Page 100 of Loving the Liar

It takes a lot of my self-control to not put her over my knees and spank the shit out of her for her attitude. It’s Ella Baker I’m talking about. She gives what she gets, and only I take what I want out of her.

“Don’t give me this bullshit when you won’t even tell me why you suddenly have a bruised face. When you wouldn’t even look at me earlier.”

I pull hard enough it forces her to get on her toes. She trips over her feet, having to press her hands against my chest to hold herself up. As if I would ever let her fall.

“Listen to me,” I say softly. It’s the opposite of my violent touch. “I own you. The things I have to do to protect you don’t change that.”

“You own me? But who fucking owns you?” she hisses. “I think we both know that answer. Does Megan know how you got that bruise on your face?”

She threw a phone at my face.

She hurt my dad.

She said you were next.

I shake my head, blinking away the image of me admitting everything to Ella. How could I be so stupid to threaten Megan and pretend her threat of hurting my dad could only be used so many times? Of course she would find other people to threaten. Of course she would choose Ella.

“Megan is an obligation to me. I don’t care what she believes or who she thinks she owns. But I care about your wellbeing. And those two were bad news for you.”

I let her shove me away. She rubs her hands over her face, all the way to her hairline, and pulls at her roots. “You’re ruining my life,” she howls.

My eyes dart to Reeves’s office once again. I don’t want him to hear us.

“I was trying to protect you,” I admit, grabbing her by the wrists so she can’t start roaming around the room like she does when she’s anxious. “I warned you. No other men. You know how Matias felt about you.”

“He’s in a coma, Chris. Oh my god,” she panics, eyes widening. “You’re insane.”

She tries to pull away, but I’m not planning on letting her go. I’m never planning on letting her go.

“I could get arrested after what Hermes said about me!”

“Don’t shout.” I eye the door to Reeves’s office, thinking she might catch onto my concern. “Nothing would ever happen to you. Hermes is a speculating account. You have the Circle behind you.”

She knows that’s not true. The Circle grants one wish to Aphrodites. No more. No less. But I need to slyly make her see the truth.

And it works, because the blood drains from her face.

“I have nothing!” she gasps. It’s hitting her. “I have no one to help. This could be the end of me.”

I let it settle for one more second before dropping the words that will get her closer to me.

“You have me.”

She stops struggling, and I finally notice it. The desperation for reassurance in her baby-blue eyes. The need to know someone will have her back through everything.

She’s getting there. To that spot where I want her. It’s slow, but it’s steady, and every single move I’ve made until now is helping the pieces fall into place.

“I can’t trust you.” She points at the bruise on my face. “You’re a liar. Your biggest strength is manipulating people.” Her chest trembles when she breathes. “You’ll use me. And then you’ll let me down. You’ve done it before.”

Those exact thoughts are the reason I’m forced to act cunningly toward her. She doesn’t trust me. I have to force her to. She’ll never know I’ll catch her no matter what if she doesn’t jump. She needs a push.

“I will protect you,” I tell her. “I will care for you like the queen you are, and I will never let anyone hurt you. All you have to do in return is be mine and wait patiently for me to get myself out of my situation with Megan.”

She closes her eyes, takes a trembling breath, and reopens them. “Maria Delgado left SFU. Just like that, she asked to transfer to another college.”

Pride bubbles in my chest.

“Did you get your spot back as cheer captain?”

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