Page 106 of Made for Cyn
Cyn: If you don’t answer me right now, I’m going to spank your ass when I find you
With a shudder, I tap out a text. I’m pretty sure his threat was not sexual, and I’m in deep shit. But when I go to press send, my phone is taken from my hand, and Iris says with a frown, “Let’s go, now.”
Nodding, I follow her from the house and out to the car, staring out the window quietly until we’re a few miles away.
Iris hands me back the phone with a sigh. “Don’t turn it on until we’re back in town.”
“Okay,” I whisper, glancing at the dead screen once more. Cyn will be so mad when he finally talks to me, but strangely, I’m relieved because this means he still cares. I hope.
“What did you do, Rain?” Iris demands, glancing at me with a scowl.
“What do you mean?” I ask, rubbing my forehead.
“Why did Saul round me up and tell me to go and take you with me?”
“I-I don’t know,” I lie, so very weary of it, but I don’t trust Iris, which is a harsh truth, and frankly, if what I heard puts me in danger, I don’t need to add her to the equation anyway.
“Rain, if you’re lying to me, so help me, god,” she says through clenched teeth.
“Iris, I didn’t see anything. I was waiting for you to be done.”
“I sure fucking hope so,” she mutters, leaving me with the dilemma of how to tell Cyn what I heard without informing him of my whereabouts.
But if I don’t, he might be hurt, and I couldn’t bear that, not ever.
???
Once we’re back in town, I turn my phone on with trembling fingers, both relieved and disappointed when I have no new messages. I don’t know what it means, but I’ve been given a reprieve. I just hope it’s not forever, even as I know with finality that this won’t last. I’m piling up lies like a chick with shoes. Too bad I don’t want the shoes any more than the lies.
We’re driving down our street, just blocks away from the house, when Iris slams on the brakes, and I spy Cyn step into the street. My heart sinks to my toes at his acidic expression, and I take a deep breath for courage because, frankly, I’m terrified.
We stare quietly for a moment before Iris says, “You can’t tell him anything.”
Silently, I nod, but in this, I think I’m lying again because how can I let him go about his world without knowing some scary guy is gunning for him and Hate?
“I mean it. This is my life we’re talking about.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, eyeing her askance.
“Rain,” she sighs, “Cynster Callahan isn’t some bad boy with a hot body. He’s dangerous, and if he wants me gone, he can make it happen.”
Glancing at Cyn, who’s striding toward the car with a scowl, I look back at Iris and frown. “Disappear?”
“Yes. You have to decide, Rain. Me or him,” she says.
Her eyes are wide in her pale face, and my heart sinks to my toes. But I have no time to respond because Cyn pulls the door open and grabs me by my arm.
“Hey,” I gasp, but he ignores me, pulling me out and into his arms before striding toward the SUV briskly.
I’m still staring at Iris, her face illuminated by the glow of the streetlights, when Cyn drops me on the seat and climbs in beside me. I scramble away as the car takes off, and a glance back at Iris’ car reveals her still sitting in the middle of the street.
With a roiling belly, I sag against the leather and rub my aching head. Do I have to choose? And if so, how?
“Where the fuck were you?” Cyn growls, bringing me back to the present and his furious countenance.
“Out,” I say shakily, crossing my arms over my chest and raising my chin.
His eyes narrow, flaming with frustration. “Did you turn off your phone?”