Page 89 of Twisted Lies

Chapter 42

Bryce

“Are you coming?” Pierce is almost in my face, but I refuse to step back.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I shrug my shoulders as if his plans for tonight bore me. I told Astrid I wouldn’t return to the Pit, but they’re pressuring me to go out with them because of Justin’s dad. Why would I want to hang out with that dried-up leech of a politician?

We meet up in Justin’s studio, and Justin sits in a chair, his arms folded as he stares out the window above his head. I don’t even bother talking to him when he sulks, and he’s been moody for days. I wish that boy would speak up. A week of his bottom lip poking out is too long. We get it, Justin. You can’t stand your dad. But the world is not that hard for you.

I keep telling Pierce that Justin is a liability, not Wyatt. And that fight in the dining hall between them was only for my benefit. Pierce is never going to get rid of Justin, not after their past.

“Maybe I should go, so no one brilliantly fucks up.” I stare at Pierce in silence until he gets out of my face.

“All right then,” Pierce claps his hands together with glee. “Let’s have some fun. Gentlemen, I hope you have small bills.”

***

Ted Leister’s eyes light up as we head out the door toward his limo parked on the street. Justin lags behind him, preferring to walk beside me while Pierce and Ted throw an arm over each other’s shoulders. Justin shares nothing with his dad except their looks. But whereas Justin’s gaze has a faraway quality, his father looks like a hawk waiting to dive bomb a clueless rabbit from high up.

Pierce, on the other hand, is the son Ted wanted. They laugh too loud, making crude jokes about their junk choking the hungry bitches at the Pit. They hurry down the path like a treasure chest waits at the end while I slow down my step, and Justin falls in beside me.

“He’s definitely into humiliation,” whispers Justin, “and I feel sorry for the woman that ends up with him tonight.”

“Which one are we talking about?” I ask.

Justin finally grins at something. “Astrid won’t be there tonight?” he asks, deftly sticking in the knife.

I give Justin a sidelong look, and he pretends not to notice my scorn.

“I thought you were over her?” I ask him.

He glares at me. “I could ask you the same.”

And there it is: the reason for the shit attitude. I don’t bother answering and keep walking toward the limo. What did he expect to hear?

Of course I want Astrid. She’s the only girl I’ve ever had to work to keep.

Typically, I walk into a room, and the girl I rest my eyes on is mine for the night. And that girl will do whatever I want. But when I tried that trick with Astrid, she ignored me for the entire summer. Girls like her never ignore me.

Ted motions toward the door the driver is holding open. “Pierce, sit beside me.”

Justin presses his lips together and climbs in the car next to me. He sits by the window and immediately takes out his phone. I glance over his shoulder. He always has some bizarre stuff on his feed. My attention is riveted to it as he swipes through some pictures of Astrid topless.

I grab his phone out of his hands. “Where did you get these from?”

He reaches for his phone and struggles for it. Pierce glances over. I don’t want Pierce to see Astrid exposed, so I toss the phone into Justin’s lap.

“She poses for me in my studio,” he mumbles after Pierce starts talking to Ted. “I’m going to talk to her. I’m going to make up with her.”

I scowl at him. “You think you have a chance?”

“You’ll get bored,” he replies. “You always do. I can wait you out.”

“You’re pathetic,” I grumble.

“No, I care about her. I’m not some prick that doesn’t know what he’s got.”

“I do know what I’ve got,” I tell Justin.

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