Page 30 of Blood & Ash

“Where are you?”

“I’m at prom. You know that. Tell me what’s going on and don’t lie to me.”

“I’ll come get you. I’ll tell you everything.”

His words from forever ago play in my mind. ‘If I told you, you’d hate me.’

Did Blood do something to Shelby?

Blood

I roar up to the hotel and find Ashley pacing along the sidewalk outside of the front entrance. I park and shut off my motorcycle. My gaze meets hers and I hate the distrust and sadness staring back at me.

“Take a walk with me.”

“I’m in heels.”

“Take them off. A little sand between your toes won’t be the end of the world.”

“Are you really going to tell me everything?”

“I said I would.”

“You know.” She laughs without humor as we stroll off the sidewalk and onto the beach. “It’s weird. You took my sister to prom and here you are at mine.”

“I’m not your date.”

“Or trying to take my virginity.”

“What?”

“Nothing. I thought tonight would be the night, but no.”

“I told you that punk isn’t worth it.”

“So what? I should save myself for marriage?”

“You should do it when you’re with the right person.”

“What if I can’t have the right person?”

“You said you had a weird text?” I drop down to the sand on my ass and she does the same in her shimmery purple dress, putting her head on her knees as she stares at me with a lost expression on her face.

“Yeah. An unknown number. They said I can’t trust you and to ask you what really happened to my sister.”

“You sure you want the truth?”

“I’m tired of the secrets and the lies.”

“You’re a kid. What would you know about secrets and lies?”

“I’m eighteen. Hardly a kid. Whatever the truth is…I can handle it. You tell me a secret and I’ll tell you one of mine.”

I take my flask out of my inner pocket of my cut and take a swig. “All right.” I let out a heavy breath.

Ashley reaches for the flask, and I don’t stop her, even though I should. Her lips pucker as she takes another drink. “Tell me.”

“You sure you want to know?”

---