Page 2 of The Sweetest Lies
I. Hate. It.
But I scurry away nonetheless.
The hushed symphony of whispers follows me down every hall. The hell fae leer at me with narrowed eyes. A crimson fox shifter gives me a similar glare as I pass him by. As does the incubus. And one antlered man with long white ears who may or may not be a jackalope...
The stares trail around behind me like ghosts now.
The only time I can catch my breath and finally drop all the pretending is when the heavy door to our quiet bedroom closes behind me every night.
As I push it closed this time, gruff and angry voices cut short at the sight of me. Arguing halts in an instant. And the two hellhound shifters in front of me give me a look similar to the assholes I just passed in the halls.
“What!” I growl at Roman and Avian, who both have tension lining their pretty faces.
Seriously, can I just have like a single second to not slice my feet on the eggshells I’ve been trampling over all day?
“Nothing,” Roman yells, shoving his hand hard over his short black hair.
The weight of the sigh that pushes from Avian’s lungs just confirms even more that it’s not nothing.
The two of them stand shirtless in black, dirt-stained pants, facing each other with hard grimaces that feel all too similar to the sweet fuck faces I hide from every day. And just like with everyone else in this kingdom, I pretend like I don’t see it.
For maybe a second.
“What’s with you two?” I grind out, my arms folding over my short shirt so hard that I feel it ride up even higher.
Roman notices. Avian’s blind, but he does notice Roman noticing somehow.
“Stop looking at her tits and answer her, Roman,” Avian says sharply.
“I did,Avian.” He emphasizes his friend’s name in an obnoxious hard tone. “I said it was nothing. Because it is nothing. Right?” The two of them are glaring at one another like puppies about to pounce into a tumble of sharp baby teeth and whining growls.
For Goddess Moon’s sake, can we please be adults?
Avian shakes his head, his braid atop his head loosening a few strands of chestnut hair into his silver eyes. “Roman thinks you like me.”
My lips part hard like I should be offended... Should I? Why does liking him sound like an accusation?
The three of us had sex! And yet, do I admit I like him before he admits it to me? Why is sex so much easier than emotions?
“I think he’s right. I am slightly fond of you,” I say carefully. Apprehensively.
It’s another fucking test.
Oh. My. Goddess. I’m trapped in this literal hell hole and forced to admit my feelings for these two!
Wait. Just one. Only Avian cares if I actually like him. Roman... I don’t think Roman gives one fuck if anyone likes him.
The sweetest smile kisses Avian’s lips. “Yeah, but... he thinks you like only me.”
Only. Me.
What do they want here?
Should I have brought treats for them? Reward them with little snackies every time one of them uses their words to fully express themselves?
I stare blankly. Avian stares, waiting. Roman, well, Roman ignores both of us as if the wall is the utter most enthralling thing he’s ever laid eyes on.
“He fucking thinks we should be together, Cers. Like... without him.” Avian says with a high lift of his palms held out at his sides.
