Page 29 of The Lie
THIRTEEN
MILA
Roman is giving us today, which means I have one day to prove to him that leaving us isn’t the answer to his problems. That I will fight for him and always be in his corner. I don’t give a shit if he says we can’t be friends. He doesn’t get a choice with me. I won’t give him up.
Nothing he’s done will scare me away. I don’t care if he has a police record; he had to survive on his own all these years, never asking for or accepting help. So what if he’s failing at school? I can help him with homework. I can help him pass. His dad’s an asshole, we can’t change that. But we can all deal with his dad. Roman can stay at my house, my dad will understand.
Roman gives me a look; he knows I’m plotting. I smirk and wink. He pushes his hair behind his ear, and I long to braid it again. But it might be a little hard with the cast on. The blond scruff on Roman’s jaw has me itching to touch it. Is it soft? Scratchy? I watch him lick his lips, and I’m drawn to them. If today doesn’t end with a kiss from Roman…
“Hey, wait right here. I have an idea.” Hunter runs into his garage and emerges with three foam swords, a plastic knight’s helmet, and my old tutu from when I was little.
“Oh my god, you kept all this?” I look to Roman’s arm, his tattoo. This is perfect. We will show him the best day ever, and he will have no choice but to keep us.
“Yeah, Mom stored it all away the last time we used it. I found it a few weeks back and thought it was too special not to keep. Play one last game?”
Wow, play a game. I haven’t done that in such a long time. Hell, I don’t remember the last time I played here with the boys. Today, we make new memories, the three of us.
Hunter hands us each a sword and pops the helmet on my head. It’s a snug fit, and I chuckle as he steps into my pink tutu. He struggles to get it over his thighs; it’s elastic but not made for Hunter’s body. Eventually, he manages to get it up over his waist and lets out a loud whoop as he shimmies his hips. It looks absolutely ridiculous on him. It’s so small and tight.
I chuckle. “Are you the princess or the knight?” I ask, cocking my head to the side as he turns in a circle and lowers into an exaggerated curtsy.
“I’m both. Don’t you know that princesses can rescue themselves? I learned that from an old friend.” He winks over at me, and I smile at that memory. I used to say that every time I played with the boys. Hunter remembered.Of course he did.
“Do you want me to knight you?” Roman asks, and I love that he’s getting involved. This might seem childish to most, but it’s not to me. It’s perfect.
“Why, yes, Sir Knight Roman.” I get down on one knee, and he taps his sword on one of my shoulders and then the other.
“Rise, Knight Mila and Knight Hunter. We have bad guys to slay.”
“I’m after the king.” I giggle and slowly jog away. It’s not my finest work, but a slow jog is all I have in me. I can hear the boys play fighting as I run around the pool. I stop to watch them, laughing at the way Hunter prances around and smacks his sword against Roman.
“We must protect the king from a rogue knight,” Hunter calls out, and Roman makes a trumpet sound as they both turn and point their swords at me. I laugh, my chest hurting but in the best way.
I give up trying to “run” from them and instead turn to fight them.
“Ouch,” I cry out as Hunter hits my upper arm.
“Oh shit, did I hurt you, Mila?” Hunter drops his sword and becomes very serious. I bonk my sword on the top of his head.
“You’re dead.” I giggle. The look in Hunter’s eyes has me very aware of the type of punishment he wants to give me for that trick…and I want that too.
“You walked into that one, Hunter,” Roman says as he also bonks Hunter’s head with his sword.
I laugh as they turn on each other and dance around, trying to get each other. Every so often, they turn and gently tap me over and over until I put my hands up.
“I surrender. You’ve gotten better at using swords.”
Hunter laughs. “I train with my sword every night…and sometimes in the morning.” He winks at me, and my mouth drops open. He didn’t just tell us how often he jerks off. Did he?
Roman’s shaking his head. “I didn’t need to know how often you play with yourdick.”
“But now you know. You’re welcome.” Hunter does another curtsy, and I just laugh as Roman pushes him over and he rolls onto the grass.
I lower myself to sit on the grass. “You know what’s weird?” I start as both the guys look over at me.
“That I always think of you while I jack off?” Hunter smirks at me.
I try to hide my smile. Stupid ass. “No. But we both know not to shake your hand anymore.”
