Page 74 of Don't Lie To Me
My heart thumps a little harder at him reaching out for some intimacy in this odd situation. “Why do you all want me to be scared of something? I’m not some frightened little girl who needs protecting. I was brought up to be strong, and I am.” I stare back at them, my face fierce, making sure they knowjust who I am.
“If you say so, wildcat.” Reef rolls his lips like he doesn’t believe me, and I wonder why it’s so important for him to know what my weakness is.
“What are you scared of?” I throw back at him, even though I know it’s not my turn.
“Losing you,” Reef responds without hesitation.
Onyx stiffens beside me, and I see the glare he directs at Reef. I gape back at him myself, at a loss for words. He hardly knows me. Yeah, we have this weird sexual chemistry, and I feel like I know him without knowing anything about him, but he can’t be scared to lose me. “I… you don’t even know me,” I mutter, trying to find my words.
His eyes lock with mine with an intensity that actually scares me all the way through to my core because I believe what he is saying and it makes no sense. “I know everything I need to.”
I glance at Romeo and Onyx to see what they make of that little answer, but neither of them seems at all surprised. Yeah, Onyx is tense, but that feels more like he’s pissed at Reef for answering me truthfully. Not that he is worried about his feelings toward me. Reef just made some fucking declaration to me in front of them and they’re not bothered. Shouldn’t they be jealous or at least angry or something?
Confused, I pick up a fig and pop it in my mouth to stop the crazy that’s about to start bubbling up and out of me. This situation and the way the three of them are acting is weird. “I can’t swim, I’m scared of the ocean,” I finally admit.
Onyx shows no surprise, a knowing glint in his eyes; but the other two stare right back at me, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief, or is it just surprise that I gave them something about myself.
“That wasn’t so hard was it, doll face.”
My eyes fix on Romeo. “Don’t even think about using that secret against me, I will make sure you regret it.”
A wide grin stretches across his face, and he looks at Reef.
Reef shakes his head. “We wouldn’t dare would we Romeo, we just want to get to know you better.”
“Thought you already knew everything about me, didn’t find that in your research though did you,” I snip, collecting up some more cheese and crackers, totally over this question. “Your turn Onyx,” I murmur as I pop them in my mouth.
“Romeo, what’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?” Onyx’s question hangs in the air, a challenge, as if he already knows the answer. His gaze on Romeo, soft and knowing, hints at a deep-seated connection that has me questioning everything.
Romeo glances around the table while he thinks on it, his eyes lingering on mine, a guilty expression flashing through them. Then he throws back his shot glass.
I tilt my head, taking him in with fresh eyes, knowing he’s lied to me. The legs of my chair scrape along the ground as I push it back and stand in a rush, ready to take him on. But he’s too fast for me, his hands capturing my wrists and pulling me into his solid body, my back to his front. “What the fuck did you lie to me about, asshole, and why does Onyx know about it?” I stare at the other two as he holds me like a barbaric caveman. What are they keeping from me?
Romeo’s face lowers to my ear, his breath warm and laced with whiskey. “I was never going to rat Onyx out to the authorities for killing the man who tried to hurt you, it was just a good bargaining tool because I knew how you felt about him.”
I try to dig my elbow into his stomach but his hold on me is too strong. “You’re an asshole.”
“I don’t even regret it, doll face. You’re here with all of us now, so itworked out.”
“I’m here because you guys tricked me.” I glare back at the other two, because from the tight hold he has on me, I can’t glare at him.
His lips press into my neck and a tingle goes all the way through me as he kisses me. “You’re here all the same,” he whispers, and goosebumps erupt over my skin. Keeping my arms captured, his free hand moves down my side, feeling over my curves, and I catch the hunger in Reef’s eyes as he watches every movement he’s making. “Let me go, asshole.”
“Right now, I can’t trust you not to try and stab me, so I think I’ll keep hold of you a little longer.”
“Smart man,” I huff.
I feel the chuckle rumbling through him, and all I can wonder is how is this fun for him? His hand slides down a little further to my ass. “Sloane, who in this room do you trust the least?” the motherfucker has the nerve to ask next.
I look between the other two. They all have their moments. Reef I really don’t know all that well, but does that mean I can’t trust him? I’m not sure. Onyx, I thought I knew, but after tonight, I’m not so sure, and maybe that means I can trust him the least, but I still know no matter what secrets he’s hiding from me, he would do anything for me and protect me with his life. I would like to say Romeo after he tricked me, but there is something about him that tells me even though he might bend the truth to get what he wants, he’s in this room because he genuinely cares about me and would do anything to keep me safe. And that realization has nothing to do with how close our bodies are right now. Stupidly I think I trust all of them, but I’m not telling them that. “I need my shot glass.”
Reef is happy to help collect it for me. Romeo lets one of my hands slip free so I can take it and throw backthe whiskey.
Reef bursts out laughing, and Romeo joins him. “I thought she was going to say you for sure, Romeo.”
“So did I,” he agrees. Is that what he wanted? I’m not sure.
“Let her go, Romeo,” Onyx finally says, and to my surprise, he releases his grip on me.
