Page 20 of Liars

My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, my mind still wrapping around the fact there were two of them. “What are you doing here? I thought you were at school.”

He reached for something on the nearby desk. “I forgot something.”

“This is Kreed’s room?” I asked, glancing around again with a new perspective.

Mason tilted his head slightly, arching a brow. “It is.”

I picked a book off the shelf. “He reads?”

His lips twitched, and he tucked whatever he grabbed into his back pocket. “I see that surprises you.”

Scowling, I flipped through the pages before putting the book back. “Among other things.”

His eyes lingered on me, assessing me as I leaned against the side of the desk. “He got to you, didn’t he?”

“Who?” My attempt at feigning ignorance was a shit performance.

The perpetual curve of his lips deepened. “Kreed. He has that effect on people.”

My nose wrinkled. “What effect would that be?”

Mason shrugged. “You’re prettier in person than in your pics.”

It wasn’t lost on me that he smoothly shifted the conversation away from Kreed and put it on me. Regardless, I took the bait. “What pics?”

“The ones online you post.”

I blinked, unsettled by the thought of them stalking me online, but then again, I’d done the same to their father without much success. “You looked me up?”

“We were curious about the girl moving in. You would too.”

I shot him a dirty look. “There’s a line between intrigue and stalking.”

He chuckled. “Oh, Kreed’s going to love you. You’re just his type.”

I squared my shoulders. “Not interested. In any of you,” I added quickly, catching the way his brow lifted in amusement.

A slow smile spread across his face, something unreadable flickering in his expression. “Everyone’s interested in us.” Mason’s smirk didn’t falter. He shoved off the desk, his eyes steady on mine as he sauntered closer.

Arrogant much? I glanced at the door, remembering Donovan’s warning. “I should go. I shouldn’t be in here.”

He caught my wrist, his thumb pressing into my racing pulse. “Running away so soon?”

I took a step back. “Can you blame me?”

“How’s the arm?” he asked, his eyes moving to my other shoulder.

“It hurts like hell.” It was the truth. I’d overdone it today, and suddenly I was so blasted exhausted.

“Perhaps next time I’ll catch you in my room. And don’t worry.” He winked. “You’re secret’s safe with me.”

Yanking my hand out of his hold, I brushed past Mason, rushing into the hallway. His amused demeanor trailed me into my room. I didn’t want to like any of the Corvos. It was better if I didn’t. Easier. Yet, something about Mason… Damn if I didn’t find myself alone in my room with a hint of a smile on my lips. He had a presence about him as if everything in the world was a joke to him.

That was three of the four I’d met. Thank God the eldest was away at college. I couldn’t have handled all four of them in one house.

I shook the stupid thoughts from my head and pulled out my phone. It took some time, but I managed to get into my email and then into my social media accounts. The problem with storing logins and passwords was that I forgot them most of the time. Just another small thing I took for granted.

As I scrolled to find my friends’ socials, I came across a news article about another missing girl from Elmwood. This would be the third in the last six months. There were speculations that there was a sex trafficking ring in Elmwood. I couldn’t even imagine. Not in Elmwood.

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