Page 102 of Loving the Liar

Does Chris know? He was adamant he never wanted to see me with another Shadow, but he knows perfectly well I don’t have a choice.

Zeus doesn’t play with young Aphrodites, but if he’s the one who invited me for the weekend, does it mean I’ll be spending it with him? Or is it a general invite?

My head is swimming when there’s a knock on my door.

“Ella Baker?”

I run down the stairs, an overnight bag on my shoulder and wearing a pair of jeans with a cami top. There was no indication as to what to wear or what to pack, so I did my best.

“Hi,” I say to the middle-aged man with a chauffeur’s hat on his head.

He indicates the blacked-out SUV parked in front of my house, and I follow him until he opens the door and lets me in.

I freeze as I climb inside, taking in the handsome man in a tuxedo in the backseat.

“Come,” Chris says calmly. “We need to talk before we get there.”

I clench my jaw, not wanting to talk to him. The last conversation we had was a few days ago, and he admitted he had hurt the men I dated, interfered with my life, and shamelessly said he wouldn’t stop even if the blame was put on me.

“How are you, Sweets?”

Settling in my seat, I look out the window on my side and ignore him. My body is already buzzing having this man around, but unlike when he brought me home drunk, I’m logical enough to know engaging with him isn’t a good idea.

“Is that a pout?” he chuckles. “If you’re trying to look angry, you’re going to have to try a little harder because this cuteness isn’t really doing it.”

I do my best to harden my face, narrowing my eyes into slits when I turn to him. Still, I remain silent.

“I was going to be nice,” he sighs. “I wanted to run you past how the business weekend works, ask how you feel. But if you’re going to be a brat who doesn’t want to talk, I guess I can play that game too.”

I take in the black tuxedo he’s wearing. A black waistcoat, a black shirt, and a black bow tie. I’ve noticed he wears all black when he goes to Circle’s events. Like he wants to fit the darkness of the place. But his handsome face doesn’t match the wickedness of the Silent Circle. His beautiful eyes shine just a little too brightly, and the curls of his hair falling into his eyes make him just a touch too innocent.

Chris hides his depravity down deep, made it his. His brand of evil. Nothing can compete with that.

Worried I’ll get lost in the amber of his eyes, I look away again. He doesn’t deserve my attention, no matter how much I want to give in.

He sees me as an Aphrodite, thinks of me as someone he can use no matter what. I don’t have to actively participate in this insanity.

“Ella.”

I startle, emerging from my own head.

“If you want to stay silent for the next twenty-four hours, I can make that happen. But I’d suggest you play nice when I’m the only one who is going to protect you at the temple.”

He almost gets me to talk. Not because he tells me to, but because I’m dying to point out that the only reason he’ll be protecting me there is so he can have me to himself. So he can be the one to break me.

I decide to not say anything, since according to the tightness in his jaw, that’s what bothers him the most. Giving him the silent treatment feels rather good.

“Alright,” he finally murmurs. “You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

My head snaps to his side, not liking the second half of his sentence. I’m already too late.

His strong hand wraps around my upper arm, pulling me until he can circle an arm around my waist and pull me on his lap.

“Since you don’t want to talk,” he growls in my ear. “Daddy has to teach you a lesson.”

Sudden fear mixes with a strange lust. This is the part of me that’s always betraying my brain. The one he’s got a hold of.

It’s happening too fast for me to catch what he’s now holding in his hand, but when I feel something push at my mouth, panic overtakes me.

---