Page 122 of Slay Ride

But that plan flies out the window when Maverick and Eve raise their hands in a terrified little wave over Kindra’s shoulders. Their masks are off, which means . . . she knows I’m not with Maverick.

“Wait, I can explain,” I say as I snatch off my mask and try to block her view. “I thought it was Maverick, but I must have pulled someone else in here by accident. Whoops! Silly me.” I step forward, hoping she’ll turn around and talk to me away from the scene of the crime, but she doesn’t.

She takes a step forward and goes around me.

And as everyone watches, she bends down and rips off Bennett’s mask.

The moment passes in slow motion. In a whisper of paper and glitter, the mask slides off his head and clatters on the marble floor. A river of sweat gathers along my back and makes a beeline for my ass crack. Bennett stares straight at me, holding my gaze like a man at the gallows.

I expect Kindra to scream. We all do, because as a group, we hold our breath. No one moves, not even Bennett, as Kindra stands over him, her chest heaving up and down. We can do nothing but witness the oncoming train wreck, and Bennett is lying directly on the tracks.

In a moment of desperation, I move to get between them, but Ezra is there to hold me back. Eve hurries to my other side, taking my arm and trying to pull me out of the cubicle. What is happening?

Then I see it so plainly. This isn’t a train wreck. It’s never been a train wreck. We have been heading for this moment fromthe beginning. It’s a war, and Bennett is about to fall on his sword.

“It was all my idea,” Bennett says with a smirk.

My stomach twists into a knot, and I can’t breathe. He’s so convincing in his lie that I would believe him if I didn’t know the truth myself.

“I figured if I stole Maverick’s mask, she’d think?—”

Kindra pulls back her fist and punches him in the jaw. Bennett’s head flies to the side, and the smirk is gone when he puts it right again.

What the fuck am I doing? Am I seriously willing to allow Kindra to think he essentiallyrapedme? Bennett is capable of a lot of shit, but that isn’t in his wheelhouse. It’s not even in the same country as his wheelhouse.

And for what? So that she’ll still like me?

I shake my head and take a centering breath. This has to stop, and I’m not talking about my relationship with Bennett or my friendship with Kindra. The lying has to stop. It’s hurting too many people.

“Kindra, stop,” I say.

Eve leans close to my ear. “Honey, what are you doing? This man is going to take the heat, so let him.”

I shake my head and struggle out of their hold as Kindra rears back to let Bennett have it again, but before she can strike him, I dive between them. My gown rips as I land on my stomach in his lap, though I only hear it and can’t see the damage. All I get is an eyeful of crushed velvet.

“Cat, what the fuck are you doing? Don’t protect this piece of shit! Not after this!” Kindra wraps her arms around my waist and tries to haul me away, but I grip Bennett’s thigh and hang on for dear life.

That’s when I feel the draft and realize my splits have risen much higher.

I look back at Kindra. “Please don’t do this.”

“Let. Go. Of. Him.” A forceful tug accompanies every word, and the dress slides away, leaving me naked.

“Everyone, turn around!” Kindra and Bennett shout.

Feet shuffle on the floor as the crowd obeys. I’m even tempted to turn around. They both sound so protective of me. So angry.

As the door to the cubicle squeaks shut, I hear Ezra commanding everyone to move away. I stand and hold the dress to my chest, covering what I can. I didn’t plan to have this conversation while in the nude, but I guess I don’t have a choice anymore.

I look at Kindra, then the couch. “You might want to sit down for this.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

Cat

Kindra stopped me before I could explain anything. She couldn’t even meet my eyes as she looked between me and Bennett and formed her own conclusions. After only a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she stood, walked out of the cubicle, and left the ballroom.

The lights came on shortly after, and the music never returned. That brings us up to now, as Bennett and I sit on the couch in the small cubicle, staring at our hands.

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