Page 41 of Silver Sweet

“Roxanne Ruiz.” I name her so he recognizes my memory isn’t hot garbage. “I know.”

Charlie is staring at me funny. It’s almost like he wants to ask me something. Oh fuck, is he searching for information from me? I’ve awaited the day when the knower of too many things comes to gorgeous, harmonicmefor a nugget of wisdom.

I gesture to him. “I know herverywell if you want intel.”Like the color of her hair.

Brown. Curly. She’s short, right?

I wish Pink Noir wasn’t so dark. I’ve met Roxanne a handful of times at this nightclub where all of Beckett’s friends congregate after performances and rehearsals. I always thought RJ would show up, but I never ran into him when she was there.

“Intel,” Charlie repeats. “Because I’m waiting with bated breath for what little you know about a girl who means nothing to me.”

“You have a very curious glimmer in your eye.” I lean forward to point it out. “Right there.” He swats my hand away from him.

Beckett sends Charlie one indecipherable look, and Charlie works his jaw before staring too hard at the opened pages of his novel.

Charlie made a promise to Beckett a long time ago that he wouldn’t try to get with anyone from the ballet. Which obviously includes Roxanne.

My phone buzzes on the couch.Leo. Leo is also from Beckett’s place of work, but nothing is literally happening. Nothing.

This is absolutely totally fuckingnothing.

“Tom.” Beckett trains a concerned yet calm expression on me. “If you really want a relationship, RJ is not the one. He’s a fuckboy.”

My stomach knots. “Yeah, I know. I’m aware.” I drag a hand across my face. “I doubt he would’ve slept with me had he known I was a virgin.”

Charlie tilts his head too far to the left.

Beckett blinks, then raises his hands in shock. He ends up steepling his fingers beneath his nose. “You didn’t tell him you were a virgin before you had anal sex?”

“I wanted to do it,” I defend. “I’d backed out with my other hookup about ten fucking times, and it just felt right. So yeah, I didn’t tell him because it’s my body, dude, and who the fuck cares if it was my first time or not? He didn’t ask me.”

Charlie starts laughing.

I slump backward hard. “I’m glad you find my sex life so amusing.”

“You flood the rivers you drown in. I can’t feel sorry for you.”

“I’m not asking for your pity.”

Beckett holds out a hand in the air like he’s trying to subdue the tension. “Tu vas bien?”You’re okay?

“Oui, oui.”Yes, yes.Without thinking, I kick my feet back on the table, avoiding the phone in my fist and this conversation. “Why don’t we ask Charlie about the girl he brought to the apartment last weekend? She lasted like an hour here.” I turn on him. “What gives?”

Charlie looks highly annoyed. “I came on her and she tried to push mycuminside her cunt.”

Oh.

Shit.

This is one of those times where I’m ecstatic that I’m very fucking gay. Pregnancy scares are off the table, including the fake ones that crop up. Charlie has the most notoriety of mybrothers, simply being the firstborn son of the Cobalt Empire, so he’s usually dealing with girls claiming he’s the father of their baby. He’s been through about five different paternity tests. Some with women he’s barely saidhito.

“Well, that sucks,” I mutter, then say more loudly, “But let’s talk about it. How did it make you feel?” Because I care about him. Okay, everything doesn’t have to be about me all the time. My eyes fall to the phone in my hand.

Charlie swivels in his chair to his twin. “I think Leo is texting him.”

My jaw unhinges. “How the hell could you possibly know that?”

“Leo?” Beckett accuses, practically staking me with his eyes.