Page 15 of Lipstick Lies

I’d found Blackhawk and was getting answers for what happened that night.

It wasn’t what I’d believed, but it was still making the things from my past right, which felt good. I no longer felt like a shadow was hovering over me, just waiting to swoop in and cover me the second I forgot to pretend I was happy.

And maybe that was the most considerable relief of all. I wasn’t pretending.

Things with Asa were better, and I wasn’t hiding how I felt about Cohen and Milo anymore. I wasn’t alone. In fact, I had people in my corner helping me fight the ghosts from my past. While I hadn’t made the best decision to run off on my own, it had led me here, which was oddly where I needed to be.

Things were coming together, and I found that part of me I’d pushed aside, coming alive again. The Order could be a chance to explore that and figure out who I was becoming. I couldn’t deny that I was changing. My life was moving in a new direction, and it felt right.

“You look amazing,” Asa whispered, his breath hitting my cheek. He’d dropped his head down to my shoulder during my musings.

“Thanks. I feel amazing.”

He smiled at me, still making my insides flip. A knock at the door broke our eye contact in the mirror as we turned to find Cohen. He took me in, his Adam’s apple dipping as his eyes trailed down my frame.

“Damn, sweetheart. I think we need to skip dinner.”

“That’s what I said.” Asa chuckled, dropping his arms from me. Reaching down, he took my hand and pulled me toward Cohen. “But I think you both need this dinner to clear the air. I wasn’t sure about Ryker at first, but I think he deserves to be heard. And whether either of you is ready to admit it, you want to. I’m not saying you have to let him back into your hearts, but you might find he’s a good friend.”

I sighed, nodding. “You’re right. And I think I’m ready. I’m not as mad as I was, and I can admit that I might have been putting all my shame and regret onto him instead of dealing with it myself. This adventure has at least made me face my own inadequacies as painful as it was.”

Asa kissed my head. “I’m proud of you, Fin.”

“Guess it’s time I get over myself too,” Cohen sighed. “Let’s do this.”

We walked out into the open area, finding Milo waiting. He had on the bowtie he’d worn the first day, and I smiled, loving seeing him in it. Asa nudged me forward, so I dropped his hand and walked to Milo.

“You look handsome,” I said, just as he said, “You’re beautiful.”

We both blushed, and I took his hand, leading him to the door. There were some nerves in my belly, but I knew no matter what else was disclosed tonight, I was proud of myself for how far I’d come, and I had three men to help me wrestle through it.

Six

FINLEY

Apprehension weighedon my shoulders as we took our seats around a huge table filled with food. Ryker wasn’t here yet, making me even more nervous for some reason. A guard stood at the door, but other than him, the room was empty.

“Where do you think he is?” I asked, just as a door opened, revealing Ryker in a suit. I swallowed, not having expected to see him dressed up. It really was criminal the way he filled it out. He was dangerous in regular clothes, but in a tailored suit that fit him just right, he was downright lethal.

“No fear, little hacker, I’m here.” His smug smile reminded me why I had to keep my guard up, so I let my mouth take over without thought.

“Not scared, just didn’t want to waste this good food. Now that you’re here, we can eat.” I picked up my fork, shoved something into my mouth, and chewed. I smiled like it was the best thing I’d ever eaten, but in reality, I wasn’t even sure what it was.

The guys shifted, attempting to hide smiles as Ryker only nodded, picking up his fork and taking a bite. When it became too quiet, and I wasn’t even able to enjoy the food, I broke, assenting to the fact that he’d won this round.

“Fine. You win. Talk. That’s why I’m here. How is MKG back, and why didn’t you know Obsidian or Dex was running it if you’ve been talking all these years?”

Cohen choked on his bite as he tried to hide his smile at me giving in. I stuck my tongue out at him, promising retribution for later. Ryker took his time finishing his bite, setting his fork and knife down, and then wiping the corners of his mouth. It was a stall tactic, and it was doing exactly as he intended—driving me crazy.

A hand clamped down on my leg, squeezing, and I tried to steal some comfort from Asa. His thumb stroked back and forth, sending tiny ripples through me. Sucking in a breath, I forced myself to count to ten before I let it out and glanced back up at Ryker.

He was watching me with concern on his face, and the act dropped. “I’m sorry, little hacker. Sometimes, it’s easy for me to fall back into that role without realizing it. You push all my buttons, making me want to push yours in return. You’re right; we’re here to talk. Let me start at the beginning and give you the full scope.” Sighing, he took a long drink of his tea before placing the glass back on the table.

“After a year undercover, The Order was able to shut MKG down. It was run by a crime lord who’d discovered that if he used teenagers and young adults, he not only had access to things he typically wouldn’t, but they were naive enough to follow orders without questioning them if they were getting paid. Everyone wants to belong at that age, and MKG gave people that. He filled their pockets and kept them happy, and they, in return, were willing to look the other way or not question the things they were doing.”

I took another bite of my food, pondering what he was saying. It rang true. I’d been so desperate for information I hadn’t stopped to ask why I needed to steal things. And because of that recklessness, someone had died. I didn’t know what Mongoose’s story was, but it still haunted me today, and I felt responsible.

“That makes sense. So, how did you shut them down?”

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