Page 85 of Beautiful Liar

Tomás laced our hands together and rested his head on my shoulder. I was able to breathe a little bit better.

Fox looked ready to burst out of his skin.

“What happens now?” Tomás asked.

“Now,” Tor said. “We clean this fucking mess up. The cabin doesn’t belong to the Mancinis which is a good thing. No one knew Alessandro was even here, so we blow it up. Leave no trace.”

“But us, right?” Tomás said with a nervous chuckle. “We’re not going to beinthe cabin when you blow it up, right? I just want to be clear about things.” He lifted a lopsided smile I wanted to kiss off him. But then I got distracted when Rumor started to laugh. It was an odd, deep sound that didn’t come often, but when it did, it was transcendent.

Even Fox smiled.

“You guys are fucking dorks,” Tor said, shaking his head. “We’re out in twenty. And you’re going to help me haul the bodies down to the catacombs. Fuck it. It’s the closest spot. Four more won’t do shit.”

Thinking about going back to the catacombs made me shudder.

After we hydrated, Fox and I helped with the body problem, using Declan’s SUV and his credentials to get inside the property. I’d left Tomás at the medical facility. He was worried about Micah and Ashton who’d gotten hurt during the games.

It didn’t take River long to find us.

His expression was hard, his body rigid. “What’s going to happen to him?” he asked, as we dropped bodies into a cart and started to push it into the caves.

Tor, Rumor, and even Graham walked beside us. We all had made vows to the brotherhood, to the mission to do whatever we needed to find peace. Together. Wren going rogue complicated things, and I couldn’t, I wouldn’t fail him again.

“Unless anyone has any objections,” I said. “I’d like to find him before Maddox does.”

“Because Maddox will kill him,” Graham said.

“Maddox and Tomás are half-brothers,” I said. “I’m sure Maddox won’t care to kill Wren if he finds out what Alessandro did to Tomás.”

“But?” River asked.

“But it’s not my story to tell. And I won’t force Tomás to tell Maddox something like that.”

“Wren won’t force Tomás either. I think that’s why he took Alessandro. He wants to tie Alessandro to his mother’s death. It’s what he’s always wanted,” Fox said.

“Then we find him and help him,” Tor said.

“I need you to be one step ahead of Maddox. Once he finds out Alessandro is missing, he’s going to put Liam on it. That means Graham will have to work extra careful. And you two have to let us know what they have.Wefind Wren first.”

Tor nodded.

After we dumped the bodies, we headed home. Tor stayed in Henry’s room while we ate, listening to Dasher’s story. Once they rang the bell indicating the games over, Dasher got himself out of the cage and quickly took Henry with him. Constance hadn’t been too keen to release him just yet, but Dr. Casera reminded her of the rules.

Fox looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but he bit his tongue. The following day, Tor and Rumor returned to their place beside Declan who had no fucking clue what just happened. I didn’t think the guy had any clue as to what century he lived in. “So you’re staying here like the bastard you are?”Declan said once we got him to the SUV.

“I am where I need to be. Yes. I’ll call Tristan later.”

Declan snorted, mumbled something about drowning babies I didn’t give a fuck about, and climbed into the SUV.

“Pray that I don’t kill this one,” Tor said before climbing into the driver’s seat. Rumor followed into the passenger side. And they drove off. Graham had left earlier in his own vehicle. Now that they were gone, I needed a fucking shower and a nap.

The nap didn’t happen though.

While I was in the shower, my beautiful liar crept up naked behind me. I let him think he got the drop on me, although I’d heard him enter my room. I hadn’t anticipated him entering my heart.

He wrapped his arms around my body, and I clung to him. I kissed the bruises on his knuckles. Each one. Then I turned to face him.

He’d already cleaned up. His brown eyes held such depth. I wanted to get lost in them. Get lost in him.

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