Page 55 of Make Them Cry
I stare at him. Like really stare.
At the faint scar near his temple. The way his lashes catch the fading light. The quiet confidence in his voice that makes me feel steady, even when I’m falling apart.
He’s not who I expected him to be.
At work, he’s loud. Cocky. And honestly just there.
But here…
Here he’s something else.
“Can I tell you something weird?” I ask.
“Sure.”
“It’s about someone called Mask.”
His expression doesn’t change—but I swear there’s the smallest flicker in his eyes.
“I’ve been talking to him online. He found me through the Cathedral mess. He’s been helping me—like, seriously helping. Tracking the IPs, sniffing out the troll networks, blocking repeat offenders before they can get through.”
Gage’s voice is careful. “You trust him?”
This must sound so strange to him. “I… yeah. I do. I don’t know why, but I do.”
He nods once. “What does he want?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “That’s the crazy part. He won’t even let me see his face. He just shows up whenever I need help, then disappears again.”
Gage’s eyes land on mine. “I don’t know if this mask-guy is such a great idea, River. What if you can’t trust him?”
Interesting. Gage is definitely not Mask. He doesn’t trust him. I feel like I needed to prove it to myself.
Is this disappointment?
I glance down at my hands, fidgeting with the hem of my hoodie. “I, uh, I kissed him.”
Gage’s breath hitches.
Barely.
But I hear it.
I look up, eyes wide. “Sorry. That was probably TMI.”
“No,” he says quickly. “No, it’s fine.” He swallows.
“He said he wasn’t safe,” I whisper. “That I shouldn’t dream of him. But Ido.I can’t stop. It’s like there’s something about him I already know. And I… I want to know who he is. Really.”
I glance at Gage.
He’s staring straight ahead.
And for one, flickering second, I could swear the look in his eyes ishaunted.
Like he knows exactly what I’m talking about.
EIGHTEEN
