Page 30 of Twisted Lies

“I know. But I can’t get out of this. It will be worse to not have her come.” Claire knows this, I don’t know why I need to tell her.

“I don’t like this, E. I don’t like this at all,” she mutters, still messing with the tie.

“You think I do?” I snap, moving her hands to the side. “I only need a little more time. “

“You’ve been saying that for years. When are you going to get that this is our fucking life and get over it?” she yells. She sucks in a breath, shocked at herself.

“Because I refuse to. If it’s the last thing I do, I will get everything back. If it kills me, so be it.”

“So that’s it then? You don’t care who you bring down in the process? There are people to consider other than the legacy. We are alive, E. Why can’t that be enough?”

Because I’m not living, ever since Father’s death. They stole everything from our family. I can’t leave it till it’s back. I don’t have it in me to let it go. Claire used to understand. Now it seems that she has her family and Alex back in her life, she’s content to stay as Mia for the rest of her days. Well, I’m not. I was born to lead. I was born to have control. I was born to be more than Connor’s lackey. I want my life back. I want my revenge, and I need it. Why can’t Claire see that? Why can’t she understand that every day I have to play this part, a little more of Elijah dies? I’m so close.

“It will be ours again. Get behind or get out,” I say.

“Oh, shut it with your BS. Your word is absolute shit. It didn’t work when we were kids, and it’s not working now. The only one it might have worked on was Rebecca, and she shot you. I’m starting to think she had the right idea,” she huffs, her hands balling at her sides. “She’s innocent. At a certain point, there’s no going back for her.” She speaks of Lily.

I stay silent till she leaves. Does she not understand I know that? I also know the first time I saw Lily, it was over for her. It was over for both of us. After finishing getting ready, I leave my room to once more find my sister breathing fire.

* * *

“Hey,” Claire says as I exit my room. She shoves the navy-blue cocktail dress into my hands, gives me a furious look, then stomps down the halls muttering words I can’t make out.

Breathing out, I shake my head, gripping the dress between my hands. After the night I had returned from the Bronze, Lily has said two words to me. I don’t blame her, but trying to convince her to come tonight is going to be hell.

Not bothering to knock, I enter her room. She gives a startled gasp before leaping from her bed in annoyance. “Again, have you heard of knocking? Did you miss that day in school?”

“Put this on,” I demand, shoving the dress into her hands. She looks at the dress, then to me, then back to the dress with an awestruck expression.

“You’ve lost it and went into loony bin territory. You can’t come in here and demand I put a dress on and just expect me to do it,” she hisses, balling the dress in her hands.

“But I can, and I do. Because you’re coming with me to Connor’s event. He expects you there. There are many influential people there tonight, and you will come and stand by my side the whole time.”

“I’m not a damn dog!” she scoffs.

“No, you’re not. A damn dog would already have the dress on and be in the car.” She hisses like a rattlesnake before it attacks. “Put the dress on. You don’t have a choice, and neither do I. Do you think I want you to come? Connor wants you there.”

“You are Connor’s lap dog after all,” she says, throwing the dress to the bed.

“Don’t piss me off. Not tonight,” I get out through my teeth, stepping close to her. She holds her ground and doesn’t step back. It makes me want her all the more. “Get. Dressed.” With that final warning, I leave her to get ready. “Five minutes,” I bark as I slam the door.

“I think you’re losing brain cells the older you get,” Claire says, clearly hearing the conversation. Ignoring her, I move down the stairs to wait for Lily. This is going to be a hell of a night. The event tonight would have people from all walks of life, from gang leaders to Jason and his men. People we do business with often, but do not socialize with. There is a point to that, which I keep reminding Connor. But he believes it’s good business to have everyone where he can see them on the board. I think it’s one more night shit can hit the fan, and I’ll have to help clean up the mess. The last thing I want is Lily to be there if things go down. I don’t need these men knowing about her.Damn Connor.

He’s holding it at Murphy’s restaurant. It’s expected that everyone dresses nicely. As if that makes us upstanding citizens. The night keeps getting better. My eyes are on my phone as I hear the familiar sound of heels on the stairs. It takes all my willpower not to look up and watch her come down. Finally, the sound stops, and I lift my gaze up. My eyes stare at her silver strappy heels and travel upwards. The navy dress has a slit on one side, showing off her leg and mid-thigh, giving me ideas I don’t need, continuing up to the top. Her breasts are highlighted with the strapless top, up to her furious glare. Her hair is the same as it was in her room, but she had added some makeup. She is stunning. Even in a paper bag, she would be attractive.

“You’re insane,” she states, still glaring.

“That’s beside the point. Let’s go. We’ll be late as it is,” I say, glancing at my watch. Her heels click behind me as she follows me out the door. I breathe a sigh of relief. I had thought she would put up more of a fight. Opening the passenger door, she slides in. I’m driving tonight. Normally I would have one of the men drive, but I need to talk to her about tonight and don’t need anyone else listening. My paranoia is only going to increase in the next couple of days.

Her silence unnerves me more than I care to admit. “Are you going to speak?” I snap. Why I care if she talks or not, I don’t want to dissect.

“I have nothing to say. You’re an ass.”

“That’s eight words. You don’t have to talk, just listen. The people tonight are not good. Stay by my side the whole time. Speak as little as you can and try not to draw attention to yourself.” That’s going to be hard to do, considering how she looks tonight. I’m already annoyed that others are going to look at her with desire when she’s mine. Mine? I need to stop thinking like that. She’s not mine, and she never can be.

“You demanded I go to this event, and you expect me to stay by your side and speak only when spoken to? You need to get medicated,” she says, leaning her elbow and head against the window.

I laugh. “I can see how you would think that. We just have to make it through the night.” My hands grip the wheel. As long she stays by my side, I can look after her. I need her to listen tonight. The drive continues with silence. I miss her voice for the short drive. I had gotten used to her banter and laugh. Pulling into the parking lot, I see that most people have already arrived. Expensive cars litter the parking lot. Great. We’ll definitely make an entrance now. I was hoping we would get here before the others and attempt to blend into the background.

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