Play with the Phantom (Midnight, #2)

by Amanda Richardson

“So,” Frankie says, nails clicking against the steering wheel, “I’m just going to take a wild guess. You dumped golden boy for his ex-con brother.” I groan. I hadn’t told Frankie anything that happened over the last few days because I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. “I cannot keep a single secret from you, can I?” “Absolutely not. I’m your best friend. It’s literally in the contract.” “Technically… yes. But I cheated on Asher, Frankie.” The guilt surfaces fast, hot in my chest. “And Maddox is… intense.” She snorts. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” “It kind of is!” She eyes me sideways. “Okay, walk me through this. Did he coerce you? Threaten you? Drag you off somewhere against your will?” “No. I mean… maybe a little, but I wanted it. All of it.” I pause. “He did eat me out like a starving man and make me see God.” Her mouth drops open. “Oh my god.” I just laugh, and we sit in the comfortable silence for a few seconds. “Look, if you’re talking about a man who looks just like Asher but knows how to please you in bed, with tattoos and no boring job? Come on. If you didn’t ride his face, I’d have to stage an intervention.” I cackle. “I missed you.” She grins, unapologetic. “I missed you, too. In all seriousness, Ari… yeah, you cheated. And I know that eats at you. But that doesn’t mean you’re a terrible person, it means you were deeply fucking unhappy and didn’t know how to get out.”