Page 1 of One Little Lie
Chapter 1
Halton
Leaning back, I balance my chair on the back two legs with my arms crossed over my chest. An uncharacteristic smile is plastered on my face. It’s not that I’m against it. I just haven’t had much to smile about lately. Right now, I’m too fucking proud of myself not to be happy, though.
Glancing around the room at my brothers as understanding hits, I’m met with grateful eyes.
“Halt, y-you might have just saved GG’s mountain,” Easton stutters in awe.
“Not might have, East. I did, but we have to move quickly.”
GG is hismaybe-girlfriend’sgrandmother—and our adoptive brother, Dexter’s, grandmother-in-law—but I’ve developed a soft spot for the crazy, old bird. The fact that I found a loophole to keep vultures from purchasing her mountain after Easton has been here for months eases the constant ache in my chest, even if only momentarily.
He can’t hide his relief, and I feel good knowing I did that for him. Just because I’m destined for a miserable life alone doesn’t mean that’s what I want for him. Scanning the room, I take in my family who are here and think about the ones still in North Carolina.
We’re not what you’d call a traditional family by any means. For starters, we’re billionaires, and my mother has an odd habit of adopting people, regardless of their age. If she decides you’re family, you’re subject to our chaos for life.
I’m the middle child of five boys. Add in four adopted brothers, spouses, their children, and Sylvie Westbrook runs an all-out circus. Our family gatherings are seriously getting out of control.
Thinking about our family always leads me to the one who’s no longer part of our chaos, and a vicious amount of guilt sits like acid in my gut. Realizing I’ve tuned out the world around me again, I’m taken aback when our brother, Colton, enters the lodge, nearly ripping the door off its hinges in his excitement.
It isn’t until I see the object of my obsession on his arm that I lose my balance and topple to the ground. Bright green eyes that remind me of Christmas morning cut me to my core, making it difficult to breathe. The smile she hides behind fools everyone but me.
Easton glances down at me with a ‘what the fuck?’ glare, but my lungs are closing in, and my vision is fuzzy.
She’s supposed to be in London building her photography portfolio.What the hell is she doing here?
I can’t breathe. I can’t swallow, and sweat is pooling at the base of my spine. Rising from the ground, I find Rylan Maroney staring straight at me with a wounded expression, and I lose my equilibrium.
I have to get the hell out of here, but they’re blocking the entrance. If Easton notices my hands shaking or the near violent beat of my heart, he doesn’t say so.
Vaguely, I hear the commotion break out around me. Everyone’s happy to seeher. Of course they are. She’s Colton’s best friend, and the closest thing to a sister my brothers ever had until the day she left and never looked back. All because of me and the one little lie I’ve regretted every day since.
She’s never been like a sister to you,the dangerous voice in my head lashes out, and I stumble, realizing it sounds like my father.
“I can’t be here,” I mumble, thankful no one’s listening.
Spinning on my heel, I barrel through the back door out into the yard, where I nearly take out Lexi.
“Hey, Halt. Are you okay?” she drawls. “You don’t look so good.” She’s staring at me as if I’m about to keel over, and honestly, I might if I don’t get out of here.
“Ash. Uh, I need to find Ash,” I force out. My throat is unbearably dry, and I know I’m going to be sick. “I-I have to talk to Ash.”
“Ah, okay. Do you need a ride? Are you sure you’re okay?” She tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder as she scrutinizes me.
I nod wildly. “Yup, I’m fucking great,” I lash out. I’m an asshole by nature, but the vitriol of my tone does nothing to dissuade her. Shaking my head, I keep mumbling, “I need to get out of here. See you later, Lex.”
I don’t wait for a response; Choosing instead to take off at a dead run without caring if she thinks I’m losing my mind. I am, damnit. Rylan Maroney just crashed back into my life. The only girl I’ve ever loved. The only girl I’ve ever hurt. The only girl I can never have again because my brother is in love with her, and the only girl that haunts my dreams because having her for one night was not nearly enough.
One night with her took my father from us.My conscience is an evil fucker.
I don’t deserve her. “Colton loved her first,” my father had said. “He’s loved her his whole life. You can’t take that from him, Halt. He needs this relationship. Your brothers always come first.”
I should have listened to him. Maybe if I had, our dad would still be alive, but I lied to him. Then I lied to her and crushed her heart. One little lie that broke a family just stormed back into my life, and I don’t know what to do.
Ashton, the true chaos coordinator, has always been my sounding board, and even though he’s dealing with his own shit right now, I need him. I need him to ground me before I do something epically stupid and ruin our family forever. I’ve already taken our father from us. I can’t risk my lie tearing Colton from us, too.
So, I run. Literally, run as fast as I can and hope the burning sensation in my lungs will take away the acid rot happening in my heart. By the time I reach the Wagon Wheel, every inch of my body is screaming, and I welcome it. Anything to erase the image of Rylan’s haunted gaze as I laid eyes on her for the first time in years.
