It says,I waited a long time for you.
It says,you’re important.
Wilder only spent two years on this planet without his brother. Once he was born, they were constant companions. Lydia and I have just found each other, and we have a lot of catching up to do.
And I owe her an apology.
“So, was I right about him? Does he have a sex dungeon in the basement?” Lydia asks after Wilder has left and we’re back inside.
His kiss is still warm on my lips, and I brush my fingers across them, saying, “I didn’t find one.”
She opens the refrigerator, and the white interior light illuminates her face. She’s less protective of her expressions now that we’re alone. Pursing her lips, Lydia bites the inside of her cheek and taps her foot on the tile floor, staring absentmindedly at the empty carton of orange juice I should have thrown away. There’s nothing she wants or needs inside the fridge, but that doesn’t stop her from reaching in to move the condiments around.
“What are you doing?” I ask, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“What the fuck does it look like I’m doing? I’m cleaning out the refrigerator.” She tosses the orange juice container onto the counter.
“Right now?”
“Yes, right now.” Lydia searches a pickle jar for an expiration date, but quickly grows tired of the charade and turns on me. Pickle juice sloshes around the jar as she points it like a stern finger. “Camilla, my life is spent with people who have something to hide. I’m constantly guessing motives and weeding through lies for bullshit truths. It’s exhausting, and I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn’t trust me. I fucked up.”
My shoulders fall, and I ask, “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t make me say it twice.” She rolls her eyes. “You always make me say everything twice.”
“I honestly have no idea what’s happening. Did you just apologize to me?” I laugh nervously. Something strange is happening, and I’m starting to wonder if I should chase Wilder down before Lydia does something crazy like talk about her feelings.
She closes the refrigerator door and sets the jar on the counter next to the OJ container, the extent of the Great Refrigerator Clean Out. Crossing her arms over her chest, Lydia takes a breath to speak, but second-guesses and drops her hands to her side.
Lydia’s alone with her thoughts, standing tall with her struggle to speak, and I’m ready to cut in when she says, “I know I’m not easy to talk to and that’s why you didn’t tell me you were being followed.” Lydia runs her hand through her hair, showing me exactly how it got that way. “That’s my fault. I’ve spent so much time trying to prove that you’re better without us, but the truth is, we’re better because of you. I—wefucking need you. And that scares the hell out of me. If I were a better friend… if I were normal, maybe—”
I don’t let her finish the sentence before I close the space between us and wrap my arms around her waist, pressing my entire body against hers. Caught off guard, she falls back and collides with the fridge, holding her hands out to her sides. They hover awkwardly over my back before settling uncomfortably on me.
“You’re my best friend, Lydia.” I press my face into the curve between her shoulder and neck, nuzzling my nose against her fluttering pulse. “We’re family.”
“Not sure if that makes me feel better or not.” After a long moment, she eases into the embrace, slight at first and then all at once. She slides her hand down my messy hair, turning her face close to mine. “This is one fucked-up family and about to get much worse.”
“I’m not looking for perfect, Lydia.”
“What I don’t understand is how someone so bright wants to live such a dark life.” She sighs, taking my face in her hands. “No more secrets. We tell each other everything from now on. You’re going to find out that no one ever tells the fucking truth, but we—you and me, Talent and Wilder—we can be different. We have to be different if we’re going to survive this.”
I kiss her.
On the lips.
Deeper and softer than sisters do.
But with the same kind of adoration.
Wilder is true love, but Lydia is my soul mate.
I smile against her mouth and shrug, looking just in time to watch a dreamy calm cross her expression before falling back to indifference. “I really didn’t find a playroom in Wilder’s house. His gym is amazing, though. Easy on the knees.”
Hazel eyes widen in surprise, and she laughs out loud. But the Ice Queen has a reputation to uphold and sidesteps out of my grip and escapes around the kitchen counter before I get too confused and start to believe she likes hugging and girl talk.
“You didn’t look hard enough,” she says, sauntering toward her bedroom. “I’m going to come up with a list of places for you to search while I’m in the bath. Look for faux bookcases and shit like that. It’s only a matter of time before that motherfucker comes to you with a contract and a safe word. If there’s one thing I know about Wilder Ridge, it’s that he loves contracts.”
“Where’s Dog?” I call out, finding the expiration date on the jar of pickles and flinching.Gross.
