Page 22 of We're All Liars

Before I can get the wordwantout, he’s in front of me, his chest pressed to mine, my ass against the brick wall as he places a hand on either side of me. His lips brush against my chin before he drags his mouth along my jawline. “I will protect what’s mine. I will defend you. And if I was here because I thought I could change you, then I’d be an even bigger liar than the one in front of me.”

“You’re really insistent on pressing your luck. Don’t.”

I can hear the smile in his tone. “I love pressing your buttons.”

He’s too cocky. Too self-assured. Because he thinks he can save me from myself. But I know how this ends. And I know after I follow through with my punishment for my father, Cade won’t look at me the same. He calls me a monster, but that beast inside will truly have to emerge to see this through to the finale. And I will. There is no choice, and I wouldn’t take another option even if there were one. My father has to get what he deserves. Because it sets us all free—me, Ryder, Maddie, even my mom.

“Keep pressing and you’re gonna hit the wrong one.”

There’s no hesitation as his hand moves to the nape of my neck, his fingers pressing into my skin as he drags my mouth to his and kisses me. Then he breaks the contact to say, “All talk.”

“Try me.”

It’s one of the few times he catches me off guard by his response. “Okay.” And even more by surprise when he hops up on the waist-high wall and climbs to standing on the brick ledge. He balances himself before he takes a few steps.

“Ha, ha,” I respond, but when he acts like he’s about to lose his balance and fall three stories to the cement below, my stomach does deep roll or something twisty that I don’t like. “If you break your neck, you won’t have a very fun game tonight.”

“Is that all you’re worried about me breaking?” He continues to saunter across the ledge.

I fold my arms across my chest, watching his childish trek. “Maybe your dick too.”

His grin infuriates me because I don’t think this is funny. I see it as another one of his attempts to force an admission or declaration of giving a fuck out of me. “Get down or I’ll push you and get it over with.”

“That’s odd logic.” He stops walking but doesn’t get down as he watches me. “You want me safe, but you’ll push me off the rooftop if I won’t protect myself?” He takes a few more strides before hopping off the wall, his feet landing on the rooftop with a thump that makes me way too comforted. At least until he whispers, “Now you know how I feel.”

Asshole. “Nope. Can’t relate to the hero complex.” I reach forward and grab the front waistband of his pants. “Just don’t want to buy new batteries for my vibrator.” I give him a quick pat on the crotch then walk away.

So much for coming up here to get five seconds to myself. Now, I’m even more pissed and ready to unleash some rage. Cade is lucky he isn’t on my other list anymore. Because every name will get marked off. No matter the cost.

22

CADE

“Come on. I have a surprise.”

“I hate surprises,” Morgan complains as she follows me into the shed on the far side of the marina.

“Yeah. I know. But this was more of a surprise for me.”

“Then why the hell am I here?” she asks as we come to a stop.

“Because I wanted to show you.” I hold my arm out, motioning to the sailboat.

“Um. Okay.” She studies it. “It’s a boat. At a marina. Very surprising.”

Yeah. That was heavy on the sarcasm. “It’s ours.”

Her eyes dart to me. “‘Ours’? I don’t want a damn boat. Didn’t you realize that after the last one went up in flames?”

When she goes to walk past me, I catch her forearm and tug her against me. “Don’t tell me that it doesn’t sound appealing. Open water. Just us. No bullshit.”

I see the wheels turning in her head. “Yeah. But we’d be swimming if that’s the vessel.”

“It’s a work in progress.” I reach over and grab the paper sack of supplies I’d stashed earlier, along with a sanding block, and hold it out to her. “Get busy.”

She laughs. It’s an amused snicker at first before it becomes a genuine laugh of disbelief as she glances between my face and my hand. “You’re serious.”

“Yep.” I drop the sack and sanding block to the ground and pull her to me. “Don’t you want to build something, repair it, make it even better than before?”