Page 29 of Lies Beneath Secrets

“I’m—”

“Don’t care,” I snap, cutting off her supposed introduction. This gets a full on belly laugh from Knox, who waves to her as she pouts and walks away.

“Knew it.”

“You don’t know shit.” I take the bottle and pour myself another drink, this time forcing myself to go easy on it. This is scotch to be savored.

“Not in the mood,” I defend and help myself to a cigar from his case.

“Yeah, probably have a headache too,” he snarks and damn it all to hell, I’m about to get up and beat my best friend half to death if he speaks again. “I have a hunch on something. Woman Gabe was seeing. I don’t think the club knows about her yet. I’ve been keeping an eye out. She hasn’t had a tail or anyone staking out her place. Could be a good lead.” He thankfully changes the subject.

“Yeah. I’ll check it out. Just needs to be a night like this that I don’t have a fucking tail.” Knox nods in agreement.

“Got a game going yet?” Pace asks as he takes a seat at the table.

“Not yet,” Knox tilts his head to the side. “You in?” Pace glances at me, then back at Knox.

“Hundred percent.” He takes a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, then smacks it on his hand a few times before pulling one out to light. “Let’s get started, boys.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

Lauren

It turns out that when you slip up and have sex with your neighbor, he’ll just straight up move out of the apartment. I’m standing at Conner’s door, completely shocked at the empty space as my landlord shows around a young couple. “When did he move out?” I blurt, not realizing I had spoken the words aloud until they turned around, slightly startled.

“Three days ago,” he tells me and brings his attention back to the possible new tenants. I don’t linger much longer and dart off to my apartment.

Three days? How did I miss that? And why would he have moved out? Because we slept together?

So many questions spin through my head, creating a slight sense of panic. I suppose part of me thought we would maybe speak again after I had some time to calm myself down. I took too much though, and he bailed. He even came into the diner once, but I refused to wait on them, instead sending Piper to do it for me. “That’s just what you do, isn’t it?” I say to myself and walk over to my room to undress. “Everyone leaves eventually.” I sigh and drop down onto my bed, tears threatening to fill my eyes the longer I lie there.

The darkness tries to pull me in again and this time, I don’t have some tall, bossy neighbor to distract me. The tall, bossy neighbor left because I pushed him away. “Fuck this!” I jump off the bed and go to my dresser, hand hovering over the lighter. It would only take a split second to grab it and get the metal hot. Sucking my lip into my mouth, I bite down a little, then jerk my hand back. “This is stupid.” I turn around and go to my fridge instead, pulling out the new bottle of vodka I bought last week after Conner and I had slept together.

Forgoing a glass, I take the chilled bottle over to the couch and take a long, very unhealthy, drink from the bottle. The burn drifts down my throat and spreads through my chest, dulling everything the more I drink. Against my better judgement, I pick up my phone and send off a text to Piper.

Lauren: I need to get out of my apartment. Can you go out tonight?

I drop my phone to my side and take one more drink before pulling myself up from the couch and putting the bottle back into the freezer. I take a quick shower and run a curling iron through my hair to give the ends a small twist, then put on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Satisfied with my look, I walk back over to the couch to see that Piper responded.

Piper: YES!!! Come over!

I can practically hear her jumping for joy through the text and can’t help but laugh. Pushing away all the thoughts of Conner and the night we hooked up, I force myself out into the hallway. I refuse to even look in the same direction as his door when I pass it to walk downstairs. Real mature, right?

Piper doesn’t live too far from my apartment, but it’s a decent walk. The sun is already setting in the sky, and the wind has picked up slightly. When the first drop of rain hits my nose, I wish I would have told her to pick me up. These crazy fall days sometimes feel more like spring with all of the rainstorms we get. By the time I reach Piper’s door, I’m completely soaked and rather just walk back home than go out.

“Oh my God. I didn’t think you were going to walk! You should have taken a cab.” I shake my head and pull my sweatshirt off so I can wring it out in her sink.

“I didn’t anticipate the rain. Can I throw my stuff in your dryer?” I glance around the small house. “Is Lucas here?”

“He’s out of town. His brother is getting married I guess. Bachelor party tonight and wedding tomorrow.” She shrugs.

“Why didn’t he bring you? To the wedding at least?” With the towel she hands me, I try to dry my hair. So much for the curl I put on the ends.

“He told me it was just a small family wedding. Limited seating.” How much I would love to call bullshit on that, but the dejected expression on her face stops me. She’s feeling shitty enough from being left out.

“Well, I’m glad you got to stay behind. I really need to take my mind off of life tonight.” I wrap the towel around me and wiggle out of my jeans, which isn’t easy at all. Surprisingly, the towel stays in place and when I look back up at Piper, she has a devilish grin on her face. “What?”

“I’m kind of glad it rained. I have the perfect outfit for you.” I’m about to tell her hell no, but she takes off too fast.

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