Page 84 of Secrets (The Sins Trilogy 2)
Intense hostility continues to pour off him. I’m certain if Julie and I weren’t here, he’d be flipping the table and breaking Ryder’s nose.
“Just checking up on your girl while waiting for you to show,” Ryder says.
“She doesn’t need your concern,” Tony says. “Nobody wants you here.”
Ryder leans back. “Really? Why don’t you ask Iris? Or her friend here?”
Crap. Why does he have to drag me and Julie into this? I shake my head slightly at Julie, but she only has eyes for Ryder.
“Of course he’s welcome to join us,” she says. “Isn’t he, Iris?”
Et tu, Julie?My gaze ping-pongs among the three. I hate to have to choose sides. But what Tony wants means more than some Hollywood actor. If Julie wants to hang out with Ryder, she can do that away from us. “I think it’s best if you leave,” I say to Ryder. “It’s my night out with my friends and Tony.” There. That subtle emphasis on “friends” should do it.
“You want me to leave?” The smile he shoots me this time is dialed into turn-women-stupid territory. Then he gives me a wink and chuckles, like we’re in on some joke together. “Preposterous.”
I stare in stupefaction. The man’s utterly shameless. Or deluded. Or can’t imagine why any woman wouldn’t want to be his friend.
Okay, fine, under any other circumstances, I’d be ecstatic to have him sitting at my table. But not even the hottest Hollywood actor can measure up to what I feel for Tony.
“Ryder, with me. Now,” Tony says between clenched teeth.
Ryder shrugs, an Oh well, ladies pity shrug, stands up and follows Tony away. I watch them leave, worrying. Hopefully they have enough sense to talk things out in private without resorting to violence. We don’t need another YouTube video.
Once they’re gone, the tension in the area suddenly drops. I let out a long breath, a hand over my eyes.
“So I guess I can sit now?”
I drop my palm and look up to see the brother Tony dragged away earlier. “Sure. Do take a seat…unless Tony told you to go away.”
He grins. “He didn’t.” He plops down next to me.
I study him in the dim light. Something about him seems very familiar, although I can’t quite pinpoint what. Is it his physical appearance? He’s leaner than Tony, but the facial features are very similar—the same thin-bladed nose, the shape of his mouth, the high cheekbones. They also share the same dark hair, although Harry’s eyes are blue.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“Huh? No! I’m, uh… It’s just that you look a lot like Tony.”
“Yeah. He and I took after our mother.” He watches me intently. Expectantly.
Except I’m not sure what he wants me to say. So I opt for flattery. “She must be beautiful.”
He looks away, deflating slightly. “So people say.”
Oh crap.Did I say something I shouldn’t have? As far as I know, Tony’s mother hasn’t passed away. I read a few articles about Tony and his family earlier when Julie and Byron reacted so oddly about him, and there was nothing about his parents being dead. But maybe she’s sick or… “I’m sorry if I said something to upset you.” I don’t know how I could’ve caused him distress, but I feel bad about it anyway, especially if I touched a sensitive spot.
Propping his elbow in his knee, he looks at me for a moment. “I don’t understand how…” He blows out a breath.
Now I’m feeling worse. His mother is definitely a touchy subject. I’m not sure why calling her beautiful was upsetting, but maybe she got into an accident and is horribly scarred or something. How do I fix this?
Yuna shows up, breaking the awkwardness. “Ugh, that line! It’s like everyone in the club had to pee at the same time,” she says, plopping down between me and Julie, where Ryder was sitting. “So what did I miss?”
“Oh my God, you’re going to want to kill yourself when you hear!” Julie becomes extra animated, but I don’t like the uncharacteristic edge of gleeful malice to her excitement. “You just missed Ry—”
“Nothing.” I’m not letting Julie make Yuna feel bad. And given Tony’s mood, Ryder isn’t coming back to join us. “You didn’t miss anything. Now, let’s order some drinks.”
