Page 82 of Sweet Lies

Finally, we untangle ourselves, our breath hard in the air as we get our hearts under control.

“What was that for?” she asks. “It felt like goodbye.” She’s always been too smart for her own good.

“It’s something. I’m just not sure what.”

She slaps my face hard. I know she’ll have left a handprint there.

“Go to hell. You and all the decisions you make for us both on your own. Next time I’ll let her kill you,” she hisses, getting into my face before placing her hands on my stomach and shoving me hard. I wasn’t anticipating the move and stumble back.

She’s gone before I can respond, and I grin, thinking how far she’s come since that night at the bar. She has claws. She’ll need them if we’re all going to make it through all the shit coming our way.

Passing Claire in the hallway, I nod at her, but she stares straight ahead, still pissed. She hates being left out of the loop, and I don’t blame her. Elijah should have told her the truth. He would have all our heads if the situation was reversed, and Lily was in danger.

I find Elijah in the family room, flipping through TV channels. His men are stationed around the room. When he sees me, he waves the others away.

“I see Claire didn’t kill you,” I say, sitting on the couch.

“It was close. She threw a bookend at my head. A little more to the right, and she would be replacing me.”

I laugh. “Death by bookend—what a way to go.”

“You should add that to your playbook,” he mutters, causing me to laugh even harder.

“Does she believe you?” I ask, needing to know how much I have to watch my back. Elijah knows her better than anyone. If she’s lying about believing us, he’ll know.

“She does. She’s pissed I didn’t tell her. I understand her anger, and I know she gets why I chose not to tell her. She doesn’t forgive the choice, but she gets it. She’s calling Alex.”

“That’s going to cause issues with our plan—no one was to find out I was lying about the job.”

“I know, but Alex is a damn good liar. If anyone can act as if they don’t have death looming over them, it’s him.”

“True. Has Bec talked to Claire about what happened? I know she spoke to you.”

His face hardens at the mention of Rebecca’s past. “Not yet. It’s best we give Claire some space just now. She’s been the one trying to help Bec from the sidelines since Christmas. Finding out how much she hates Alex is throwing her off her game on top of the death threat. In her head, she understands Bec’s feelings on the topic, but her heart is a different matter. Claire has had time to process everything that’s happened and get to know the real Alex. She needs to give Rebecca time to do the same. I don’t know if telling Claire everything right now is a good idea anyway. They both need time.”

Elijah’s phone starts ringing, interrupting whatever he was going to say next. He glances at the name and says, “It’s Lily. I’m going to take this. We’ll talk more in the morning. Lock your door just in case Claire changes her mind,” he jokes. Or at least I hope he’s joking.

Flipping the channel, I settle for a rerun of a baseball game and let my mind drift to battle plans.

* * *

REBECCA

How dare he? Who does he think he is? Who does he think I am? I willnotlet him play with my emotions. I’m in control, not him.

Breathing out, I kick my leg in the air in frustration and am thankful no one’s around to see the childish move. He gets under my skin. It’s like some Shakespearean play. He kisses me like a guy in love, then says he’s not sure what we’re going to do. Come on.

“Ugh,” I grumble, throwing myself to the bed dramatically. He has my emotions all over the place. It’s always been that way with us. We would tease each other when no one was watching, but the moment it got more serious, we’d back away. I hadn’t missed that game. The only time we’d let it genuinely get out of hand was that night in the hotel room, and even then, he had an exit planned.

We keep going around and around the board. It’s like a never-ending ride, but I don’t know if I’d get off even if I had the chance. I’d missed him, as much as I hate to admit it. He’s always seen me for me. All the good and bad. Everything I did and didn’t want the world to notice.

In the moment, I truly thought Claire was going to kill him. It felt like my world was going to end. Off her expression, I knew he would have been dead if I hadn’t entered when I did. Claire took no chances when it came to her family. I’d lived years without him around, but I’d always known he was out there somewhere. If he was no longer alive, I don’t know what I would do.

It’s been a hell of a few weeks, and the exhaustion is overwhelming. I’ve been running on adrenaline, and am finally crashing down. Lifting my hand to my right eye, I wipe away the tear that has escaped.

I hate that I’m crying over nothing. He’s fine. Claire knows the truth. All he did was kiss me and say the same shit he’s said before. But still, I cry. It feels like I’m being weighed down by a boulder, and another pound is added to it each day.

Enough. Control. Ice cream fixes everything, and I’d caught Claire putting raspberry in the freezer this afternoon.

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