Page 54 of Forged in Rain

I want to shake some sense into her, but I’m not sure there’s any left. She’s messing with them, and it’s basically playing with fire. Moron.

Holding up her hand, she ticks off on her fingers, “Saul, Rand, Oscar Banks, Chris Norris, and . . . Harry Parker.”

“Who?” Bastion rasps.

Shrugging, she says, “The pastor of his church.”

Slamming my palm on the table, I say, “You asked the pastor of his church? What if he goes to the cops, Iris?”

I’m reeling under her confession about Oscar and wondering why he didn’t just admit what he knew every time I questioned him. No wonder he told me to run the other way.

“Relax, I fucked him, and I have the evidence. He’ll never admit a thing as long as it threatens his paper house of cards.”

Hate eyes her speculatively before saying, “You are one cold-ass bitch. Hit me up if you ever need a job.”

Bastion growls and Iris laughs, but it’s bitter. “I’m a free agent. Thanks.”

Sighing, Cyn says, “Focus. You’re sure it wasn’t Saul?”

“Yes, for the most part. If he had, he’d be cashing in,” she says.

Glancing at me with a distasteful look, Cyn says, “You mean he didn’t already?”

Iris looks at me as well with a calculating stare, but my expression must say it all because she looks away with a frown and mutters, “No, he didn’t actually get what he wanted.”

“Which was what?” Jig asks.

“Well, before Rain came along, me. But once he met her, he wanted her v-card, except apparently, she gave it up to you,” she says sourly, looking pointedly at Cyn.

Cyn smirks, but I see the darkness behind his eyes, and I frown, wishing once and for all the discussion of Saul could end. Still, I guess I can confirm what I thought before. He was after my virginity. Which, what is it with these dicks?

“Hm,” Cyn says, turning to me with a speculative gleam.

“For the record,” Iris mutters, her cheeks flushed. “Saul never slept with Rain.”

“Is that right? Then why the picture?” Cyn asks silkily.

Iris shifts uncomfortably and whispers, “Because it was the bargain I made.”

“With who?” Jig asks.

Cyn is suspiciously silent, but I spy a vein in his forehead pulsing rapidly and wonder what he’s thinking behind that stony facade?

“Saul, in return for John. He wanted you to think she betrayed you. I agreed because it was better than the alternative,” she says with a shrug, “although he never followed through anyway.”

“The alternative?” Bastion speaks up as Cyn stares at me with a considering gleam in his eye.

Interjecting, I say militantly, “The deal was I sleep with him, but I got too wasted.”

Cyn’s expression slams closed, and he stands, pacing away as he says softly, “And Oscar?”

I guess that topic is over, and I should be relieved, but all I feel is an ache in my chest that Cyn will forever hate me, and I’m partially to blame for it. Still, I’d rather there were no lies between us when it comes to this.

“Oscar said no and told me off,” Iris says sullenly. “Rand is a selfish dick, and Chris backed out at the last minute. Stupid fuck.”

“Iris, why didn’t you tell me so many people knew? You might as well have left a confession on the damn table,” I mutter.

“Whatever. I was careful.”

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