These Thorn Kisses (St. Mary’s Rebels 3)

“I have something to tell you,” I say, as soon as Callie shuts the door to her room and turns around to face me.

Her eyes narrow at my words. She also folds her arms across her chest as she asks, “Does it have anything to do with why you came here in Con’s truck?”

Shit.

“You saw that?”

“Yes.” She raises her eyebrows. “I also noticed that his very black and very masculine truck has splotches of pink paint on it. Pink,” she pauses to let it take effect, “being your favorite color.”

Yikes.

The remnants of my graffiti that I made for Conrad two months ago. I keep telling him that he needs to take care of it and get it out completely but he doesn’t listen.

But whatever.

Right now I’m more concerned about the fact that this isn’t going as I planned.

And I swear I planned.

That’s why as soon as I got here, to her house that she’s lived in since she got pregnant, I told her that I wanted to talk to her. And that I wanted to do it in private. Hence we’re in her room.

I clear my throat before saying, “I wouldn’t say that pink is my favorite color per se. I like it but I also think that –"

“Wyn,” she cuts me off.

Which is just as well because I don’t know why I was saying that. Pink is my favorite color and I’m so done hiding things from her.

So fucking done.

The school’s been over for a month, and I’ve been waiting and waiting to share all my secrets with her.

And finally the time is here but I’m a little freaked out. And it doesn’t help that with her blue eyes pinned on me like that, she totally looks like her brother.

Her oldest brother.

The one I’m in love with, albeit secretly.

Although I do have to say that it’s only a secret from Callie. The rest of the world, all my St. Mary’s friends, her other brothers, Reed even, know.

So taking a deep breath, I blurt out, “I’m in love.”

“What?”

Damn it.

I should’ve said the whole thing. That I’m in love with one of her brothers.

I take another deep breath and walk up to her. She watches me with suspicion. Especially when I put my hands on her shoulders and tell her, “Can we please sit down?”

I don’t wait for her answer. I simply direct her to the bed and give her a gentle nudge so she takes a seat.

“Okay, I’m sitting now,” Callie says, her hands in her lap. “Are you going to tell me?”

Choosing to stand, I wring my hands and nod. “Yes.” Then, “So do you remember the man that we used to talk about? The one I met the summer before I was sent to St. Mary’s. The one who told me to follow my dreams and later I drew, you know, graffiti on my dad’s car. Because I was feeling inspired.”

“Yes. Your dream man.”

I swallow when she says that. “Right. So that man, I met him again.”

Her blue eyes go wide. “Shut up. You did?!”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

Okay, the moment is here – actually, literally right here – and I just jump into it. “He’s your brother. Conrad. And I’m in love with him.”

I thought her eyes would go wider at this. Or she’d flinch or blink or squeal at the information I’ve given her. But all she does is stare at me silently, her eyes unwavering before she says, “Tell me everything. Right now.”

And I do.

I tell her everything. Every single thing that I have been keeping from her. From the fact that when I saw him for the first time on the soccer field, I started an argument with him to get him to notice me and he took away my privileges the next day, to the fact that he was still in love with his old girlfriend who happened to be one of the teachers. Or rather he thought that he still was. I also tell her about the days when I thought he didn’t love me and that I’d forever be without him. And then I end with the fact that he got arrested because of me and how Reed came to the rescue.

In more ways than one actually

Because Reed not only got that file on my dad – I asked Conrad specifically to tell me what was in there and after multiple attempts he divulged that there was evidence against my dad regarding evidence tampering, witness tampering, bribery and whatnot – but he was also the one who bailed Conrad out.

Which finally solved the mystery of why my father was so angry that day when he was talking on the phone. Something that Martha shared with me while sharing the news of Conrad’s release. Not to mention, it makes me think that maybe my dad was lying to me about letting Conrad go. Maybe he had no intention of doing so and that’s why he got so furious when Conrad was bailed out anyway.