Page 48 of Twisted Lies

“What do you want?” I question.

“I want you to help push my upcoming shipment in your area. It will open new markets for me.”

“Done.” That would be easy enough.

“Another thing. I want you to take care of the one that betrayed me, to begin with.” I can hear the grin in his voice. James. He wants me to be the one to kill him.

“Done,” I answer.

Connor laughs cheerfully. “Now you’re acting like a boss,” he responds, still laughing as he hangs up the phone. My hand grips the phone tightly till my knuckles are white. My jaw clenches. I will get James out of this. He will not die for his loyalty to me. I will just have to make Connor believe he’s passed. One more thing on my never-ending list.

“Where to, sir?” the driver asks once I’m off the phone.

“The hotel,” I state, tossing the phone to the seat. Rubbing my temple, I try to hold off the headache that’s forming. Once at the hotel, I change and go to the hotel’s large gym. Stepping on the treadmill, I put it at the highest speed and run. My mind drifts as I run. After a while, the burn I was seeking fills my legs and lungs. Instead of slowing down, I speed up. This is what I need. The burn that means I’m still alive. I feel like I’ve been running but staying in the same place for too long. Now that I can see the finish line, I just need to get a little further. After an hour and a half, I step off and need a shower. Entering the room’s bathroom, I twist the shower knob to hot and wait for it to warm. Stripping off my clothes, I enter the heat once the steam appears on the mirrors.

“Are you back?” I hear Lily yell. The room door bangs shut.

“Yeah. In the shower. You can join,” I respond and smile, waiting for her smart-ass reply.

“In your dreams,” she yells. “Hurry up. You’ll never believe what happened at the dress shop.”

“Was there a rush on wedding dresses?” I call.

“No,” she says, opening the bathroom door and stepping in.

“I’m showering here,” I point out, pouring shampoo into the middle of my palm.

“I can see that. Nothing I haven’t seen before,” she states, and I hear her hop on the sink counter. “I found the dress.”

“That’s great. How much did it cost me?” I ask, not really caring. I would pay a small fortune if it made her smile.

“Not a penny.”

Stepping out of the heat, I open the shower door and peek my head out. “I’m sorry, I think I got shampoo in my ear. Did you say nothing? I don’t know much about women’s clothes, but I think a wedding dress costs more than nothing.”

“Yes. You are correct. However, this woman paid for the dress. She said it was too perfect to pass up. I was shocked, but before I knew what she had done, she was out of the building. I can find something else,” she rushes to add. Moving back into the heat, I get the rest of the suds out before twisting the water off and grabbing the towel hanging on the shower, wrapping it around my waist. Stepping into the cold bathroom, I ask, “What did she look like?”

“Around our age. Very pretty. Short. Her heels were killer. I didn’t ask for ID nor get her weight and height.”

“I need a little more information.”

“I don’t think she had an ulterior motive buying me the dress. She left me a note. This is why I didn’t want to tell you. I knew you would make a big deal out of it,” she says, getting down from the counter.

“It is a big deal because we know nothing about this woman,” I growl as she steps closer.

“It must be exhausting never trusting anyone.” Her face softens as she speaks.

I’m startled by her words but quickly recover, saying, “Not really. I prefer to think of it as self-preservation.”

“That’s just sad.”

In an instant, I leave only an inch of space between us, brushing the hair that had fallen against her face. “It’s just life,” I answer as her lips part and my hand rests against her cheek. Our eyes lock, and electricity zaps between us. Bending down, I meet her lips with my own. This is a terrible decision. I’ve gone crazy, and I need to stop this instant. But as I think these thoughts, she kisses me back, and all thoughts of stopping cease. The only thing I can think about is Lily as her arms wrap around my shoulders, pulling me closer. I can almost feel her heartbeat as her fingers dig into my shoulders. Her mouth melts against my own as if we have become one person.

She pulls away unexpectedly, and I lean in to kiss her again before I realize what I’m doing. She grabs my hand and tugs me forward. Her eyes glance back in challenge. Following her lead, I leave the bathroom with her.

* * *

LILY

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