Page 39 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

“Dayum, kids!” Levi shouts. “That was fucking epic.”

Connor brushes his lips against mine again, “you okay?”

“Yeah,” I squeak. I can feel the blush heating my skin. I bury my face in his chest. “Give me a second.”

He lifts his hands from my ass and pulls me closer for a hug.

When I let go and turn around Ivy grabs me with huge eyes. “Let’s go get drinks.”

We don’t speak until she’s pulled me all the way up to the first bar we passed.

“Holy shit Lilith! What was that?”

“I,” I’m still stunned, “I don’t know. She hit my one and only trigger. I can’t believe I did that.” A shocked giggle escapes my lips.

“I can’t believe he kissed you back like that!” she squeals. “You should have seen Margaux’s face. I hope someone posted it online.”

While we’re waiting for our drinks she pulls out her phone and brings up The Ridge app. There’s photos of the kiss already posted with our hashtag made. Then we find a video of the entire confrontation with even better hashtags. #shippingconlith #founderspreppowercouple #bitchinheat #margauxwho

“Oh God, this is the best,” Ivy bends in half laughing. “You seriously are my spirit animal.”

“People are going to think we’re together now, aren’t they?” I chew my lip.

“Yep,” she says popping the p. “But you’ll be left alone now at least. No one is going to risk the wrath of Connor to harass you.”

“Am I crazy or is everyone looking at me?”

“Not crazy. Everyone’s looking at the girl who finally got Connor to kiss her in public. Many have tried, all have failed. Until you.”

“Ugh.” I press my lips together. “Would you mind if we left? Is there anything else we’d miss?”

“No, just drag racing around the switchbacks up in the hills. We can go. Not like I want to watch Levi being reckless with his lambo.”

I feel my phone vibrate as we’re getting in Ivy’s car.

Connor: Where are you going?

Me: Staying with Ivy 2nite

Connor: We’re going to talk about what happened

No we’re not.

Deflect.

Me: U racing later?

Connor: Yes

Me: Be safe

“Who are you texting?” Ivy tries to look at my phone.

“Connor.”

She proceeds to spend the rest of the night teasing me about Connor and the kiss. I spend the rest of the night avoiding thinking too deeply about it. What I do think about is how I spoke to Margaux. Part of me, most of me, is perfectly content with how I spoke to her. She certainly has not held back with her taunting of me. Nonetheless, I regret losing my cool if only for the fact that I showed my main trigger point, my mom.

I have abandonment issues that stem from her disappearance from my life. I would be stupid to think it has left me unaffected but I’ve never really delved deep into how it has manifested. Maybe I’ve always shied away from relationships because I’m afraid of being left behind again. Aside from Zion I don’t have any close friends, none that would be there in a heartbeat for me. None that would have my back in any situation. I mean, sure, I can make surface level connections with just about anyone but it rarely goes deeper. Ivy is the first person to really get closer to me than an acquaintance in years. It’s nice to have her here, someone unafraid of the bullshit rich kid politics in this town. Even Levi and Griffin are coming closer to the friend line and I’m surprisingly okay with it.

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