Page 31 of Blood & Ash

She nods and I take another drink.

“Your sister was fucking my father behind my back. He’s Ash’s real father.”

“Oh my God.” She reaches for my flask again.

“There’s more, and I want to tell you, but it’s complicated. It’s club business.” We continue trading drinks. Tonight’s regret will be tomorrow’s problem.

“You can trust me.”

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you, even if you were my Ol’ Lady.”

“That’s crazy.”

“It’s my life and soon you’ll be off living yours and I don’t want any of this shit hanging over you. I don’t want to taint you with my fucked-up shit.”

Her face softens. “Nothing about you is tainted.”

“You owe me a secret now.”

“Fair.” She smiles at me and inhales deeply. Her blonde hair shimmers around her shoulders under the moonlight. She’s beautiful and I shouldn’t be looking at her mouth like I want to kiss it. “Don’t get mad.”

“Oh hell.”

“I mean it. You have to pinky promise.” She hooks our fingers together.

“Okay. Whatever you tell me. I promise I won’t be mad.”

“Good. Do you remember that time I almost kissed you and said that it gives me the ick?”

“Maybe.”

She rolls her eyes. “Well, you don’t give me the ick. Not even a little bit.”

“Lame. I know you’ve got a crush on me. That’s no secret.”

“Okay. How about this then? I don’t want to lose my virginity to Jackson. I’ve always wanted it to be you.”

I pull away from her. “Don’t say that. Involving yourself with a guy like me would be a fucking tragedy.”

“Why? Because of Shelby?”

“Because you’re eighteen years old and live under my roof. Because I’ve fucked your sister. I can give you a million reasons, Ashley.”

“Because you killed Shelby?”

“Fuck no. What gave you that idea? Is that what whoever texted you said?”

“Not exactly.”

“Your sister is alive, but if she comes back around.” I gather sand in my hand and fling it out.

“If she comes back, you’ll what?”

“I’ll kill her.”

“Why? Because she screwed someone else? I get it. That’s messed up but to kill her.”

“She murdered my father.”

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