Page 119 of Cross the Line
Come home, Finley-James. Give yourself back to the light of the Lord and let Him cleanse you of your sins. Earn His favor, and all His blessings will be showered upon you again. Turn away from your sinful ways, and He will bestow his light upon you and Elijah. If you follow in His ways, the Lord will be good to you. Continue down this path, and you will be damned. Come home. Mom.
“Hello?” Christina waves a hand in my face. “Are you listening?”
Before she can snatch my phone, I stuff it into my back pocket and look up. She told me this is normal—what happens when you hit a nerve with meaningless people—but these texts aren’t meaningless. They’re personal. They hurt. They’re still coming, thick and fast, even though I stopped opening them after Mom’s message.
“Why do you look like you’re about to cry?” She’s already in my space, reading me the way only she can.
“I’m not.” I give her what I know she’ll latch onto. “My whole body is so dang sore. I needed at least another half day in bed.”
Not a lie. Just not the whole truth.
When I woke up this morning, tangled in Jayden and Elijah, life was perfect. Now, there’s a great big knot in my chest.
I know what we have is special, and the furthest thing from wrong. Still, that deep-seated gospel still blathers in my head. The slurs chip at my certainties. And Mom’s message etches itself at the front of my mind.
“Like, how sore are you?” she whispers, girly giggle softening me as she nudges my hip.
A hiss escapes me at the sudden movement, my core clenches tight, making it impossible to stand straight.
“Well, sister, I am blushing for you,” she says, cheeks flaming. “How was it? I’ve never done DP before, but I’ve heard it stretches all the right places.”
“It was intense and not how I thought it would be. Like, it was… incredible, and overwhelming…” I perch on the arm of a lobby chair, watching Jayden clown with the guys. Some look so green, the staff are hovering with trash bags.
“Incredible and overwhelming, but…?” Tina slides beside me and rests her head on my shoulder.
“It was the after part that killed me. The having them inside me, and then—” I suck in a breath, words failing.
“I guess it’s so much more when the fucking means something. When it’s an extension of your feelings.” She stares out at Matheo, soft and faraway.
He and Jayden are attempting a coordinated dance that Auguste and Courtney are unimpressed with. Meanwhile, Elijah shakes his head, fighting a smile.
“So…” I chance distracting myself from the craziness blowing up my phone. “How did you end up here this fine morning?”
“Babe, it’s nearly two in the afternoon. There will be no driving for you today, and I’d say we’ve officially overstayed our welcome.” Tina rolls her eyes, pulling her turtleneck over her face so that her flushed cheeks are covered while she nudges my foot with hers.
“Fine, how did you end up here this fine afternoon?”
Side-eying me, Tina sighs. “My dad canceled my visit. Apparently, I’m too much of a liability for his public profile, so…”
That man is an ass.“I’m sorry, Tina. He’s a nincompoop who doesn’t deserve you.”
She shrugs. “Whatever… In the end, I got the better end of the deal when Mattie called me.”
“Ooooh, Mattie. Mattie, Mattie…Mattie. So he calls and you…”
“Know I’m having the best sex of my life,” she retorts, narrowing her eyes on mine.
We both know she doesn’t do nicknames—or feelings. It’s how she avoids expectations and keeps the guys she sleeps with at a distance.
“With or without feelings?” I tug her collar down so I can see her face.
Running her tongue over her teeth, she gives me another eye roll before mumbling, “I don’t do feelings.”
“You don’t do nicknames, either,” I counter, pulling my phone out when it starts ringing.
Unknown Caller. A part of me wants to answer and tell them to go to hell. Then the logical part bats it away, and I reject the call instead.
“Who was that?” Christina leans in as another text flashes.
