Page 60 of Beautiful Liar

Tomás

The interruption caused me to lose my footing, and I missed the doll completely. Kieran stood leaning against the wall, arms folded in front of his chest, watching me. He’d showered and changed. My heart did that thing. That thing that prevented me from breathing, from thinking, from existing without him.

His eyes landed on my busted lip, and murder filled his expression. With deadly intent, he narrowed the gap between us. I stood my ground, anticipating the burn of his touch. He cupped my face, and I couldn’t help but lean into his soft caress. “Who hurt you?”

There were a dozen or so names I could’ve given him at that moment. Everyone I’d ever loved hurt me, that’s the nature of the emotion. But I was sure Kieran meant the physical pain because the internal pain couldn’t be measured. Couldn’t be seen. It ran way too deep. I tried to go on without him, to do this on my own, but who was I kidding? I wasn’t going to survive being without him. I wasn’t going to survive Luca Mancini. The truth stained my soul. Although I wanted Kieran to save me like he had with Jack, with Fortuna Bruno, with his grandfather, I didn’t want to risk losing him. I couldn’t. He’d chosen me, saved me. I wanted him to save me from Enzo too. But Enzo was my past, not his. Enzo was my secret and I had to suffer the consequences of what I’d done. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Damn, Tomás,” he said. “Talk to me, as a friend. Tell me how to make this better.”

I snorted a laugh at the thought of just being friends. It would kill me to have to watch him with someone else. In love with someone else. He deserved to be happy. But then I remembered I wouldn’t be anything but dead. “Just promise meyou’ll try to be happy, Kieran. Find something that fills this.” I planted my hand over his heart. “You deserve that.”

He grinded his molars, lips pressed, eyes narrowed. “Why does it sound as if you’re not coming back from this?”

I wanted to tell him, opened my mouth to spill my truths, when the calvary arrived. It sounded like a stampede through the living room. We pulled away on instinct, then realizing we didn’t have to, he squeezed my hand offering me support. It felt so strange coming from him. I guess we were both growing as people. I’d take that as a win.

After we all changed into comfortable clothing, we trained with bokkens, clubs, batons, and bats. Tor and Rumor took lead. They were awesome to watch in action. Rumor was Kieran’s age while Tor was a few years older, though they looked like masters on the mats. Even Wren and River took a few swings at each other. Both of them held their own. Even Wren, who no one took seriously.

“Paint your face. Don’t let anyone see.”

Luca’s words made sense. Luca wore paint to hide his true self just like Wren used his charismatic nature and I used my smile. So people wouldn’t see the real us. Maybe there was something underneath all that paint and crazy look Luca wore to terrify people. He was searching for answers.

Maybe, he’d find a reason not to kill me.

“Tomás!”

I came back just in time to deflect Micah’s attack. The impact jolted my arm. I stumbled back.

“What the fuck? Pay attention!” Kieran yelled. “Again.”

Most of the training was aimed at the newbies because we didn’t know jack-all about fighting. Strike that. Charity scared me with the amount of expertise she had with the wooden sword. I was glad she decided to be team Arcas rather than going with the douche bag Ashton. I knew street fighting, and I couldrun like the devil, but using a lofty wooden sword, uh, nope. Missed that training.

By the time we were done, Morgan had passed out on the sofa. Henry on the floor, and Charity and Micah went home to rest. We’d be meeting here in the morning for more prep.

Exhausted and beaten to a pulp, which was probably not a good idea right before war games, I trudged to the bathroom to change back into my clothes. Arcas wasn’t my house anymore. I didn’t plan on staying here while Kieran slept just next door. Something fell out of my pocket and pinged on the floor as I unfolded my pants. It landed against the tub, camouflaged against the white marble flooring.

A white square tile. The same tile Luca had been playing with in the restroom. And it looked familiar. I picked it up and ran my thumb along the smooth surface feeling the number etched into it. A coat tag. The same coat tag I’d gotten at Renew when I’d left Jack’s coat there. It’d been in my room at Harper House the last time I’d seen it. Luca had stolen it, so why was he giving it back?

“I want to help you not be confused. The answers are here. All you have to do is look.”

Answers to what? Look where? Could this be what Jack had on the family to bring them down? Was it in the coat I’d left behind? And why the hell did Luca give it to me? What game was he playing?

I raked my hand through my hair. I couldn’t figure this shit out on my own. And I had no time. In another ten hours I’d be running through the woods trying not to spill my own blood with Luca hunting me. Enzo watching. Waiting. Fuck it. If I was going to die, at least I could give Kieran evidence to avenge me.

I found Kieran in what the guys called the war room. A strategy room with a round table, screens, computers, and maps on the walls. I’m sure there was other shit they had that wasn’tas visible.

They all turned to me in the doorway. I was pretty sure I was violating some rule of secrecy, but I didn’t care. It’s not like they locked the fucking room. I stepped inside. “Sorry to interrupt,” I said, the tile in my hand, “But I have something I need to tell you.”

Kieran clasped his hands on the table. “Can this wait?”

“No. It’s about Luca Mancini.”

Tor, not Kieran, offered me a seat at the table. I sat. I carefully placed the tile down and slid it away from me. It felt monumental. As if whatever Luca gave me had been meant for me alone. Or maybe he was testing me. It felt like a test. I never did well on tests.

“Tomás?” I lifted my eyes to Wren.

Enzo had never spoken about having a son. Had he hurt Wren too? No, or Kieran and the others would’ve killed Enzo. Would they kill him for me? I rubbed the brand. No, they wouldn’t for me, but they’d do it for Kieran. “Luca gave me that tonight,” I shook my head. “No, he slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t know it was there until now.”

“What is it?”

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