Page 52 of Twisted Secrets

“Someone you don’t know anymore.” I turn around and head up the stairs, but in true Crew fashion, he grabs my arm, halting me.

“You don’t have to do this.”

I swallow down the lump in my throat and say, “Yes, I do.” Then I jerk my arm away and hurry in the house, slamming the door shut behind me.

Yes, I do.

ChapterSeventeen

SCAR

“Here you go,”I tell Maddie, handing her a glass of water in which she pins me with a baffled expression.

“Where were you?” she asks, taking the water and bringing the rim to her lips, holding it there.

“Went to get you your water.” With taut brows, I subtly tip my head toward Neo. “You were thirsty, right?”

“Yeah. Very much so.” She takes a sip of her water, still confused. I was hoping Riley would have taken care of this already, but it seems they’ve all been in here, having a chummy time.

I’m taken aback by the tranquility in the room. There’s no tension. No foul words coming from Neo’s mouth. All three look relaxed and content. Riley’s sitting in Maddie’s wheelchair beside the bed, her arms resting on the arms of the chair. Neo is on his side at the foot of the bed, holding his head up with his hand. And Maddie’s lying down, guzzling the shit out of her water.

She finishes every last drop then hands the glass back to me. “Yep. I was thirsty all right.”

I take the glass, cupping it in both of my hands, and mouth the wordsthank you, while Neo watches Maddie like she’s this fragile object in need of care. She is fragile, but Neo has always babied the shit out of her. It’s almost sickening.

Neo grabs Maddie’s foot through the blanket, giving it a squeeze, though her lack of response tells me she didn’t feel it. “Get some rest. I’m gonna do the same. Back to school tomorrow.” He rolls off the bed and positions himself right in front of me. “I need to talk to you.”

“I’m hanging out with my—”

“Now.”

I sigh. “Gimme ten.”

He presses his lips to my cheek in a chaste kiss. “Not a minute longer.” Faking a smile, he looks at Maddie. “Night, sis.”

Angrily, I wipe the smidge of dampness from my cheek.How dare he?

“All right, ladies,” Riley says as she gets to her feet, “I’m going to bed, too. Morning is going to come much too soon.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

Her response is a wink and the words, “Hopefully not too soon.” Her eyes drag up and down my body, noting her robe that’s covering her nightie I’m still wearing. I almost forgot what I’m supposed to do tonight, and now that I remember, I wish I could forget again.

Once Riley leaves, closing the door behind her, I sit down on the edge of the bed beside Maddie. “How are you doing?” I ask her.

“Good, actually. In fact, with my therapist's help today, I was able to get on my feet.”

I grab her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’m so proud of you, Mads. Your strength has always been so admirable.”

When I say that to her, I don’t just mean her physical strength. Maddie is mentally strong. She’s been through so much in her short eighteen years of life. The loss of her mom, dealing with a workaholic father who’s been absent for years, and now this—her fall and her recovery.

“Me?” She chuckles. “You’re the strong one. Look at all the hell those guys have put you through, yet here you are, stronger than ever and dating one of them.”

Ugh. Don’t remind me.

“Speaking of the guys,” she continues, “have any of you heard from Crew?”

I roll my lips, unsure of what to say. Not wanting to overthink it, I just lie. “No.”

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