Page 104 of Liars

Raine scratched at the stubble under his chin. “It’s not half bad except for one small detail.”

“Which is?” Maddox prompted.

“Instead of Mad, it should be Kreed who seduces her,” Raine stated, glancing at each of us.

Maddox’s first inclination was to rebut the idea. “Why the fuck Kreed? What’s wrong with my dick?”

“So many things. We don’t have time to go into details,” Raine muttered before pinning me with an inquisitive brow raise. “Kreed? Youupfor a challenge?”

I frowned at Raine and his emphasis on the word up. I swore, having brothers was starting to be the bane of my existence. “You’re the one with the ladies’ man reputation. You seduce her.”

“I still think I’m the better candidate,” Maddox grumbled. “Look at me.” He made a sweeping gesture down his wrinkled white tee and loose-fitting sweatpants.

Raine swiveled in his chair. “Something tells me our heroine has a thing for the moody, damaged, silent type. Isn’t that right, baby bro?” he directed at me.

If the only way to get him to shut up about it was to agree, then fine. It didn’t mean I had to go through with it. They justhad to think I was. “What the fuck ever. If it gets you off my back, fine.”

“Then that’s settled,” Raine grinned smugly. “Get her to fall in love with you. I have a hunch she’s already halfway there.”

Mason shook his head, dropping his empty glass of orange juice into the sink. “You’ve been home for like two seconds. How could you have a hunch about anything?”

Raine drained the last of his coffee. “I have killer instincts. Or have you forgotten?”

When I had been with Kaylor last night, I hadn’t thought about the day after. What I would say to her. The fact that I had to see her. Hell, drive her ass to school. I should have set the ground rules before taking her to my bed.

Just another rule I’d broken.

And now my brothers had this harebrained idea to get her to fall for me. Absurd. Somehow, I’d become the villainous main character in Maddox’s stupid love plot. I had Raine to thank for that, pushing me forward as volunteer. Not that I was down for anyone else to take up that role. The idea of Maddox, Mason, or Raine seducing Kaylor didn’t instill pleasant thoughts within me.

And there lay the problem.

I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for this girl—nothing but cold hatred. Hell, I’d even settle for numbness, but somehow, she cracked the ice, and now it was melting.

I had to get back on track. I had to reinforce my guard. I had to remember why she was here.

I could do this. I could shatter the little raven’s heart. I could break her. I could do irreparable damage to her already fragile heart. I was capable of it.

She wouldn’t be the first girl I’d destroyed.

And probably not the last.

Then she walked into the kitchen, and my confidence, something I rarely lacked, went poof. It should have been easy to shake off the weight of last night, to put some much-needed space between us, but something about this girl messed with my head, and I couldn’t pinpoint how or why. My gaze tracked Kaylor as she pretended I didn’t exist while pouring a cup of coffee, and I realized nothing about this was simple.

There was still a charge between us—something unspoken, heavy, and damn near suffocating.

She looked the same as she always did. Sleep-tousled hair. Lips still a little swollen from mine. Wearing that same attitude like armor, but I picked up the hesitation in the way she moved, the slight tension in her shoulders.

This needed to stop before it became something we both regretted.

I exhaled, setting my third cup of coffee on the counter. “We should talk.”

Kaylor stilled for a fraction of a second before turning to face me, cradling her mug in both hands like it was the only thing keeping her composed. “About what?”

I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms. “About last night.”

Her jaw tensed. “Nothing to talk about.”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, there is.”

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