Page 37 of Addicted Lies

I clear my throat as Ivy and I reach the apartment complex entrance. “Hey, I’ll be up in a second. Mom’s trying to call me, and I just realized I need to grab some tampons from the corner store.”

“Oh, you can take one of mine.”

“It’s fine. I might get a snack as well. I need chocolate to recover from the awful taste that guy left in my mouth.”

She laughs again and shrugs. “Sorry, girl. But I appreciate your time sacrifice.”

I pretend to call my mother as I walk down the sidewalk. The corner store is literally one block up, but the moment she’s inside, I pocket my phone and race across the street. A low hum of anticipation stirs in my stomach.

His window rolls down, and he looks more sinful than he has any right to be. And he also looks like a stalker. “Are you in the habit of following me now?”

“You think it’s funny?” he asks, and I can’t help but bite my bottom lip. I’m not sure about his response, but maybe he does seem a little jealous.

“So you’re not here to have car sex?” I ask, confused. “Then why are you here?”

His hands grip the steering wheel, and that’s when I realize that Ford is internally struggling with himself. I notice when the switch happens. I don’t know what triggers it or what he’s thinking, but I feel the shift in energy around him.

“Go inside before Ivy becomes suspicious.”

“Wait. Why are you here? You’re not here because my brother told you to watch over me, right?” I fold my arms over my chest, now kind of pissed about the situation. If he isn’t here for sex, then why is he here?

“No.” He starts the car. “Go upstairs, Billie.”

Why can he not look me in the eye now?

What the actual fuck is running through this guy’s head? We’re just fucking, but he watches me when I’m out on dates?

“I need my tattoo finished,” I demand. It’s the only reason I can think of that he might see me again because whatever this weird tension is, I’m not having any part of it.

“Not right now,” he says calmly as he turns his head toward me, his expression emotionless. I fucking hate it when he looks at me like that. Not now. Not when others aren’t around us, and we have nothing to hide. Because Ford has shown me more of himself, and right now, I can tell he’s pushing me out.

“Okay. Well, I’ll go find someone else to do it, then,” I throw back, then walk away.

“If you let another man tattoo your ass, I’ll send you his hands as a present!” he yells out after me. I flip him off over my shoulder, intentionally swaying my hips as I walk across the street.

Fuck him. He’s so hot and cold.

I won’t be told what I can and can’t do.

There’s also a caveat in everything. He didn’t say no to a woman tattooing me…

CHAPTER 16

Ford

“Fucking hell, you seem more tense than usual,” Hawke remarks from beside me. We’re currently at one of the Ivanov auctions. Sent away from Eli, yet again, for one of his “date nights” with Jewel, which is just code now for “I’m going to rail my wife into oblivion.”

And the only reason we’re running the black market auctions tonight is because Anya, River, Alek, and Lena had to “attend to something.” I’m certain it’s just an excuse, and it’s really our mother getting up to her old tricks, trying to persuade us to take over the auctions for them and truly adopt the Ivanov name.

“When was the last time you got laid?” Hawke asks.

“Shut up,” I grit out.

He laughs. “A while, then, I’m assuming. Want to go beat one off while I wait for everyone to come in?” I cut a deadly glare in his direction. He puts his hands up in defense, still laughing as the final preparations for tonight are completed. A few patrons have already taken their seats, and the stage has been set for the guns that will be displayed and sold tonight.

I stand beside the door as Hawke circles the room. I catch one man staring at me, and he quickly averts his gaze. I’m almost praying someone picks a fight with me tonight.

It’s Friday night, and I’ve barely slept. My mind wanders to what Billie might be doing. Probably getting shit-faced. Our cousin, Hope, is in town for the weekend, so I hope maybe that will rein her in. Hope isn’t much for the party life, though she’ll grudgingly go out sometimes if she has to.

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