Page 43 of Liars

We rode in silence, my preferred method with Kreed. It gave me less of a chance to say something stupid. Except the longer we went without saying anything, the heavier the awkwardness grew.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke. “It would be best if you weren’t staying at the house.”

Best for who? Me? Or him? His brothers? “I can’t decide if you’re warning me away or threatening me.”

“Me neither,” he admitted. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of your situation. Or the problems you bring.” A strand of damp hair fell over his forehead. He had recently showered, the scent of his soap clinging to his skin.

“Tell me, then.” If I couldn’t get answers from Donovan, maybe I could get something from his son.

“I’m telling you to find another family to leech off of.”

I flinched. I knew Kreed didn’t like me, but I didn’t understand what I did to earn such harsh disdain. Was it just because I moved in and disrupted his life? “You don’t think I tried? You think I want to be living with complete strangers? But until I’m eighteen this summer, I don’t have a freaking choice. We both have to deal with it. I’ll stay out of your way. You stay out of mine. Will that make you happy?”

“Hardly. It doesn’t solve my problem in the slightest.”

I studied his profile, my frustration giving way to confusion. “I don’t get you. If you hate me so much, why offer me a ride home after school? Just so you could tell me to get out of your house?”

“I have my reasons. And yeah, that’s one of them.”

“And I don’t suppose you feel like sharing the others with me?”

The car stopped in front of the house, and he faced me, giving me the full brunt of his icy expression. “I don’t.”

“Kreed—”

He moved so fucking fast. One second, he was glaring at me, and the next, he leaned over the seat, invading my personal space. He was so damn close that the tip of his nose nearly brushed mine. “Don’t.” The roughness of his voice scratched over my cheek.

I swallowed. “Don’t what?” I had no fucking clue what I did.

“Don’t say my name.” Behind those starlight pools of ice, I spotted something that unfurled a curl of heat in my belly.

Was he kidding? “What should I call you then? Jackass? Douchebag? Bastard? Motherfucker? Scumbucket? Take your pick,Kreed.” I intentionally elongated his name defiantly, my chin lifting as a bolt of fury sizzled through me.

There were always consequences to your actions, and I was about to find out what mine were.

He took possession of my lips fast and hard, giving me no time to think, to comprehend what the hell was happening. It was like my mind couldn’t believe Kreed was kissing me. Was he? Should I be kissing him back? Did I want to kiss him?

My lips made the decision for me.

Or maybe Kreed gave me no other choice but to kiss him.

I couldn’t say.

I was completely mindless the second I parted my lips and invited him in.

His tongue immediately brushed against mine. Kreed kissed with unbelievable skill. I forgot all about my injured arm and my anger at him.

“Say it again and see what happens next, little raven,” he murmured, his fingers curling around a wild strand of my hair and tugging, not gently either. The force of it made my neck tilt back slightly.

Butterflies stirred in my stomach. The fucked-up thing was I actually considered it. What would it be like to kiss him again? Would my mouth continue to tingle? Would his tongue slip between my lips again? Would I kiss him back? Would he touch me?

When I didn’t immediately move away or say something sharp, Kreed sucked in a breath as he realized I was actually contemplating saying his name again just so he would kiss me. Again.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I was torn between fear and fury. Fear of how that kiss made me feel and furious over how he treated me, how he crossed a line between us, confusing me more than I already was. The last thing I needed was some guy messing with my emotions. I was already a wreck inside.

“I never asked you to kiss me. Don’t do it again without my permission,” I said, and then I left him inside the SUV to ponder my warning.

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