Page 10 of Cocky Secrets

I counter, “Unlessthey’redicks and treating you bad, in which case you get out of there as soon as possible.”

The twins nod, shrug, and nod again, not having thought of the possibility until I brought it to their attention.

“True,” Shay agrees. “And if it’s dangerous, we run. But it won’t be because, Sage, here’s the thing! These work programs have star-ratings. The people who live a bohemian life like we want to live, the ones who came before us, have used theirvoices. We’ll only go to places that have top ratings. Just to the ones with fantastic reviews that give loads of details about why they loved working there.”

Mylar scoops hash browns onto her fork with the aide of her gold-ringed forefinger. “It’s going to be so fun.”

It sounds amazing. For them. Me? I’d miss my family too much. Every time Tonk Jr. comes to visit I always wonder how he can leave, even if he does have his own family now with Stacy. But they could live here! I just don’t see why anyone would move away from this wonderful life we lead. “When are you telling everyone?”

Shay squishes her mouth to the side, chewing her inner cheek. “Mmmm, not until Mom gets home. She’d die if she was the last to know.”

“You guys really hated the mission then?”

Mylar snaps, “I don’t want to see all that shitty stuff!”

My eyebrows fly up, because Mylar rarely shows that much emotion. And she spoke first. Is it more her idea to not be a Cipher than Shay’s? And I have to admit, “Yeah, I don’t either.”

“See?!” Mylar exclaims, like I get it, too. I understand. I’m one of them.

“But I didn’t spend years training to fight like you guys did, just to walk away from what I was training for.”

Shay leans toward me, holding my gaze, milk-chocolate eyes gleaming with the epiphany she wants me to have. “No one can fuck with us out in the world.”

“Oh,” I breathe, catching on.

Mylar smiles with confidence, “We can travel safely because of that training.”

“No one can fuck with us,” Shay repeats as she sits back, gaze drifting to sunbeams slicing the table’s corner. She reaches over and traces the lines. “No one.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Atlas demands, strolling out the screen door with a loud clatter.

“None of your business,” I smile.

Shay looks more nervous though, and adds, “Just telling Sage what happened in Pennsylvania.”

He launches into a tale of how the landlord confided in him that he reminded her of her son, and we tease him. More stories of what happened get passed between the three, shared with me, and when others join us, more come spilling out, often with laughter since the job was so easy, as if it’s just another morning. As if I’m not going to paint a naked stranger today. As if Shay and Mylar aren’t about to break their momma’s heart when they leave the place they were born in.

Yes, we three act as if it’s just another morning.

But it’s far from it, isn’t it?

And nobody can know.

Not yet.

Not until Denita gets home.

As for my secret?

No one can ever know.

FIVE

Sage

Ahalf hour before the clock strikes noon, I stand in the shadow of the last giant oak tree, the one closest to our gate, gathering my wits and courage. My bicycle is leaning against its sturdy trunk as I pace, sun high and casting hard shadows over the property. I slipped away without anyone noticing. As everyone is enjoying their day of rest, they couldn’t be bothered with thinking about me.

The thrill of adventure is buzzing in my veins, but it’s laced with a bit of fear, too. I’ve never painted anyone naked before, though it’s something I’ve longed to do. I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking anyone in our club. It would be too weird, to have asked, though I’d have been thrilled to give it a try.

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