Liar (Madison Kate #2)(23)

"Have you wondered if maybe they really are doing it to protect you?" she suggested in a gentle tone. "I know they picked a really fucked up way to do it—you'll hear no disagreement from me there. But... is it possible they're just crazy worried your stalker will succeed next time he tries to kill you?" She paused, her mouth twisted down. "I know I am. As shitty as this house arrest is for you, is it so bad that I'm relieved you're safe?" Her voice was quiet but sincere, and it made me pause.

Had I been so wrapped up in myself that I'd totally missed how my near death might affect my best friend? Shit. I sucked.

"Breezie," I said, shifting closer and taking her hand in mine, "babe. Come on. You know it's going to take more than a couple of deranged, knife-wielding maniacs to take me down."

She sniffed, not meeting my eyes. "But they almost did, MK. If Arch and the boys hadn't been there when they were... you would be dead now."

Fuck.

She had a point. One I'd been deliberately ignoring for the past three weeks because it didn't fit the narrative I was clinging to.

"Can't you maybe consider the possibility that they—like me—were totally shit-scared that you'd almost been murdered and just made a crappy decision on how to keep you safe?" Her voice was a bit broken, and I was horrified to see a wet tear roll down her cheek.

I shoved our half-eaten food aside and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into me for a long hug. "Bree, babe. I'm so freaking sorry. I didn't even..." I sighed. I was an insensitive asshole.

"It's fine," she lied. "I know you're okay now. I just think maybe they panicked and acted without fully thinking shit through. Can you blame them? You're incredible. It's no wonder they're all hopelessly in love."

I laughed at how thick she was laying it on and released her to sit back. "Uh-huh. Right. They're acting like overbearing, misogynistic dickholes because they're all so madly in love with me that they're acting irrationally. Good theory, babe."

Bree didn't laugh back, just shrugged and watched me from under wet lashes. "I would do the same in their situation, MK."

I frowned slightly, something in her tone giving me an uneasy feeling, but brushed it aside. "Well, even if that outlandish and totally incorrect theory were true... it only brings up the bigger question in all of this."

"What's that?" she asked, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand and leaving a smudge of mascara. "Why none of them have gotten sick of you acting like a brat and spanked you yet?" Her smile was teasing, but also seemed a bit forced. Weird.

"Uh," I gave a small laugh, "no, I meant... how exactly are they getting my father to do what they want? My father, Bree. Samuel Danvers the fucking Fourth, biggest douche in all of Shadow Grove. No one tells him what to do. Certainly not three twenty-something ex-gangster punks."

Bree snagged a cold spring roll and crunched on it thoughtfully before responding.

"Well, I don't have all the answers, MK," she finally said with a grin. "But considering they're all up in your business twenty-four seven these days, you're in the best position to find out, aren't you?"

I drummed my fingertips on the table. "That's true."

Bree just gave me a sly smile and kept eating the last of our lunch. I lay back on the table and stared up at the fancy stained-glass skylight while I thought over what she'd just said. Could they be acting out of genuine concern? It was possible, I supposed, in Kody’s or Steele's cases. Not Archer’s. He was almost certainly pulling one of his power-tripping bullshit moves... but to what end? And what the fuck did he have over my father?

"It doesn't matter anyway," I eventually sighed. "As shitty as it all is, I'd be a total, brain-dead moron to rebel just for the sake of pride. I'm still being stalked, and someone still tried to murder me a few weeks ago. The only thing I'd achieve by deliberately sneaking out or running away is..."

"Possibly becoming someone's super pretty, pink-haired skin-suit?" Bree finished my sentence for me, and I snickered a laugh.

"Exactly."

"So... what are you going to do?"

I breathed out a long sigh, covering my face with my palms and groaning. "I have no idea, Bree. What would you do?"

My best friend snickered an evil sort of laugh. "Uh, girl, you know exactly what I'd do if I was forced to be alone with those three all day and all night." Her tone was low and teasing. There was no mistaking what she was trying to imply. Sex. She meant sex. "Come on, MK, you can't seriously tell me you haven't dreamed about a reverse harem relationship with them all. It's the perfect setup. Just you and them, all alone in that big old house..." She trailed off like she was imagining herself in that position, and I laughed.

"You're the worst," I told her with a grin, covering my eyes with my arm. I was so freaking tired. My sleep had been better—no screaming nightmares—but still disturbed and restless enough that I never woke feeling fresh. The last time I'd managed a restful sleep was when Archer had broken my lock and held me all night.

Bree chuckled to herself. "I don't hear a denial there, babe."

I scoffed, still not looking at her. "Yeah well, I'm trying to stop lying to myself."