Page 1 of Cinder & Secrets
Prologue
Charlotte
“Are you having fun?” I have to raise my voice over the loud thrum of music, studying River’s profile as he waits at the bar for our shots.
“I forgot how much I missed this,” he admits, meeting my eyes for the briefest moment before turning his attention back to the bartender.
River Parker is so much hotter than the picture his sister, Lyric, keeps of him on her desk in our shared dorm room. I mean, he’s good-looking in the picture too, but in person... A girl could really lose herself in those hunter-green eyes and crooked smile.
“Parties?” I wager a guess by whatthisis. Though party is putting it mildly, considering we’re in the middle of the largest soiree of the school year—a glow party put on by one of the fraternities.
“Being young,” he corrects.
“You talk like you’re forty.” I snort out a laugh, my throat hoarse from talking so loudly over the music all night.
“Might as well be.” He graces me with that lopsided smile I just referred to, the sight causing me to feel a little unbalanced on my feet. Then again, that might be the alcohol, the buzz radiating through every pore in my body.
“How old are you again?” I ask.
If I remember right, he’s only in his early twenties.
“Twenty-three.”
“Oh my God!” I mock. “You’resooooold.” I smack his bicep playfully, not missing the hard cut of his muscle as I do.
“Things are different once you graduate college and have to start living in the real world.” He shrugs. “Just wait. You’ll see what I mean one day.”
“Graduating college is no excuse to stop having fun,” I disagree.
“Oh, I have plenty of fun.” He throws me a sideways glance, the kind that makes my stomach hollow in the best sort of way, and I can’t help but think how much I’d love to experience the version of fun he’s talking about. “Just not this kind of fun.” He swirls his finger, gesturing to our surroundings.
“You seem to be having plenty of fun, just fine.” I graze his paint-covered shirt with the tips of my fingers, not missing the way his eyes flare ever so slightly at the touch.
“Here ya go.” The bartender makes an unfortunate appearance with our shots, drawing River’s attention away.
Damn it.
I mean, it’s not like anything was about to happen, but that sure as hell doesn’t mean I didn’t want it to.
Snap out of it, Char,I silently scold myself, reaching past River to snag four of the eight shots sitting on the bar in front of us.
Once River has the rest, I turn, following him back through the thick crowd to where we left my two roommates, Maisie and his sister, Lyric, on the dance floor.
“We got shots!” River announces as we approach, and I can’t help but smile at the two paint-splattered beauties in front of me.
“Two for you.” I hand Maisie two of the plastic shot glasses while River hands two of his to Lyric.
“Two?” Lyric looks at her brother like he’s lost his mind.
“As tightly wound as you are.” He smiles at his sister. “Trust me, sis, you need them.”
She inspects the liquid briefly before dumping the first shot down, her grimacing expression pinned on me as she lifts the second shot glass.
“What is this? Battery acid?” Her pretty face puckers in disgust.
“Oh, shut up and drink it.” I grin, pouring both shots into my mouth in quick succession.
“Cheers.” River knocks his shot glass against Lyric’s remaining one and she reluctantly drinks the second shot.
