Page 168 of Fly's Path

“Because Lola forgave him.” LynnLeigh bites out. “It’s like he wasn’t dancing with half a dozen other women at a party just a few nights ago.”

“What?” The new girl lifts her empty chopsticks up. “Were they dating yet?”

“No, but he acts like the world revolves around her, then practically humps other girls.” LynnLeigh definitely hasn’t forgiven me.

It wasn’t like that. I never touched one of those children, but I can’t tell them that.

“There were drugs at the party,” Suzie whispers. “Lots of drugs. We wouldn’t have gone if we knew it was going to be that type of party.”

My life would have been so much easier if you hadn’t come. But I wouldn’t change anything because it meant I can now be completely honest with Lola. It doesn’t matter if her friends still hate me. All that matters is we’re together.

Sneaking Together

Sheridan

“Ican only stay for an hour. Not—” Fly kisses me behind my ear. “—one—” His lips slide down to the edge of my jaw. “—minute—” He trails kisses down my jaw, stopping at the corner of my lips. “—more.” I twist my head and capture his lips in a long kiss.

Fly lifts his head away and grins at me. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll get you to the clubhouse in time.”

“Where?”

He chuckles. “Should we spend that time kissing or talking?”

Kissing is my first instinct. “Talking is good.” I walk over and climb onto the corner of his couch with my legs crossed so he can’t distract me with another kiss.

“It always is with you. How has the wedding stuff been going?” He sits down across from me close enough that our legs are touching, but far enough that we can think.

“Busy…crazy busy. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like when people just start showing up. The fittings are tomorrow and hair trials.”

“Am I going to get a preview of your dress?”

What? “No.” A blush steals up my face.

“I love it when you blush like that.”

“Stop.”

“Okay, then, we’ll just have to talk about my favorite subject.”

“And what might that be? Motorcycles?”

“Nope.” He reaches across our bodies and takes my hand in his. “You. I saw you had a new release recently.”

“Yeah. It’s the third book in a new series. I’m really proud of it.”

“Why sci-fi?”

He asked that before, and I stepped away from the question. Does it really hurt to tell him? Fly shared his past. I can be brave and do the same. “My father. He wasn’t around much. He dropped us off with our mother’s mom when we were little and, for the most part, pretended we didn’t exist. But every year or so he would stop by. Usually, it was between benders, but occasionally he just brought the booze with him. When he brought booze…”

“Was your father violent?”

“Mostly to my brother. He’d step in between us, so he took the brunt of it. But yeah, my father was a mean drunk. He was just plain old mean sometimes.”

“Why did your grandmother let him come? Didn’t she stop him? Or did he hurt her too?”

I almost snort at the thought. “No one hurts Grammie. As mean as my dad was, she was a million times worse. She let himcome because he’d bring her gifts. Every single time, without fail, he brought her something. We wouldn’t have food, but he’d bring her a diamond necklace. Or gold earrings. He brought her some fancy bag once that was worth more than our house.”

“Why didn’t he treat you well? You’re a woman.”