Page 175 of Under the Lies

“You so sure about that?” Noah’s voice is soft, lethal and has Harlow straightening her spine.

“What did you—”

“You talk in your sleep, Harlow. I’ve never forgotten that. A person can have a full-blown conversation with you, and you won’t even know it.”

I don’t need to see Noah’s face to know he’s starting to smirk as some color drains from Harlow’s face.

“It was so easy for Thea to ask you in between snores where the ledger was and for you to tell her. I think she was even a little disappointed she couldn’t have more fun coaxing it out of you.”

I startle, hearing a knock from the other side of the glass. Gabe smiles as Noah tilts his head toward the door. “Don’t you love when people are right on time?”

A crease appears between my sister’s eyebrows as Gabe opens the door and Thea walks in. Noah turns his head to watch her and I see that devilish smirk firmly in place.

Thea struts in the room, fanning herself with a thick, worn leather book.

“That’s the ledger?” I ask, tearing my gaze away from the room to look at Reeve, who doesn’t bother to spare me a glance as he nods.

When I turn back to the scene unfolding before me, I see my sister unravel. See the confidence she’s sat there with slip and be replaced with a nervous nibble to her lip. “No,” she whispers, only to say it again a little louder.

Noah pushes away from the table to take the ledger from Thea. He runs a hand down the spine like it’s a tender animal. As he walks back to my sister, he glances at where I stand from behind the glass and winks.

“Is it killing you?” I ask Reeve, seeing three of his friends. “To not be in there—”

I’m asking an empty room. Reeve just waltzed into the interrogation room. Leaving me all alone.

“Fuck this,” I say and storm out, walking the short distance and bursting through the door. It clangs against the wall and every. Single. Head swings toward mine.

“Sayer,” Noah growls, his face stone while his eyes rage a fire at seeing me here. Not that I can really fault him. Last time I was this close to my sister she had a man hold me at knifepoint. And he did tell me to stay put.

It’s not my fault he hasn’t learned I’m not going to listen.

“What’s she doing here?” my sister hisses through her teeth. If disdain could kill, I’d be dead on the floor right now.

I give her a small wave.

She lunges at me.

And the room erupts into chaos.

Noah moves toward me the same time Thea pushes Harlow back into Gabe, whose arms lock around her in a vise grip. She struggles in it and almost kicks Thea in the chin with how high she’s able to get her leg. Luckily, Thea’s able to catch my sister’s ankle and twist, making Harlow turn into Gabe’s chest.

Reeve stands between us all, chuckling.

“What’re you doing here?” Noah asks again. We’re so close, standing toe to toe and I breathe in his scent. The familiar smell of amber and mahogany mixed with deep tobacco instantly making my muscles relax.

“Reeve left the room and I got lonely. All the fun was being had in here.”

Noah watches me and I hope he doesn’t call me out in the sarcasm I couldn’t quite keep out of my words. I hope he knows that I have to be here like everyone else in the room, maybe even more so.

Harlow might’ve stolen and sent them on a wild goose chase, but for twenty-five years she’s made my life literal hell. What other person can say that their sister buried them alive? That’s taking sibling antics to a whole new level.

I have to be here because I can’t keep hiding from Harlow. Not standing up to a bully isn’t going to make them stop.

Seeing all this pass over my face, Noah gives me a sharp nod before turning back to my sister. He doesn’t move away, choosing to stay close to me.

Harlow stares at us with an icy glare, still trapped in Gabe’s hold.

“Now.” Clearing his throat, Noah speaks like the last five minutes didn’t transpire. “What were you saying about having the ledger?”

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