Page 99 of Devilish Ink

“Are youwithLiam?” Rian asked, his voice shaking, as he stalked back and forth like a caged animal in front of the cold hearth.

I licked my lips. This wasn’t how I wanted this conversation to start.

“You don’t even have a coat on,” I said. “You must be freezing. Come in front of the fi—”

“Answer the fucking question, Ry.” Rian’s hands balled into fists.

“I should get you a blanket.” I turned away. “And something warm to drink.”

For a second it felt nice to think that I could delay the inevitable with tea.

I never thought that Rian would ever hurt me. Not even touch me save to press a kiss to my cheek or playfully tap his knuckles against my shoulder.

But I flinched as he grabbed my arm and whipped me around to face him.

“Answer. The fucking question,” he snarled. “Are youwithhim?”

I swallowed heavily. A part of me wanted to retreat. Take a step back. Feel safer.

A part of me wanted to smack my best friend square upside the jaw.

But he deserved the truth. The unashamed truth.

“Yes.”

I kept my gaze steady on him. Unflinching this time.

He searched my eyes one more time as if he were trying to find a different answer.

“So I open up to you when we’re in art school. I share my living nightmares with you. The abusive father. One brother joining in. And one brother who could have saved me. Whoshouldhave saved me because unlike the other two, he had a soul.”

Rian’s face began to crumble. “I tell you, Ry, my best goddamn friend, thatheis the one I hate most of all. Who I blame most of all. And you, what?”

Rage burned brightly in his eyes.

“Youfuckhim?”

The windows rattled with the volume of Rian’s voice.

“It’s… It’s not like that.”

“Not like what? Tell me with a straight face that you haven’t sucked my brother’s dick.”

I flinched. “Stop it.”

“You spread your legs for the one who caused me to turn to drugs, who practically signed my death warrant,” he hissed. “You guided him inside of you? Come on the fuck in, Liam!”

“That’s enough, Rian,” I said in a low voice, just as dangerous as his.

Rian’s face was as pale as the ash that fluttered off the consumed logs.

“Did you scream his name, Ry? Did you scream it real pretty for my bastard of a brother as you came for him?”

“Ilove him.”

Those three words hit Rian harder than I ever could. Harder than Liam ever could.

Rian’s face contorted with confusion. And anger. And hurt.

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