Lies(51)

I’m sitting on my butt beside the destroyed kitchen cabinets, but almost everyone else is strategically spread out around Helene. She stands in the large opening to the living room at the back of the open combined kitchen/dining area, putting some space between her and our visitors. And the dining area to the right when you first walk in the door is mostly cleared, tables and chairs pushed aside. Only Fox is with me in the actual kitchen area to the left of the doorway. Everybody is ready to jump into action at any time, no doubt. You could honest-to-God choke on the tension in the air. And the damn smoke still drifting around.

“Scorpion.” Thom’s voice is low and furious, his gaze set on one of the women. I’ve never seen him so pissed off. “Good to see you.”

How he managed to recognize her among the rest of them, and beneath all the badass black commando gear, I’ll never know. But she pulls back her goggles to meet his eyes.

“Wolf.” The blonde’s grin is all teeth, the way she looks at him purely predatory. Even with the manic expression, she’s pretty. “Hey. You know it’s not too late. Sure you don’t want to change sides? There’s better money to be made here. Not to mention, your longevity of life would far exceed current expectations.”

“Hmm. I’m good.” Thom’s gun is in hand, but like the rest of our team, pointing at the floor for now. “Thanks.”

Scorpion pretends to pout. “Sorry to hear that. Spider and Hawk felt the same way, unfortunately for them. Look how that worked out. So sad.”

Thom says nothing.

Scorpion’s gaze wanders over the rest of those assembled, finishing finally with me, off to the side. I’m under strict orders to look harmless and civilian, but I refuse to back down from this woman’s stupid staring competition. Her eyes harden perceptibly. “Ah, the fake fiancée. I was bummed to hear you survived the explosion that took out your home. But how interesting to find you here.”

I follow Thom’s lead and say nothing. So far. This woman is kind of horrendous and could do with a good dressing down. Not to mention possible death and dismemberment.

A muscle jumps in Thom’s jaw. He seriously wanted me to be hidden away downstairs. Again. But it’s a bit too late to go into hiding. Besides, they still need all the hands they can get. Even if I’m now among the walking, or sitting, blood-covered wounded, I can still hold my pistol steady enough.

My injury was the other reason Thom let me stay. No one’s actually sure how badly I’m hurt. Only that any sort of movement of my spine or ribs feels like a fiery hell descending upon my head. Not that I let it show in front of these people. Thom isn’t the only one who can hide his feelings.

I keep one hand in my lap, the other holding my pistol against the ground. My generous thighs helpfully hide the weapon from view. Though you’d be an idiot to imagine anyone present isn’t armed. I return Scorpion’s hate-filled gaze with a solid blank stare. Who cares if she probably banged my boyfriend in the past? And about now, I’m pretty damn sure she did. But I’m the one wearing the oversized diamond ring, thank you very much. Suck it, bitch.

Probably, I should care more that she’s currently aiming a gun at me. Show a little fear or something. But honestly, it’s just been one of those overwhelming kinds of days. A woman can’t be expected to do everything. Talk about emotional labor overload.

“You do realize you were just a sham. A cute way for Wolf to hide away in the suburbs without any risk of having his cover blown.” Honest to God, this woman is a cunt. Her eyes all but twinkle with malice. I’ve never seen malice twinkle before, but here you have it in the flesh. Wonder if she practices in front of a mirror. “That must have hurt, finding out he’d betrayed you and lied to you. Did your little heart break when you found out he didn’t actually give a shit about you? That it wasn’t true love after all?”

I scrunch up my nose. “Dude. Seriously. None of this is any of your business. You’re coming across as petty as fuck right now. On behalf of the sisterhood, I have to tell you, it’s not a good look.”

Any hint of twinkle or sparkle instantly disappears. We’re so not going to be friends.

The smallest hint of a smile tugs at the corners of Thom’s mouth.

Archie raises a nonchalant hand as if he’s become bored with the exchange. Immediately, Scorpion’s mouth clamps down on whatever nasty reply she was devising. She steps back into formation and places her gun back into its resting position. Just another good little soldier.

“You wanted to talk face-to-face, Helene. Here I am.”

“So kind of you,” she says. “Though it’s not as if you’d have gotten inside without an invitation, is it? You blow a few holes in my walls; I blow up a few of your people. We’re rather at a stalemate here, aren’t we?”

Archie’s gaze turns every bit as enraged as Scorpion’s. But he doesn’t deny her words. Helene’s assessment of the situation must be right. Obviously, her gamble on exactly how many more people he has to throw at us is correct. Good to know.

“But none of that matters now,” she says, and then clears her throat. “Something’s worrying me, Archie. I hate to admit it in front of everyone, at a time like this, but I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

“You think?” Archie laughs, looking around at all the destruction that used to be her house. At all her exhausted and injured protectors. He smirks, and the smugness radiating off him is just sickening. “You always did underestimate me.”