Page 36 of Bitter Lies

“What? No!” I say, tamping down my rage as he looks me over with a smug expression.

I’d like to punch his stupid face, but even that is superseded by my impulse to get the fuck out because just being alone with him is pulling me under.

Everything hurts. Please. No.

“Oh good. I mean—”

Shaking my head to knock loose the images dancing macabrely before my eyes, I exclaim, “Look, you dick! I didn’t try to kill myself at all.”

“Okay, okay,” he says, standing from the bed and stepping toward me.

Glancing at the door rapidly, I sidestep around him, but he’s quicker than me and grabs my arm as he presses against my back. Frozen, I stare at the door blindly, his breath on my neck sending a riot of goosebumps over my skin, and not the good kind.

“Maybe you wanna get together? For old times’ sake?” he asks, running his hand down my hair. “Mm, you were crazy that night, Halsey.”

“Get away from me,” I say on a shaky exhale, my dirty skin crawling at his touch.

“No?” he chuckles, stepping back, “Still hung up on Hathaway?”

“What?” I pull away and grab the doorknob. I need to leave. I need out. I can’t fucking see beyond the black dots dancing over my vision.

“Yeah, you know, panting after the dick who couldn’t give a fuck?”

“Fuck off,” I snap, opening the door to Griffin’s thunderous face.

Although I’m relieved because I’m no longer alone with Jason, I’m still intent on escape, and I go to step around him, but he grabs my arm.

Looking between us, his eyes so cold I shudder, he drills me with his stare. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Jason says smoothly, “just catching up.”

Griffin raises a brow, his hand spasming around my arm before he lets me go and I stumble back, shivering under his unnaturally soft tone. “Is that right, Halsey? Were you…catching up?”

Clearing my throat, I lift my gaze to his chin, the bronze skin smooth and peppered with stubble. I hate Jason but I hate the thought of my secrets coming to light more, which means I’ll accept the lie, but I don’t necessarily like it.

Lifting my lips in a small smile, I nod silently as Griffin frowns, his mouth curled at the edges as he dismisses me and turns back to Jason. “Well, I’ll thank you not to fuck in my bed, hm?”

Chuffing, I pass him by, turning back when he says, “Halsey?”

“What?” I whisper.

“What’s going on?”

I stare at him blankly, my skin fucking crawling. It’s on the tip of my tongue to let it all go, and finally be fucking free, but I can’t tell him anymore than I can look at my fucking reflection in the mirror. Instead, I smile, because maybe he deserves my fucking lies…he doesn’t care about me anyway.

“Just catching up.”

His icy hazel eyes trace my form as his mouth lifts into a moue of disgust, and I wilt, my chest clenching wretchedly. “Hm.”

Raising a brow, I stare him down as his jaw tics in a painful display of his displeasure before finally, he drawls, “Will says hi.”

Stunned, I stare at him blankly, the juxtaposition of my former love saying Will’s name causing a bubble of hysteria to pop in my chest. Laughing out loud, I slap my hand over my mouth and giggle as Griffin eyes me warily before turning away.

And with one last glance at Jason standing in Griffin’s door with a strange smile, I escape back to my room and collapse on my bed.

How did Jason know about my unrequited feelings for Griffin? And why the fuck would he ever think I wanted a repeat of what he did?

Scratching my skin helplessly, I lie on the bed and squirm because all I can concentrate on is the feel of his disgusting hands on my dirty skin, which will never really wash away because I’m damned.

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