All the Lies (Lies & Truths Duet #1)(17)

Jason grips the steering wheel, continuing the up-and-down examination. His expression isn’t exactly one of interest, more like…surprise. “You’re going back to college?”

“Yup, and you’re giving me a ride.”

He laughs. “Yeah, not going to happen, princess.”

“I knew it.” I narrow my eyes on him.

He narrows his eyes back. “You knew what?”

“You’ve been avoiding me since I came here. You can’t run away. Spill, Jason.” I try not to sound offended. I actually thought he could be my only friend here—until he disappeared from my immediate vicinity.

His brows furrow. “There’s nothing to spill.”

“You mean to tell me you haven’t been around this past week and you don’t want to give me a ride because you’re not avoiding me?”

“First of all, I go to a cheaper college on the other side of town. If I go to your elite Blackwood College, I’ll be skinned alive by the Knights.”

“The Knights?”

“I play as a quarterback for the Knights, and the Black Devils are our number one rival. We have rivals week in town.”

Still not sure why that matters.

“Second of all, we don’t mingle, princess.” He leans over, watching his surroundings before he whispers like some spy. “At least not in public.”

My eyes widen. That means we mingle in private.

I knew it! I could feel the connection with Jason without having to try hard.

“What did we do in private?” I whisper back, somehow feeling like we need to keep quiet.

Jason opens his mouth to speak but soon closes it when he stares ahead.

I follow his line of sight.

Something constrictive balls at the back of my throat and my palms turn sweaty, all cold and wrong.

Asher.

He steps out of the house, wearing dark jeans and a gray T-shirt. The clothes are nothing special, but on him, they appear elegant, majestic even.

His hair is styled back, but it still has that rugged look, as if he only half bothered with it. As usual, the aviators sit on his arrogant nose like they’re a part of his face.

Why the hell would someone with such mesmerizing eyes hide them?

Not that I think his eyes are mesmerizing. They’re not.

He heads for the Mustang parked out front—of course an asshole drives such a beautiful car. It’s black, too, like his soul.

He stops in front of his ride, as if feeling my attention on him.

Oh, no. It’s not good if I’m caught in that asshole’s orbit. He’ll just suck the life out of me like in the last encounters we’ve had.

I perk up and whisper-yell at Jason. “Go.”

“Does anyone even know you’re going to school?”

“Alex does.” I think. He was too preoccupied in his office when I kind of informed him last night. He could’ve nodded to me or to whoever was on the phone; I’ll never know. “Go before he sees us,” I urge Jason.

“You’re supposed to go with him.”

I lift my chin up. “I’m supposed to be with whoever the hell I please. Asher is not my keeper.”

At that exact moment, Asher lifts his head, and his shade-covered eyes collide with mine.

I swear some sort of battle erupts whenever we’re in the same place.

He says something. I don’t hear him, but I see him mouth ‘Stop’ as Jason kicks the truck into gear.

As we pass Asher, I roll down the window and flip him off. He freezes, a hand lying inert by his side. I soak in his surprised expression as Jason and I laugh.

“I’ve got to admit, I’m loving the new you,” Jason says.

“Why? What was the old me like?”

“Bitchy? Snobby? Silent, mostly.”

Ouch.

“And you would’ve never flipped Asher Carson the bird.”

I raise an imaginary cup. “To the new me, I guess.”

From today onward, no one is telling me how to live my life.





Blackwood is kind of what I expected from an elite college.

It’s four stories high and has ancient, European-ish architecture. Two huge towers stand tall on each end like a pair of massive guards.

The parking lot is filled with expensive cars, mostly German like Alex’s.

Jason parks the truck outside the college. It’s close enough so I won’t have to walk a long distance but far enough so no one can see him—or us.

I retrieve my bag. “You sure you don’t want to come in?”

His laughter echoes with genuine amusement like I just told the most entertaining joke of the century. “The only time I walk into the Black Devil’s compound is to whoop their asses on their own field.”

I roll my eyes. “Cocky much?”

“We might not have a lot of things going on, but we have ball. No snobby rich boys will take our championship away.”

I guess the rivalry between the Knights and the Black Devils is a real thing.

Still maneuvering my bag around my body, I open the door and slowly get my injured leg out.

“Do you want me to help?” Jason asks from beside me.

“Nope.” I mimic his earlier tone. “I might not remember anything, but I know how to take care of myself.”