14. Liar
South
Something isn’t right.
I toss the phone into the glove box and lock it up. I don’t know what has the hair on my neck standing at attention, but I’m intrigued.
The blinds are drawn over Shade’s window. Not abnormal for this time. It isn’t five yet.
This pointed stare I’m feeling doesn’t bear his trademark intensity anyway. This feels more scummy. A stare that I don’t want.
I get out and walk to the sidewalk, checking the time. Ten minutes to five. I take a look around the lot and catch Ira’s eyes.
He’s propped up against the wall of the apartments further down.
He doesn’t approach me or give any sign that I exist other than staring as if he’s menacing. I turn in a slow full circle, catching sight of the twins in a car near him. Brody is hiding behind a car close to my truck.
Goodbye phone. It’s a cheaper pay as you go. I need to get something new anyway. Tera has been harping on me to get it done for months now. If I get something with visual options she can see me and still have her time when I lose my voice. Sign language is a gift.
Has Shade included them in our game? It makes me want to stop playing immediately. This is between us , not them.
I need to get used to their interference. He’s working his way back into their fold and I have to grin and bear it. Safe and happy. That’s it.
I wish Tera hadn’t taken the no contact ban away. I would be much more levelheaded about this.
They better not break my windows getting in. I have no problem making them pay up, Shade approval or no.
The apartment door opens and Shade comes out in his pajamas. I watch his smooth movements with a frown. Why is he in a rush? He doesn’t come out in pajamas anymore. It irritated me when it started. No more secret which animes do you like time. Today is one I don’t recognize. I need to stop staring. The character over his crotch isn’t going to clue me in any better than the other figures.
Maybe going off his routine wasn’t a good idea.
“What are you doing?” He asks in confusion.
“Were we not meeting again?” I frown back. Is he meeting with them instead? He must be, otherwise they wouldn’t be here.
“I didn’t think you would want to,” he blows out a heavy breath and shakes his head. “Of course you would. What was I thinking?”
“I can go,” I offer though I don’t want to. I’d rather stay and nitpick over everything the assholes do with him. Maybe a pros and cons list will help tip him into my lap.
“No,” he says firmly, his eyes laser focused on me as if he’s trying to read my mind. “I’ll get ready.”
Since he so clearly wants to know my thoughts I’ll be honest.
“I don’t appreciate your new additions to our game.”
“Game?” He asks, bewildered again.
“The phone? This was for us, not them.” My tone gets gritty with anger.
His eyes snap to my truck and narrow as his mask falls into place.
“No.” His tone has turned monstrous again. As much as I like it, I’m a little confused. Why is he upset?
When he tries to walk past me, I grab the front of his pants and jerk him close. The move surprises him into freezing, giving me a stunned expression at the move.
“They don’t have your permission to play?” I ask him carefully, my anger soothed by his. I thought they made amends and this was a taunt. If it isn’t, what are they doing?
“No, they don’t.” His mask has fallen back in place while I look at the window across from me thoughtfully.
I’m still holding the waistband of his pants. The backs of my fingers are pressed low against his stomach. It’s distracting me.
His heat is addicting, just like his cologne. Does he put it on first thing in the morning? That seems weird. My fingers have been rubbing across the band while I’ve been thinking. Pressing into his skin. Probably not appropriate but I’m not stopping. He hasn’t said anything in protest.
He sucks in a sharp breath. “Evie.”
His mask is faltering, his tone going deep and husky. I glance up at him with narrowed eyes. He’s not emoting over this. He wants me to stop.
“Let them play by themselves. Go change. I need caffeine.”
I take my hand away and give him a pointed look.
“I’ll be right back,” he mutters softly. His tone doesn’t match his expression at all. His focus is on me, searching for something.
“Should I start walking now? According to your timing it’ll take an hour,” I tease with a feral grin.
He scowls at me, suddenly giving me emotion. His body has gone tense in his statue pose. “That was a low blow, but I deserve it.”
I tilt my head in surprise my smile dropping to nothing. “I was joking. Did I do it wrong? Why would that upset you?”
He stares for a second and then shakes his head, rubbing a hand over his face. “Wait for me. I’ll be quick.”
“You can take your time.” I look at my watch. “You’re not scheduled to leave for another fifteen minutes.”
He starts chuckling as his head tilts, mimicking my motion. “Come inside.”
“I need to be out here. I want to know what they’re doing.”
He gives me a flat look and walks inside.
I keep a subtle eye on Ira. He hasn’t moved yet but he will.
That gets shot to hell when Shade starts stripping. In front of the open window. While watching me.
My breath shortens when he takes his top off and tosses it onto what I assume is a couch. He’s lean muscle with no give. I know because I’ve felt him against me already. He doesn’t have tan lines. A smooth expanse of warm color that doesn’t have a break. His chest is hairless. I wonder if the skin there is soft or rough.
He leans down and slowly takes his pants off. The window isn’t low enough to expose him, sadly. He holds the pants up with a smirk. It makes me smile in return. I appreciate the show.
He’s such a damn tease.
I don’t know what game this is but I want to play. Badly. The thought makes my chest do a painful squeeze that’s pleasurable.
He leans forward to brace a hand on the furniture in front of the window and slowly lowers the blinds. Keeping eye contact the entire way down.
I wasn’t ready for the show to be over. I take a step towards the walkway.
A voice behind me makes my smile drop.
“He’s been exercising since we left. More muscle looks good on him, doesn’t it? Shit, you haven’t seen him from before though. I have pictures if you want to see.”
It wasn’t a show for me, then. A show for them . And they have pictures of him. I haven’t allowed myself to take any. I want to gut this fucker.
I turn my head to see one of the twins. Blaze I think. Not that it matters. They’re identical dipshits, so their names are interchangeable.
He has an erection. It pisses me off because he saw what’s mine . He has pictures of Shade that he doesn’t fucking deserve to see.
Not mine. No. He focused on me but the show was for them. He really is meeting them today. He was pissed about the phone but he asked them to come.
“You’re a hard person to pin down,” he continues casually. “Nobody seems to be willing to answer any questions about you, either.”
Have these fuckers been harassing Tera?
I turn to face him fully, my expression going flat. If he keeps it up I’m going to break bans.
“Get used to seeing us hanging around, Van,” he suggests with a false smile. “We’re going to be everywhere you are.”
I hope they are. It’s more of an alibi when I claim self-defense for killing them.
A door slams but I don’t take my eyes off Blaze.
“Hey, Shade,” Blaze says with a comradery that rakes across my skin, washing away the last traces of my arousal effectively.
“What do you want, Blaze,” Shade says in a cold voice.
“To hang out. You don’t mind, do you Van?” He turns to me with a smile.
“ I mind,” Shade steps closer to him, his shoulders tensing in his statue pose.
“Come on, man. Let’s just move on already. We made mistakes and we’re ready to grovel for forgiveness.”
I keep quiet. I’m a little confused and a lot pissed off. I thought they had made up yesterday. What game am I playing now?
“I want nothing to do with you.”
I frown at his cold tone. What the fuck happened when I left? And I walked away, leaving him vulnerable for it.
“Respect what he’s saying or I’ll force feed you your own dick.”
He talks over my muted tones as if I’m not there.
“You’re looking really good by the way. We can catch up later tonight. Do some before and after comparisons,” he gives Shade a wink and walks away, whistling lightly.
“You should come, Van. We can get to know each other better,” he adds as an afterthought. Felix watches with a frown from the open window of their vehicle.
Shade starts walking and I fall into step beside him. When I notice he’s heading for their car I press my side into his and steer him between the buildings instead. As much as I want them buried I don’t want Shade as an accomplice to the act. I’ll do it on my own time.
We need distance, not confrontation. I need to know what’s going on so I can keep him safe and hidden from their prying eyes. The knowledge that I left him alone with them yesterday is eating at me.
“Evie,” he whispers warningly. He still follows my lead, though.
“You need to fill me in on your game. I will only take this act so far. How deep does the lie go so I’m not caught by surprise?”
“ What ?”
The enraged, monstrous shout makes me draw away from him with a frown. Why is he so upset? I’m the one tying my own hands to keep him safe and happy. They should both be bled out on the pavement by now.
He stopped when he yelled so I’m a few steps ahead of him. He’s quick on his feet. Before I can make it two more steps he’s in front of me, furious.
“I do not want them,” he enunciates slowly.
My brow furrows in confusion.
“Are you sure?” I ask warily. He’s telling me exactly what I want to hear but I’m lost. Why did he walk away from me yesterday and forget I existed if he wasn’t flirting?
“What, out of everything you’ve seen, made you think that?” His mask is on tight now. He’s standing in front of me, barely breathing, in his statue pose.
“The affection? The pet name? You only do it in public as a display when they’re watching. You seemed comfortable with them yesterday, that’s the only reason I left.”
“I was acting,” he tells me darkly.
“Your body language was relaxed, you were smiling. They were listening to you. It’s what you’ve needed from them.” I protest in confusion.
“I’ve been faking that with them for years,” he scoffs. “Good to know my acting skills are up to par.”
“They are,” I mutter. Not very many people can lie with their body language as well as their mouth. That’s odd enough to catch my attention. Does that mean when the mask comes off he’s telling the truth? Or are there even more layers? Which version of him is real?
“I owe.”
“No. I don’t think you do. Am I the only actor? Have you been faking being attracted to me?” He demands with gritted teeth.
“I don’t fake shit,” my expression flattens at his threatening posture.
“Because Tera didn’t teach you how?” He hisses in my face mockingly.
Why would Tera teach me that? It’s the only personality trait that she can’t get behind without a lot of convincing. How did Shade do it?
He isn’t what I thought he was.
My lack of response works against me.
“Fuck you, South ,” he shakes his head and walks back towards his apartment.
“I owe,” I insist. I don’t want him to tell me to go away over this. I want to understand him.
“I said no,” he snaps over his shoulder. “I won’t accept it. Get lost.”
A sharp stabbing sensation hits me in the chest as he turns the corner and disappears from view.
The emptiness inside me snaps awake.
I have to walk away. I struggle with myself so long I realize I’ve walked to the coffee shop without him. I’m tempted to buy him his tea and force myself to stop. He needs to be safe and happy.
He’s definitely not happy with me.
What do I do now?
I have to let go.