Page 48 of One Twisted Lie

And that’s it. He hangs up before I can even reply. That was my moment, but I chickened out. I was a coward. I couldn’t bring myself to say it, to disappoint him, to shed the exterior he spent my entire life building.

Carter was right. Father has poisoned me. He’s made me someone I don’t like and that I don’t recognize anymore. He expects me to just follow his command, to ignore everything I’m feeling, and to do what is best for the business. And maybe I would have done that before. Before Carter, before the love, before it all, I would have. But I can’t even remember a time before him anymore.

I won’t do it. I can’t do it. I can’t betray the love of my life.

A stronger thought consumes me. This is the tipping point in the iceberg. I wasn’t going to say anything to Carter, but I feel like I have to now. If my father is willing to use me to see that fucking program, how far would he go to get it?

I take a deep breath, but my hands shake as I fully recognize the choice in front of me. It’s an impossible one I don’t want to make, but I have to.

I’m going to tell Carter the truth.

Chapter 24

Ozymandias

I fidget. The flash drive is in my hands, the little stick feeling heavy in my palm. I look over at Carter who’s sleeping peacefully, absolutely no idea of what’s about to happen. He’s on his side facing me, one arm wrapped possessively around my waist even though I’m sitting up. I hate to wake him, but I have to find the balls to do this one way or another. It’s been three days since my father’s call, and I’ve found a way to avoid saying anything.

I need to tell him the truth.

“Babe, wake up,” I say, shaking him awake.

I know there’s probably a better way to break the news to him now. But it has to be now, or I’ll never do it.

Carter grumbles in his sleep, slapping my stomach in annoyance as he keeps his eyes shut. “What is it, princess? I was sleeping.”

“I…” I gulp and shove him again, maybe a little too aggressively. “I need to tell you something.”

He peels one eye open and glances at the nightstand, groaning when he sees the time. “At four in the morning? Can’t it wait?”

I shake my head, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand and handing them to him. “No. It can’t.”

With a groan, he sits up, putting on his glasses with an adorable pout on his face. “Fine. I’m listening.”

I take a second to admire him. I don’t know what his reaction is going to be once I tell him the truth. All I know is I want to remember him like this, all sleep-rumpled, a little annoyed, but overall content with lying by my side, trusting that I won’t hurt him. I expect that we might fight for a bit, maybe he’ll be angry, but Carter is smart. He’ll see reason. That’s what I have to keep telling myself in order to get the words out.

“My dad asked me to do something…” I start.

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Again, it’s four in the morning. I need more words than that.”

“He asked me to steal…” I take a deep breath and open my palm, presenting him the flash drive “…this.”

All traces of sleep are gone now. Carter sits up straight, his mouth dropping as he zeroes in on the little stick in my hand. He gapes, reaching forward with almost careful precision. “Is that—”

“Your program,” I rush out, not trusting myself to admit it fully. “The thing you’ve been working on all year. He wants me to steal it.”

“And you have it in your hands.”

“I’m not going to steal it. I’m going to tell him no.”

He narrows his eyes at me, his teeth gritted, and jaw clenched. “Then why is it in your fucking hands?”

“I—”

“Give it to me,” he hisses, snatching the drive out of my hand. He holds it tenderly, possessively, almost like a baby in his large hands as he brings it close to his chest. “How did your father even know about this? Did you tell him?”

“No, I swear. He already knew about it. I think he’s known about it all along.”

His head snaps up. He opens his mouth once, twice, and then whispers. “What do you meanall along?”

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