Page 24 of Lies Like Love

He nods. “Booked until ten thirty. Why?”

“Crew and I were thinking of going out tonight to blow off some steam.”

“Thought that’s what last night was about.” Sage tips his chin up and his gaze moves to the gash on my eyebrow.

“Different kind of stress relief.”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “You guys have fun; I’ve got shit to do after my shift.”

“Like fucking Téa?” Yes, I’m aware he’s screwing our new front desk girl. He’s not subtle about it, and it’s becoming an annoying pattern.

“Better than chicks looking for a commitment.”

“And you think she isn’t?” I quirk an eyebrow. “When this shit goes bad, it’s going to fall back on the whole shop.Again.”

“Don’t know what you’re implying.”

“That you’re always fucking the chicks working the front desk.” Every. Last. One of them. “It’d be nice if we could get one to stick around for more than five seconds without you sticking your dick in them and scaring them off.”

“They know what I’m offering from the beginning.”

They should. He’s clear about it. Problem is, the guy’s also a magnet for clingy chicks. Chicks that don’t seem to realize he really means it when he says he’s not settling down with anyone.

After all, I’m not the only one haunted by ghosts from the past.

“Whatever you say, man.” There’s no use arguing. He’s going to do what he’s going to do, and I’ll be the one cleaning up the mess as usual.

“Well, I better get set up.” Sage stands, tossing his coffee cup in the trash. When he turns, he almost runs into Echo, who’s barreling around the corner.

“Jude.” She snaps her gum, clacking it between her teeth like she always does. Her fingers rake through her half-bleached, half-black hair as she tugs it up into a ponytail that bounces around as much as she does.

Girl is so fucking energetic. I need more coffee just to look at her. But at least she balances out the grumpy assholes who make up the rest of the Twisted Roses group. Between me, Sage, and Crew, I figured we’d have broken her spirit by now. Apparently not.

“What’s up?”

She pops her gum. “Some girl’s here to see you.”

“Where’s Téa with this information?”

Echo shrugs and pops her gum again. And I can’t help but glare at Sage, who just smirks. It’s a matter of time before we’re filling the front desk position for the fifth time this year, and he doesn’t give a shit.

“Send her back.” I nod, and Echo disappears out the doorway.

Thought I’d have more time before my noon appointment, because I’m booked solid for six hours straight after that, but apparently not. I chug the rest of my coffee, letting it burn my throat before tossing it in the trash.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Sage walks over and claps me on the shoulder, looking like he’s about to say something else, but there’s nothing to be said when I’m not willing to talk about it. So he shakes my shoulder and walks away.

Sage probably thinks he can figure out whatever I don’t tell him on his own, so he’s not pushing the subject. But I’ve buried Fel’s and my secrets. So deep even she doesn’t realize how much I’m hiding.

Sage can dig all he wants. I know how to bury bodies.

It was the only way to survive after everything happened.

Her mom was dead, my dad was in jail, and Fel told me she never wanted to see me again. My only choice was to walk away and hope the damage didn’t swallow her whole.

After all, I gave up everything for her. Football, college, my future. She just couldn’t understand it.

It was then I met Sage. I was crashing on a mutual friend’s couch, so he offered up his spare room. Sage introduced me to Blaze, who owned Twisted Roses at the time, and they taught me how to tattoo and pierce. They made me believe there was a way to survive without my dad’s blood-soaked money. And I finally realized why I never fit into my life until I walked away from it.

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