Page 106 of Play It Sinful

Darren chuckles. “You gotta admit that you two keeping the secret for this long was nothing short of a miracle.”

“What secret?” Zoey’s gaze bounces off Alex, Darren, and Logan.

“Ash and I dated briefly during freshman year. We kept our relationship a secret. Besides Kenzie, only Darren, Logan, Alex, and Ryder knew about it.”

At my mention of Gia’s ex, Noah’s spine goes stiff.

“Let me get this straight.” Blair glares at Alex. “You and my brother knew that Ash and Sean used to be a couple, and you never told me?”

Alex’s eyes bug out. “It wasn’t my secret to tell. If Ash wanted you to know, she’d have told you.”

CJ shakes his head. “I don’t get it. It was obvious you had a thing for Ash, and vice versa.”

“You noticed that too?” Zoey asks, surprised.

He nods and turns to me. “Yeah. So why did you break up?”

Fuck. Do I really want them to know I spent three years believing Ash was my half-sister?

When I don’t answer right away, Kenzie blurts out, “Our dad is actually Ash’s biological father.”

The silence that follows is so absolute, we could hear a pin drop.

“Whoa.” Logan finally speaks up. “You banged your own sister? That’s rough, man.”

“She’s not my sister,” I grit out.

“I’m so confused. Is anyone following this?” Noah chimes in.

“No, but where’s the popcorn?” CJ leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

Groaning, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I just found out tonight I wasn’t related to Ash. It seems my mother was also keeping a secret.”

“Oh, so you thought you were related, and that’s why you broke up with Ash. But now you know you aren’t related, so you can be together again.” Zoey summarizes the fucked-up plot that is my life.

“It’s like a daytime soap opera,” Blair murmurs.

Zoey clasps her hands together and squeaks. “I know! It’s so romantic.”

I grimace. Romantic isn’t how I’d describe it, but I don’t want to burst her bubble.

“Did you ever tell Ash you thought you were related?” Gia asks.

“No. I didn’t want her to feel as wretched as I did. Trust me, believing I had fallen in love with my half-sister was horrible.”

Logan twists his face in disgust and shivers. “I’m glad I only have a brother.”

“Now you know everything,” I say.

No one makes a comment for a while, until Blair punches Alex’s arm. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“Ouch, woman. Take it easy.”

“Don’t be mad at him, Blair. He was just being a good friend,” I say.

“I know, but I’m still annoyed, and since I can’t be angry at Ash, Alex will do.”

“All right, but can you save it for the bedroom, babe?” Alex gives her an impish grin.

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