snort with vibrato, and I can’t help but laugh at her laughter. She rolls her eyes at me, then turns back to Lily. “She wants to rest, or he wants her to?”

“From what Josephine said, the latter is most probable.”

Ash shakes her head as she smiles. “I don’t know how she handles him. Henry is ridiculously overbearing and protective, but Ryder and Maddox make him seem normal.”

I smile into my coffee because I’m willing to bet Graham might give Ryder and Maddox a run for their money.

“Well, Ryder and Maddox both had reasons to worry.” Lily shrugs. “You haven’t answered, Case. Will you be there?”

“Yes.” I leave off that I don’t want to. It’s not really a gala. It is a charity dinner for rich people, and I hate going to those things.

Graham told me a couple of weeks ago before our secret became less so. I immediately refused, for obvious reasons, but he wasn’t having it. He argued it was a black-and-white masquerade, so no one would recognize me anyway.

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