Page 48 of Beautiful Liar

“No, you don’t,” Dasher said and pulled up a stool to sit on.

“I do.”

“You’re not a very good liar,” Charity added. “But you’re sweet.” She winked at me.

“I have a plan.” I pulled out the collar from my hoodie pocket.

Dasher yanked it, eyes wide, and looked over the engraving. “You got a Mancini collar, how the fuck…” Dasher gave me the look. The look that saidWTF, are you an idiot?I snatched the collar back.

“Luca gave it to me.”

“Are you fucking crazy? That motherfucker is insane!”

Done with the tattoo, Charity got to her feet. I’d only seen a snippet of Morgan’s tattoo. The full piece was an intricate array of symbols including the little dipper. “What does that mean?” I asked.

“It’s a fragment of our sigils. It means she’s an acolyte. She’ll be protected by all of us.”

“It works for me,” Charity said, and yanked the collar from my hand. “Fuck. This is legit.”

I yanked it back.

River got to his feet.

I knew he was going to tell Kieran about it, and I didn’t give a fuck. “It’s my survival card. Anything to survive, right?”

“Does Kieran know?” River asked.

“He will as soon as you tell him.”

“Luca is someone you shouldn’t fuck with, Tomás. Evenyoushould know that.”

“Because I’m an idiot and don’t know shit about what’s going on, is that why?”

River didn’t say anything. Smart man.

I glared at Charity and Dasher, warning them to say something. I shoved the collar back in my pocket. “Luca has yet to lie to me, unlike everyone in this fucking house, so fuck all of you.”

“I think I should check out the weapon’s cache,” Charity said and walked out, River followed.

“He’s going to tell Kieran.”

“I don’t care. I’m tired of his fucking lies.” It hurt toomuch.

“Are you going to use it?” Dasher asked.

“No. I don’t think so.”

“River is right, Tomás. It’s dangerous. You should be under Kieran’s protection. Not Luca’s.”

“Why? Kieran doesn’t even love me,” I blurted for the first time. Saying it out loud made it real. “We’re just pieces of a puzzle trying to fit to form a picture that doesn’t make sense. It’ll never work.”

Dasher lifted his eyes over my shoulder, before lowering them to my eyes. I already knew who stood behind me.

Dasher pushed off the wall. “I’m heading out. I don’t have to learn to fight for tomorrow.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid out there. You’ll run, hide, get to the castle.”

I nodded. “That’s the plan.”

Dasher walked out.

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