Page 15 of Beautiful Liar

“Then go be the leader they need.”

I sucked in a breath, along with my balls, and jumped out of the SUV, grabbed my bags, and walked into Arcas. The closer I got the more I pushed out the Kieran my friends would need. The strategist, the killer, the leader they could count on. They needed me.

I walked inside and realized how much they fucking needed me.

River had Wren in a chokehold. Kicking off the sofa,Wren sent them both sprawling to the floor, breaking the end table into pieces. River stuck out in any room. His hair was a natural white you couldn’t fake, with pale brows and lashes. He kept his hair short, but with waves. His features were sharp and his eyes a pale blue like ice. And unlike Fox and Wren, River wasn’t a hot head. He liked to watch. To observe. He saw things with those colorless eyes that I would never see. And he loved Wren.

So why the fuck were they fighting as if … who the fuck knew as if what.

Fox stood, arms crossed, at the doorway watching. I was pretty sure standing as guard to keep them from killing each other. His eyes met mine and he offered me a tight nod.

“Fifty on Wren,” I said in way of greeting. At least if I lost, he could pay Tor for the bet he lost because of me.

Fox grunted and gave me an eyebrow raise at the same time. No deal.

“What the fuck precipitated this?” I dropped my bags and stood across from Fox under the archway, watching the crazy motherfuckers duke it out. River’s lip was dripping blood onto his chin and chest while Wren’s left eye started to swell.

Right now, River was getting his ass beat.

“River has been given special circumstances to leave Arcadia despite the lockdown.”

I shook my head. “How is that possible?”

“Marz request.”

River and Fox were cousins. The Marz family were one of the Four. Old Virginia money. “Why did Casera approve it?”

Fox looked as if he didn’t want to answer that question. But he did. “Betrothal. River needs to meet his bride. He’ll be back for the games.”

I turned back to the fight which made sense now. River and Wren had never been apart, as far as I could recall. Theyswept up from middle high, to high school, to college together. Just like Fox and me.

I turned my attention to Fox. His stern eyes on me.

Lies risked friendships more than anything else. The two fools in the living room were a testament to that. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept this from you.”

Fox shook his head. “You’re a fucking moron if you thought it’d change anything between us. You do realize, I like dick too.”

I tapped the back of my head against the molding. “I know. It’s just I never had the need to do anything about it until…” I couldn’t even say his name.

“Why him? Of all the fucking dudes who’d like to suck your dick, why him?”

Heat bloomed on my cheeks thinking about Tomás sucking my dick. Fox grunted again and turned back to the fight. “Loyalty is earned. You’re going to have to earn it after this.”

“I know. I will.”

A loud crash boomed in the room. Wren lay face first on the floor while River straddled him as if he were riding a bull and Wren’s arms were the horns. “Ow, you fucker!” Wren cried out as River leaned back, pulling Wren’s arms and straining his shoulders. They were going to pop. I cringed.

“Call it, motherfucker, or I’m going to rip your arms out and beat you with them.”

“Well, shit,” Fox said. “I should’ve taken you up on that fifty.”

I lifted my bag and climbed the stairs.

“Oh, by the way,” Fox said as I reached the landing, “Tomás is gone.” I turned and glared at his smug fucking face. “Lives over at Harper House. Thought you may want to know that. We weren’t the only ones you abandoned when you didn’t come back.” I heard the slight hurt in his voice, but he’d alreadytaken off before I could apologize. Again.

Chapter Seven

Tomás

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