Page 69 of Web of Lies
"They ordered dinner." He nods toward the back porch, where Evelyn is standing and waving us over.
Chapter 32
Riley
"Are you serious?" I ask, looking back and forth between Kyle and Evelyn, and then down at the clothes on the bed. They're Evelyn's, for when she goes hunting with Noah. It's a pair of black leggings, a fitted compression shirt, and a matching fleece jacket for the chilly morning air. It's five a.m., and the sky outside is still a deep blue, slowly beginning to lighten with faint streaks of pink and orange painting the clouds. Subtle droplets of morning dew gather along the edges of the window.
Kyle and I have been practicing target shooting for the past four days, and I've definitely improved. As a result last night, Kyle suggested we take the next step and go hunting. I agreed, assuming he would go with me, but as it turns out, I was wrong.
"If we all go, there'll be too much commotion," she says, hugging her fluffy robe close to her chest.
"That's true. The animals could hear us coming from a mile away," Kyle adds.
"So, you want me to go into the woods alone with Noah?" I ask, studying them both. "Seriously? Evelyn, please. Can't you go with me?" Anxiety eats away at my mind, and I wrap my armsaround her shoulders, praying she'll change her mind. Although I've gotten more used to being around Noah, I've never been alone with him, as there was always someone else in the room with us.
"I'm sorry," Evelyn says, wrapping her arms around my waist. "But he's the best hunter of all of us."
I turn to Kyle and purse my lips into a pout. "Really? Are you sure you're not better than he is?"
"She's right," Kyle says with a shrug. "He's always been better than I at that kind of stuff. I'm a man of encouraging words, while he's better at getting things done."
"Encouraging words, my ass," I say, earning a chuckle from both of them.
"But your clothes won't fit me," I say, turning to Evelyn and reaching for any excuse to buy myself at least another day to prepare mentally. "Let's just postpone it. We can go shopping, and I'll get something that actually fits."
Evelyn rolls her eyes at my attempt and draws me in closer. "You're half a head taller than me, sure. But trust me, they'll fit just fine."
"Are you ready?" Noah's deep voice carries through the room, interrupting our conversation. We all turn toward the doorway, where he stands in dark gray combat pants and a matching, form-fitting compression shirt that hugs his tall, athletic frame.
Evelyn doesn't try to hide her reaction. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice her biting her lower lip. She pulls her arms from around me, closes the distance between them in two steps, and presses her hands flat against his chest. Rising onto her toes, she leans in and whispers something into his ear. Whatever it is, it clearly hits its mark. Noah's eye widens, the dark pupil dilates, and his shoulders roll back as his posture straightens.
Kyle lets out a dramatic sigh from behind me. "It's five in the morning, Eve."
My eyes widen, and I nearly choke on my breath. "Kyle." I snap, turning to face him.
"What?" he says with a shrug.
"Yeah, yeah." Evelyn snorts and waves him off. Her cheeks flush a soft shade of red as she takes a step back and turns to face us.
Noah clears his throat, the husky sound cutting through the awkward silence. "Ten minutes. Downstairs. Otherwise, I'll come get you," he says, his voice suddenly strict and commanding. Not at all like the calm, quiet man I've gotten to know these last couple of days. Until now, he had been the perfect host—reserved and respectful—and a perfect partner for Evelyn. But now? It's as if someone flipped a switch. My jaw slackens as I watch him turn and leave. Evelyn shoots me an apologetic smile over her shoulder before chasing after him.
"What did he mean by that?" I ask, still reeling from Noah's comment.
"Either he's taking you hunting, no matter what you're wearing, or he's going to come back up here and play dress-up doll with you."
"You wouldn't let him." I shoot back, turning to face him with narrowed eyes, but all I get in return is a lazy shrug.
"If I wanted to, I could stop him." His lips twitch into a smirk. "But I have to admit, it would be entertaining to watch you try to fight him."
My stomach twists at the thought that he actually finds joy in my suffering. "Why are you the way that you are?" I shoot him a glare, snatch the clothes off the bed, and storm into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. My hands move quickly, swapping the oversized band shirt I wear to sleep for Evelyn's clothes. As I slide my limbs into them, they fit as if they were made for me.
With a heavy sigh, I turn to the mirror and examine my reflection looking back at me. My eyes are heavy with sleep, with deep blue shadows underneath them. I grab a hair tie from the counter and pull my messy hair into a high ponytail. Then, my gaze locks onto my reflection in the mirror once more. Everything will be fine.
I climb out of the passenger seat of the truck and shut the door behind me. The cool morning air brushes against my skin. I pull up the zipper of my jacket and bury my face in the soft fabric of the collar. It's late September, but it's already much colder than I expected. Soft fog drifts across the mossy forest ground, and beads of dew shimmer on the surrounding trees and shrubs.
Whiskey darts past me, his tail held high, and his bright, neon-orange collar glowing as he circles the truck. After sniffing the air and the ground with excitement, he jogs toward the back. Following him, I find Noah adjusting the straps of his backpack and tightening the strap on his rifle.
"Are you ready?" he asks, stealing a quick glance at me as he shoulders his backpack and grabs the rifle.
