Honesty (Mark of Nexus) Read Free Page B

weren’t worrying about that chick showing Wallace her English muffin.”
    Boom.
    She blinked and tried to catch up to me. “Okay, one, that was gross. Two, are you saying that ride of terror was to distract me?”
    “Maybe.” Conversational segue in three, two, one… “So, I’m thinking this deserves a little leeway with the whole ‘don’t touch the redhead’ thing,” I said, casually pointing to the face-paint table as we walked behind it.
    Rena ignored me.
    Considering her boyfriend was having a private chat with the chick who’d been his first hug—as lame as that sounded—I gave her a pass.
    We walked alongside the church in silence. When we reached the corner bushes, I waved her back, holding a finger to my lips. If the field trip didn’t make her feel better about the situation, maybe scaring the shit out of those two would.
    Wallace’s voice drifted from the front steps. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but…”
    “Just tell her how you feel,” Corynn urged him. “Make it easier on all of us.”
    There was a long pause before Wallace replied in a low tone, “I will. Soon.”
    What the hell?
    “Just don’t put it off too long,” she said. “That would be cruel, you know? You don’t want to hurt her.” A few seconds passed before she added, “Aww, come on, love. Don’t make that face. Come here.”
    Come here? What fuckery is this?
    Wallace’s answer came in the form of a muffled rumble. “You’ll never know what being able to do this—to touch someone without worrying—means to me.”
    Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit. I turned back to Sis, praying she hadn’t heard any of it, and grimaced.
    Her eyes had gone wide and glossy, summoning a surge of memories I’d tried to put a lock on. The way she’d struggled against the cuffs I’d put her in at the warehouse, the way I’d stolen her kiss before my brother could taste her. That first part had been to save Grandma, but the second…the second had just been to screw with him. I never thought they’d actually get together. He’d never gotten serious with anyone. That damn strength of his. I just wanted to get his atten—
    Rena bolted.
    Shit.
    I could catch her, no sweat, but I knew she had to put some distance between herself and what had just gone down—whatever it’d been. After everything that had happened between us, I knew I owed her that much. More, really. But she was family now. I couldn’t just leave her alone.
    Damn it, Wallace! What the hell did you just do?
    I toed a starting line into the dirt, held my breath and counted to sixty, then met her in the parking lot.
    She stumbled to the ground a second before I reached her.
    “Sis, I swear. I didn’t know what they were talking about. I was just being a dick. I figured we’d scare them. I never thought—”
    She held up a hand and struggled to catch her breath. “It’s fine, Cole.”
    “Fine?” I asked, crumpling my brow. Her voice had gone flat. This wasn’t the girl I knew and bugged. Where was the fire? The fight? “You should be yelling at Wallace and ripping that bitch’s hair out. Not running like some…”
    She looked up through a film of tears, and I froze. “I said it was fine . I just need a second.”
    Shit. I took a step back, getting my own dose of panic for the day. This level of comfort was above my pay grade. She didn’t need me; she needed a moment to save face. “All right, but I won’t be far.”
    And I meant it.
    My Jeep was six spaces down the lot behind her. I sat on the hood and waited. For what, I didn’t know. Should I call Grandma? She’d know how to defuse this situation. Then again, she probably already felt it. Her empath abilities were stronger than Wallace’s and more varied. She would definitely hone in on strong emotions like this from someone she loves.
    Though, with that line of thinking, Wallace should turn up any second now. Not only does he have the minor gift of empathy, he and Rena are connected by the Mark of