Page 127 of The Liar's Reckoning

He hesitates before stuttering out. “I-I d-don’t have one.”

“Then how about this weekend?”

“I have plans this weekend,” he says quickly.

“What plans?”

“Dinner with my parents. To discuss the divorce.”

I narrow my eyes. “What about it?”

“Well, obviously I can’t afford a decent lawyer, so I’m sort of dependent on their help.”

I sigh, trying my best not to let my irritation show. “I want them to meet you. Before it’s too late.”

“I understand,” he says, but it’s stiff and not understanding in the least.

I finish what’s left of my wine and clear my plate from the table.

He doesn’t get up, so I clear his, too. As I’m about to start on the dishes, I feel his arms wrapping around me from behind.

“Baby, I had a shitty day. I don’t want to fight. Please. Come to bed. Make me feel good. Let me make you feel good.”

“It’s a lot of dishes,” I say, but I don’t turn on the water.

“They can wait. I’m prepared to beg. Are you ready for that?”

I get it. He’s got his reasons. He’s not ready to talk. I’ve been drinking, and if I hadn’t been, I would have thought twice before asking him to come to Queens, but itwouldmean a lot to me. It would mean a lot to my mom to see us together. To know I love someone who loves me back the way he does.

She’s been asking for so long to meet Graham, and it’s been hard not to tell her everything about why I haven’t brought him by.

But we can be careful. I know that unlike my so-called friends, my mom and Trixie will be able to see what I see in him.A man who feels very much like my soulmate. We fit perfectly together. No matter who he is.

When I don’t respond to his seduction, he says, “Give me the weekend to think about it, okay?”

I nod.

“I know it’s important,” he says, almost like he’s choked up. He takes a deep breath with his face smashed to my neck. He squeezes me tight. “Please, baby, come to bed. I really fucking need you.”

Not only can I not say no to this man, I don’t ever want to.

When the man you love saysthat,you do whatever it takes.

39

GRAHAM

“We found something on her.” My father pushes a manilla folder toward me on the coffee table. I’m on the couch in the gentleman’s den next to my brother Holden, whose smug look of satisfaction lets me know he’s had his hands all over this folder. His ruthless streak is showing, and it’s not my favorite side of him.

“She’s not gonna wantthiscoming out,” Holden says.

Leaning forward, I flip open the nondescript file. The first page is a screen capture of Avery’s profile with Katia’s escort agency.

I shut my eyes and wrack my brain with what the appropriate reaction to this news I already knew should be. Denial? Anger? Shock? Disgust?

I know exactly who Avery is, or at least, I did. And now my family does, too.

“Whoa,” I say, but it comes out flat.

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