Page 83 of Secrets That We Keep (Forbidden Descendants 2)

Sighing down at my legs sprawled before me, I clanked my boots together and then drew them apart.

This was nice, I decided. No one was around to lecture me on how much I’d drunk. No one was here to keep secrets from. Or for. No one to break my fucking heart.

Just quiet peacefulness…

That was about to drive me crazy.

With a curse, I readjusted my hat on my head and told myself not to do it just before I gave in with a growl and dug my phone from my pocket.

I was dialing before I could stop myself and immediately got directed to voicemail.

“Are you ashamed of being with me?” I blurted after the beep. “Is what we have toxic? Should we just do the healthy thing and stop?” I sniffed derisively after all the questions and hung up before letting the phone fall into my lap.

Not sure if I felt better or worse after that, I let a long sigh hiss from my lungs as I closed my eyes.

I’d just about passed out again when my phone started buzzing and ringing from my lap. I jumped, my eyes flashing open, and cursed before managing to pick it up and answer.

“’Lo?”

“Are you drunk?” was the first thing she accused. “Again?”

“Define drunk,” I said, lifting an astute finger.

“Oh God.” She groaned, and I could picture her sitting up in bed, hair sleep tossed and sexy as she pushed it out of her eyes and blinked, trying to wake up. “Please tell me you’re home, and that one of the guys drove you.”

Of course, she would know I’d been out with the guys tonight. I hadn’t told her, but I’m sure she’d gotten the information somewhere.

And, no, I wasn’t home.

I wasn’t with her, was I?

Scowling, I mumbled, “Gray drove me to my apartment, which is where I am now.”

“Thank goodness,” she breathed, sounding relieved before her voice went low and serious, and she added, “Now. What the fuck was that message about?”

I shrugged a loose shoulder, feeling rather defiant with all the liquid courage running through my veins. “What? I was just asking questions.”

“Well, what the hell kind of questions were those? You don’t call for an entire week, and then wham, am I ashamed of you? Are you kidding me?”

“I thought it was a legitimate question. And you know, there’s this interesting thing I learned about phones when I first started using them.” Fisting my hand, I growled, “They work both ways.”

She went instantly quiet, and I squeezed my eyes shut before thwacking my head painfully back against the door. Dammit. Trying to shame her for not calling me either probably wasn’t smart.

“So, are you?” I asked, my voice breaking because I was unable to handle the silence.

“Am I what?” she asked, sounding wary.

Gritting my teeth, I hissed, “Are. You. Ashamed. Of—”

“Christ, Fox. Of course not. Why would you even suggest—”

“Then why can’t you tell anyone we’re together?” I cried. “Not even Gracen? He thinks you’re back with Ethan, you know.”

“What?”

I nodded, rolling my jaw, before explaining, “He’s seen your warthog messages and knows you’ve been hooking up with someone. But he can’t make sense of why you won’t tell him anything, so they all decided tonight that it had to be someone toxic, like your ex.”

“Wow,” she hissed. “And you guys say us girls are nothing but gossips. I am so glad I was able to provide you boys with some hot, juicy rumors tonight. That’s just swell.”

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