Page 68 of Cold Hard Truth

“Seriously.” I hit Crew on the arm. “Like you weren’t all emo about Echo dating your brother. Just because you’ve got her now doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten all that shit.”

“Careful.” He glares at me, hitting the bag harder this time. “Besides, I’m not the fuckboy, Sage. You being hung up on a chick has got to be a miracle.”

“You think this is bad, you should have seen him back then.” Jude holds the bag for Crew as he hits it again. “Dude was fucking whipped.”

“You guys done now?”

“Done?” Jude’s eyebrows pinch as he looks at Crew.

Crew grins. “Fuck no.”

With each hit, they continue to call me a whipped punk, like either of them is allowed to talk given how they are with their girls. But at least it’s entertaining, and it helps me focus. It helps me get out of my head.

Because what neither of them seems to realize is that my smiles and jokes are a mask for a darkness I haven’t let myself embrace since Lyla left.

And now, I’m going to use it. I’ve got her back, and I’m not losing her again.

22

Lyla

The Tower.

Of all the cards I could have drawn this morning, it had to be that one. Change is in the air. It was on my tongue and in the pit of my bones when I woke up.

Chaos on the verge of unfolding.

It might be a warning—one I could avoid if I made different choices. But I’ve tried that before without luck. So now my only option is to fall headfirst and see what happens.

At some point after I fell asleep last night, Sage must have carried me to my room. When my eyes first opened, and I buried my nose in my pillow, I could still smell him. The way his aura lingered. Part of me hoped I’d open my eyes to be met with his bed, and I hate that I was disappointed to be faced with my black rose wallpaper instead.

Last night he cracked me open, whether he meant to or not. Everything I’ve been scared of feeling flooded to the surface. I poured it out. I handed it to Sage.

I’ve been carrying around the burden for so long that I forgot how heavy it is. And the moment he saw my truth—he asked his questions—I couldn’t hold back. I let it spill out, and I admitted how hurt I’d been.

The scars on my back aren’t even the worst of it. The damage that exists deeper—the reasons I ran—they eat away at me.

I’m not sure what he’s thinking after what he saw last night. He might be disgusted by my scarred flesh, but if so, he didn’t show it. When he stared at my back, it was like watching realization hit. Like he couldn’t acknowledge how decimated I am until that very moment.

If my running away wasn’t enough to scare him off, him seeing the depths of how truly broken I am will surely do it.

The girl Sage remembers was innocent. She was a diluted version of the person I am now. The girl Sage remembers was easy to fall for because she didn’t have any experience or real pain.

Now I’m so far from her, I don’t know how to find my way back again.

Staring at my cards, my fingers freeze on the Tower. I know better than to ask the universe for answers I might not be ready for. But still, I couldn’t help it. I had to know if last night had changed anything.

The answer stares back at me.

The Tower.

I fear it’s going to level us all.

When I finally find the courage to leave my room, Sage isn’t here. Mason’s still in bed and the apartment is quiet. I tap the choker around my neck and wonder if it makes Sage feel better that he knows where I am all the time.

Making my way downstairs to Twisted Roses, I’m relieved to find Fel up front at the shop. She’s the type of person who’s a breath of fresh air to be around. She lights up the entire room and is the exact opposite of Jude.

“I didn’t know you were coming in today.” Fel smiles from behind the display case when I walk in the door.

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