Page 104 of False God

“I’m fine,” I tell her, attempting to ignore the expanding pressure in my chest.

I’ve nevertoldanyone about that accident before, and something about the soft sympathy in Lili’s voice has my heart going haywire.

This version of Lili is very different from the woman who left scratches all over my back and then climbed onto my lap because I wasn’t fucking her fast enough.

And the one who haughtily forgot my name—multiple times.

I like all three versions.

More than I should probably since she’ll be headed back to New York in a couple of days.

With thattemporarythought in my mind, I writeMINEon her back in sunscreen, right between her shoulder blades.

I can’t see any of the hickeys I left on her from this angle, but I know they’re there. Know she’s probably sore, too, from riding my dick the way she did.

“What—are you writing something?” she asks.

Smart.

In addition to being fiery and impatient and occasionally sweet, Lili is smart. She notices things I don’t even register myself, like the way the mention of Piers affected me.

“Nope.”

I smear the sunscreen around, making sure her whole back is covered, then lie down on my towel and close my eyes.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Lili lies back down too.

Her hand brushes against mine in the few inches between our bodies. Without opening my eyes, I link our pinkies together.

She doesn’t pull away. She curls hers around mine too, covering the metal of my signet ring.

When I glance over a couple of minutes later, she’s smiling up at the clear sky.

25

Tripp and Hugo cheer loudly when the waitress brings another bottle of tequila over. I’ve lost track of how many shots they’ve done. Pretty sure they have too.

We’re in one of the circular leather booths nestled in the corner of the VIP section. The song changes to one I recognize, but can’t name, the heavy bass beat making the entire building vibrate. If I had to guess, I’d say this is a spot Blythe frequents when she stays at the villa.

It’s clearly the most popular nightclub in town, based on the long line outside that Tripp bypassed with a few words and a wad of cash.

He nudges a full shot toward me with a questioning tilt of one eyebrow.

I shake my head, shouting, “I’m good,” over the commotion around us.

After my meeting with the real estate agent this afternoon, I drove to dinner at a local restaurant and then came here.

“It’s good shit, man,” Hugo tells me. “Might lighten you up a little.”

Jasper grins to my left. “He’s got to stay in fighting shape for Lili.”

At first, I think he’s talking about the scratches on my back. Then, I follow his gaze to the bar that stretches the length of the building, on the opposite side of the dance floor.

“You’ve got some competition, man,” Tripp says.

The girls left to dance a few songs ago, Chloe dragging Theo along with her to a chorus of whip sounds from Hugo and Jasper.

But Lili’s not on the dance floor with her friends any longer. She’s perched on a stool, smiling at the three guys surrounding her.

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