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We had all been drinking considerable amounts of alcohol while playing the game. I was at about six tequila shots and lost count on how many margaritas. We laughed pretty hard for several hours, so much so that my face hurt.
There were quite a few questions, and I was marveling at how I had gotten lucky and didn’t have to confess any of my sins. What I didn’t know was what the next question would be. I couldn’t have prepared myself for it, but it made me regret agreeing to this game.
“Okay, here’s a good one,” Lyle said as it was his turn to ask a question. “Have you ever done sexual favors for money?”
I was stunned and could feel my cheeks getting hotter. I was glad we were mostly relying on light from the fire, so hopefully, no one could see my reaction to the question. I knew I couldn’t answer this question without my voice cracking, but how would I explain why that was. My past was messy, and I wanted it kept in the past.
I looked up, and Thane was staring right at me. I felt my cheeks get even hotter.Did he know?He couldn’t possibly, could he? Anxiety swept through me, and I was ready to excuse myself, saying I didn’t feel well, but everyone would know that wasn’t true, especially Remi, Lila, and Shellene.What am I going to do?Three people had to go before it was my turn to answer. Should I just go to the bathroom and wait it out in there for 10 minutes until they gave up waiting for me?
Another thought came to me: Addison didn’t know what I had done to feed the family, and I certainly didn’t want her finding out in front of all these people. For her sake, I was going to have to lie. I put on a brave smile and waited my turn. Everyone’s answers were no, of course. I was the only one with an ugly past—Addison and I, but she didn’t have to do the things I did. I made sure of that.
I got up and made another margarita, which I slammed back in about 10 seconds flat. I made another one and went back to the living room.
“Darcy, it’s your turn to answer,” Lyle said.
I hesitated. I shouldn’t have hesitated, and I should have looked everyone in the eyes, but I was lying and didn’t feel good about that.
“No, of course not, but maybe I should have. Maybe I’d be rich by now,” I joked. My voice cracked a little on the last word, but everyone was laughing, and we moved on to Evan, who was sitting to my left, so I was safe. I breathed in deep and held it, expelling it only when I felt my nerves calming down.
We played the game for another few hours, and luckily, there were no more close calls, but I was pretty drunk.
“I’m going to go to bed now. Good night, everyone,” I said, yawning.
“Night, Darcy,” everyone chimed in.
I put my glass in the sink and went up the stairs. I had no idea that Thane had followed me until I reached the top and turned around.
“Fuck me. You scared me. Why are you following me?” My heart started beating fast, my body swaying, and I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the fact that Thane was only a few inches from me. I could feel the heat emanating from his body.
“Such a trucker mouth, Darcy Blackwell. It’s a good thing you’re so hot.” He moved in closer and bent down.
Is he going to kiss me?My heart slammed in my chest at the thought of his lips on mine. It shocked me that I wanted him so badly that I was going crazy inside. The hot burn traveled down to my center in anticipation.
“I was just wondering: How much would I have to pay you to get between the sheets with me?” He brushed his lips against mine ever so lightly. I gasped and slapped him. The momentum almost knocked me off my feet. Thane reached out and grabbed my arm to steady me. I wrenched it away from his grip. “Don’t touch me,” I snapped. I had to blink away the tears. I was drunk but not so wasted that I didn’t know what he was trying to say. He knew.He fucking knew!
“It was just a joke,” Thane yelled after me, and I heard him laughing all the way down the stairs.
I didn’t even change or brush my teeth. I just went to bed and sobbed until I could sob no more. “Thane Erickson, I hate you,” I whispered before I fell fast asleep.
DARCY & THANE
Darcy
“I’ve never been snowshoeing before,” Addison said.
“Neither have I, so I guess we’ll both learn together,” I told her, fastening them onto her feet. “Everyone’s outside waiting.”
“Thank you for being such a wonderful sister,” she said.
“It’s easy being your sister. I’m just glad you were able to come live with us.” I turned around so that she couldn’t see the tear trying to escape from my eyes. I wasn’t usually an emotional person, but Addy was able to bring it out in me.
“What happened when you went to see Mom?”
I turned back to her. “Nothing you need to worry about. Mom will never change, and once I accept that, it won’t hurt so much to see her destroying her life.”
“I don’t want to visit her,” Addison informed me.
“I don’t blame you, and you don’t have to see her unless you want to,” I told her. She came at me quickly for a hug, but the snowshoes made her fall into me instead, and we laughed. “Let’s go before they leave on us.”
