Thrive Read Free Page A

second.”
    I finish dressing, and then I comb my hands through my
post-sex hair.
    “You have thirty seconds,” Ryke says. “And I’m actually
fucking timing you.”
    Lo clenches his teeth so hard, restraining from spouting off
a string of insults. His hands ball into fists by his side, and it looks
painful for him to just slowly turn around and face me, trying to be a better
person and leave a fight behind.
    My cheeks start to heat with anxiety. “You think they’ll
ever find out?” I whisper.
    With tension still constricting his muscles, he draws me to
his body and wraps his arm around my bony shoulder. “We’re good at keeping
secrets,” he murmurs. “How is this one any different?”
    Right. I exhale deeply, wiping some of the wetness by my
eyes. Curse Wednesday. That moment still feels fresh, even remembering brings
waterworks.
    “It helps that you look upset,” Lo tells me under his
breath. “He’ll believe we were just talking.”
    Good.  
    No one knows we’re having more sex.
    Not my sisters.
    Not his brother.
    Not Connor or even our therapist.
    We don’t think they’ll understand, and we’re both exhausted
from all the voices in our lives. For once, we just want to do this together.
Alone.
    Lily and Lo.
    Like it was before.
    Only better this time.
    We’re stronger now.
    Lo unlocks the door, but Ryke is the one to open it. The
chatter from the crowded diner almost blasts me backwards, but Lo keeps me
close. I realize that they’re both glaring at each other—that is until Ryke
scrutinizes me, trying to spot the stain of debauchery on my clothes.
    My jeans are zipped and my shirt is straight and
wrinkle-free, thank you very much.
    “We were just talking,” Lo snaps.
    Either Ryke trusts Lo enough to believe him or Ryke has very
bad sleuthing skills. He could never be a private investigator. Maybe ditching
journalism was a good idea.
    His concern shifts off his younger brother and pins to me.
“You okay?” He even takes a step closer, and at the nearness, the girls in the
room shriek uncontrollably and start clapping.
    Someone yells, “Love triangle!”
    Oh my God. No, no,
no. I push Ryke back with two firm palms, and he raises his hands in defense.
    Ryke sighs heavily, almost growling, and agitation hardens
his jaw. “So now I can’t even be concerned about you?”
    “I’m not cheating
on Lo with you.” I hope everyone in
Lucky’s heard that. I almost want to stand on a chair and scream it. That’s
something my little sister, Daisy, would definitely do. But while the idea
sounds awesome, I can’t bring myself to execute the task.
    What if someone throws a hamburger patty at me? Oh my
God—what if they chucked a hot dog at my face? That would be my luck.
    “Lily!” Lo shouts. He shakes my shoulder. “Calm down.”
    “I…I am calm.” Am I not calm?
    “You’re panting like you’re being chased.”
    I glance between the two guys who’ve blocked my view of the
diner with their bodies, literally creating a manly wall right in front of me.
I’d find it sexy if I didn’t know what was behind them.
    And then someone else shouts, “Three-way!”
    Oh my God. No. I
start, “I am not having sex with—”
    “Let it go,” Lo tells me with a dark gaze, matching his
brother’s. “You can scream and shout but those tabloids are going to run a fake
story tomorrow and the next day. I want to fucking eat.” He turns to Ryke. “Do
you?”
    Ryke nods. “Yeah I’m fucking starved.”
    Lo looks to me again. “I’m not letting anyone run us out.”
    They’ve teamed up against me.
    I think I like when they’re united more than when they’re
against each other. It gives me the confidence I need to trek over to the
booth, sit down, and order the food I want.
    A hot dog.

 
    { 3 }
    0 years : 01 month
    September
     
    LOREN HALE
    Lying to everyone we love, it’s not as difficult
as it seems. Maybe because we’ve spent more time lying than we have telling the
truth. Or because I love