Page 116 of A Shot of Pretty Poison

Hayes’s brows raise. “And what exactly are you going to be wearing?”

I shrug. “I’ll just wait in here until everyone leaves, I guess.”

It’s not like I’m naive enough to believe he’s going to let me go out there in my bra. He’d sooner let the girl keep the gross shirt so we could all trade back.

Hayes rolls his eyes, reaching behind his head and pulling his shirt off. Fixing it so he can grab the collar, he puts it over my head and forces it on me. It’s such a power move that it helps me feel a little less freaked out about the fact that we’re back to living in our own personal hell.

“You just like when girls gawk at you because you’re shirtless,” I joke.

He chuckles. “You caught me. That’s exactly what I wanted. I was just taking advantage of the opportunity.”

The door opens again and Cam steps in, but he stops and looks around, confused. “What the fuck are you doing in here? Playing musical clothes?”

“Saving you from going to jail, buddy,” Hayes says.

He looks confused until I explain. “Mali was going to go back to the party in her bra.”

Choking on air for a second, he turns to Mali, but she’s looking anywhere else to avoid looking at him. “Did you guys know there is a spider web in that corner?”

Cam sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Couldn’t have had a thing for anyone else. It just had to be her.”

We all chuckle, feeling the mood lighten slightly, until all our phones go off at once. None of us move. I don’t even think we’re breathing. But we’ve tried the route of ignoring them before. It only made them more desperate.

This fire is being fed by an endless supply of gasoline. If we don’t deal with it, it’ll burn forever.

Taking a deep breath, I pull my phone out of my pocket and read the text.

You’re so cute to think you got rid of me. Poor Isaac. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He would’ve made the perfect scapegoat, but I’m just not done with you yet.

Okay, now Ireallymight throw up my shot—party foul be damned.

THIS SHIT WAS SUPPOSEDto be over. We had dealt with it. There was even evidence linking it to Isaac, but as we think it over, we realize it was all things that could be related to something else. Maybe a bad coincidence, or he could’ve been set up. I’m just glad Hayes didn’t kill him because that would’ve led to a whole different level of self-loathing. As for what he got, I can’t say he didn’t deserve it. Isaac was anything but innocent.

“Or would you say I told you so?”I sing as we walk into the house.

Mali pins me with a look. “All right, Carrie Underwood. We get it. You were right, we were wrong.”

My lips purse. “Can I record you saying that? It would makethe bestringtone.”

She flips me off and drops her bag.

We all decided it would be best if Cam and Mali came to live with us for a bit. With this shit starting back up again, none of us should be alone. Besides, this way we’re able to work on figuring this shit out every moment we’re not busy. It’s a win-win. We’re both stronger and more resourceful.

Cam walks in with Hayes behind him and goes straight for the kitchen, coming out with a bottle of disinfectant and a roll of paper towels. But my favorite is when he pulls the yellow rubber gloves out from his bag and puts them on.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Hayes asks.

Cam looks up at him as if it’s obvious. “Don’t think I don’t know that you two fuck like rabbits. If I’m staying here, I’m wiping down every damn surface before I touch anything.”

Hayes chuckles as I roll my eyes, realizing that sex is going to prove difficult now that my brother is going to be sleeping across the hall. I tried to learn how to be quiet once, but it’s fucking impossible. Hayes doesn’t quit until he’s sure anyone within a mile radius can hear me.

Fucking caveman.

I look over at Mali to see her watching Cam with a fond smile splayed across her face. At some point, I need to ask her what’s going on there. I mean, it’s obvious they’re crazy about each other, so why the hell aren’t they together?

But that can wait.

Right now, we have work to do.

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