Devious Obsession by S. Massery

Author:S. Massery [Massery, S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B0BLYC7D9G
Goodreads: 65001465
Published: 2023-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

24

ASPEN

The hockey team has a dinner together, then they’re heading straight to the stadium for a meeting before the game. It leaves all the CPU students who came for the game with about an hour to grab dinner.

Thalia, Willow, Violet—the latter two somehow worming their way into my short list of friends—plus some other dance girls are gathered around in the hotel lobby. They’re trying to figure out where we should eat. I’ve got Steele’s oversized jersey in my grip. He gave me the dark-blue one they wear at home games, but I haven’t put it on yet.

Because once I do, I’m sure I’ll draw more looks. Questionable ones.

More than I already have anyway.

I join the girls, and my phone vibrates in my hand.

Then, from across the lobby, “I see her! Asp!”

That’s a voice I would recognize anywhere.

My twelve-year-old sister, Lennox, charges through the hotel lobby and performs an expert flying tackle. I brace at the last minute, scooping her up and swinging her around. She’s tiny, especially for her age. Light enough to lift off her feet for a minute before returning her to the floor.

Her arms are locked around my neck, and even when she stands, she doesn’t release me. I’m left awkwardly bent over. I pat her arm, then force her hands apart. To cover for the rough handling, I slide my hand through her blonde hair.

Super blonde, almost platinum, like our mother.

“Hi,” I whisper.

She beams at me. “I knew I’d find you first.”

“That you did.”

“Aspen!” Mom calls, striding toward us. “Lennox, I told you not to run off.”

Len pouts. “But I was running to Asp, Mom. That’s gotta be okay. We haven’t seen her in forever.”

“It’s only been two months, kid.”

Two months is a lot. I try not to let that pang of guilt hit me. The one that says I should’ve gone home to visit or something. Called more. I don’t know.

Mom, Dakota, and Stephen join us. I hug Mom first, shake Stephen’s hand, then face my fourteen-year-old sister. The grumpy one, apparently. She eyes me like she’s annoyed with me for even being here.

I ignore it and drag her into a hug. “Missed you, D.”

She exhales. Slowly, her arms come up, and she hugs me back. But just for a few seconds, then she squirms out of my hold.

“How are you feeling?” Stephen asks.

I tilt my head. “I’m fine.”

Mom touches his arm, then hugs me again. It’s impulsive, but I go with it. Logically, I get why she married Stephen. It’s just claiming to be in love that has me confused. She’s always claimed love, even over the summer. Dramatic assurances, or displays of affection, left me feeling… untethered.

If she could love him so quickly, what about dropping out of love? Could that happen even faster?

The answer is yes, of course. Love is this fragile little thing, wrapped in trust and respect. If one of its shells cracks, the love can break. Or—sometimes it just means that love becomes more jagged.

Fucked-up shards of love, cutting everyone and everything.

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