Page 36 of Twisted Lies

Why his words surprise me, I don’t know. “In what way?” I ask, searching for an answer in his meaning, but I ignore his tight gaze on purpose.

“Maybe you’re outgrowing the place?” he replies, sighing as if I should know by now. “Were you here the other night?”

“What night?” My wide eyes answer the question that I want to avoid.

“With Justin?” he continues, coolly leaning his upper body back against the lockers.

“We talked about the club.” My cheeks flame as my voice falters, and I hope he doesn’t see my weakness in the darkness. All these years, I pretended I didn’t give a fuck what other people thought, but that was far from the truth. Now, every word uttered makes me second-guess my strength.

“It’s okay, Astrid,” he scoffs. “I don’t have any claim on you.”

Dumbly, I shift beside Wyatt, careful to make sure that our thighs don’t touch again. Our gaze locks, but I don’t have the nerve to say the words I want to say. Instead, I stare deeply into his eyes, trying to see if he really cares. But I can’t tell how he feels—not while his defenses are protecting him from me.

“You could if you wanted to,” I whisper.

Nothing changes in his eyes. If anything, his severe gaze blocks my way in. “Can anyone claim you and keep you?” he asks.

My hand grazes his thigh, but Wyatt doesn’t move his leg. “You could if you wanted to,” I repeat.

“But I won’t,” he whispers, “I’m not your best bet if you’re going to belong at Stonehaven.”

I suck in my breath and stop myself from confessing. Maybe I should tell Wyatt how I see us riding away together from that soul-sucking place, but I don’t. My guard is raised and keeping my heart in check. “What do you mean?” I ask.

“Did Justin show you the books?” he asks.

I watch him closely. Wyatt must know more. “He did. Did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t have to,” he replies, moving his leg away. “Justin was holding a book in the video. The changing area is the only place that doesn’t have a camera.”

Startled, I move to stand, but Wyatt grabs my wrist and pulls me down again. I made a fool of myself again, and this time, I have no excuses. I can’t blame Justin and say he tricked me into it. I willing parted my legs. I can’t say I didn’t want him to touch me. Not when my body tingles, thinking about his mouth between my open thighs. But he tricked me with cunning, sugary words that he’s probably practiced on every girl.

“I doubt he knows about the cameras, Astrid,” he replies coolly, “Pierce and Bryce limit what Justin knows. I don’t mind if you want him. I doubt we would’ve gotten farther. You should hook up with him.”

My body shifts as if it’s bobbing out into the waves and taking me further from safety. “Don’t you want me?”

His gaze remains firm. “I want you to learn the books. Isn’t that what you’re doing?”

I nod, ashamed to be so transparent and even more ashamed to lie. “That’s the only reason why I did it.”

Sighing, Wyatt looks at the floor. “Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

My chest lifts up with my emotions, and I say what I have to say for myself, more than him. “I feel like I’ll never get ahead of them. I’m not doing this just for me. My father is a cruel and controlling man, and now, my mother and I have to rely on him. He made it that way. If only I could get far enough ahead that we wouldn’t have to.”

I sniff, and Wyatt presses his leg against mine as I continue. “I used to be able to rely on myself, but not anymore. My bubble has popped. And that world was deceitful anyway. I can’t get it back, but at least I felt like I was in control.”

“I understand,” he speaks softly and then lets out a long breath. “More than you know.”

“I do a lot of stuff,” I blurt out, wiping away my tears, “but I’ve not done that. I promised my mother I wouldn’t end up with a kid. Sure, I’ve done other things, but I can’t risk a baby. Not now; not when I have a chance of leaving Weymouth.”

Wyatt stares at me, stunned into silence by my confession as he realized what I was telling him. I’ve done plenty with guys, and sometimes far more than what other girls have. None of them ever complained. After all, how many girls have they met that offer anal as the first option?

But my virginity—my real virginity—had always been off-limits. I’ve lived my mother’s life right alongside her, and I know what she’s gone through to take care of me. I know what she might have had if I hadn’t shown up to take it away from her.

I made a promise to her, and I intend to keep it.

My face heats up, but I will the tears down. I didn’t come here to cry, and I don’t give a shit what he thinks of me.

Wyatt sits up, moving closer. His expression shifts to a warmth he always hides. “You okay?”

I nod and lay my head against his shoulder. “I needed that cry. I’ve been holding it in for too long.”

“We could work together,” he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “We could change both our worlds.”

“I have an idea,” I whisper as my knee begins to bounce. “Monarch is starting up its club again. I think Nova’s there now. If I knew the books, I could help make it profitable.”

“We could help make it profitable,” he corrects me as his arm drapes over my shoulder. “I know the books, but you know the players. It’ll be our secret.”

“We’ll do it together,” I tell him.

Wyatt hugs me close. “Together.”

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