Liar (Madison Kate #2)(24)

She cackled like some kind of cartoon villain. "So you have thought about it. I knew it."

"I've thought about plenty of things, girl. Doesn't mean I'm going to act on any of them. Besides, could you imagine Archer actually trying to share a woman?" I laughed at my own mental image in an attempt to ignore what a turn-on that idea was. "Pretty sure he would struggle to share a burrito, let alone a taco... if you catch my drift."

Bree laughed so hard I worried she was going to choke on her food, so I sat up slightly and frowned at her. "Damn, dude, it wasn't that funny."

She couldn't reply, though. She was red-faced and laughing into her hand while looking... over my shoulder.

Ah fuck.

Tilting my head back, I met Kody's smiling green eyes. "Well. I should have seen that one coming," I muttered.

His grin was wide and his eyes full of amusement, as well as raw, hungry desire. "I dunno, MK, Arch is pretty good at sharing when the incentive is right."

My cheeks flamed, but I refused to rise to the bait. Steele stood slightly behind him with his phone in his hand and didn’t seem to be paying attention. I could only hope.

"Pretty sure hanging out with Bree is in direct violation of your father's rules, babe," Kody commented, giving me a warning look. I just scowled back at him, letting all my annoyance seep into my gaze.

"Pretty sure you want to stop being such a prick unless you want to find your ass superglued to the toilet seat tomorrow morning," I replied with all the snark of a hormonal thirteen-year-old.

I pushed myself back up and swung my legs over the edge of the table. Bree and I had been doing a bit of studying while we ate and gossiped, seeing as exams were coming up, so I packed my books and notes away into my bag.

"Thanks, Bree. This was fun until my jailers gate-crashed." I shot a glare at Kody and Steele—who'd put his phone away and was paying attention. "I'll call you later, and we can make plans for Thanksgiving."

"Sounds good," Bree replied at the same time as Kody shook his head.

"Sorry Bree," he said, sounding anything but apologetic, "we already have plans for Thanksgiving."

"No we don't," I snapped back, slinging my bag over my shoulder and grimacing at the weight of it. Reality was catching up with me, and I knew I needed to put some serious study hours in during the next week if I wanted any hope of passing my classes. Thankfully, I was an excellent crammer.

Kody just smiled back at me, all smug and shit. "Yes, we do, babe. That's what Steele and I were coming to tell you, right, bro?" He whacked his gray-eyed friend, who just cocked a pierced brow in confusion.

I folded my arms and called Kody's bluff. "Oh yeah? What are we doing that can't involve Bree?"

"Arch is cooking for us," he replied with a smug grin. "Mexican."

My glare turned murderous as Kody grinned wider.

"Fuck that," Steele muttered, sweeping a tattooed hand over his hair. then coming over to me and dropping an arm over my shoulders. "Arch can fucking starve for all I care."

I tried to stomp away in a huff, but Steele wasn't letting me go so easily. He shifted my heavy bag to his own shoulder, then took my hand in his, weaving our fingers together as we left the library.

Nothing had changed. I was still furious at them all. But... I didn't pull away.

So, maybe something had changed after all. Maybe Bree had a point.

Maybe, maybe, they really were just trying to keep me safe.

Yet I couldn't ignore the certainty that they knew more than they were letting on.





10





Thick snow blanketed everything by Thanksgiving morning. I'd been cooped up in my bedroom all week, studying my ass off for exams and kicking myself for being so damn distracted all semester. Something about the snow, though, made everything so calm and peaceful.

I hadn't heard a single word from my father since he and Cherry had left on their cruise, and I didn't care to reach out. He'd shown his cards, and I was no longer interested in making an effort with our toxic relationship.

It was still more than two years until I'd be permitted access to my inheritance—from my mother—but I couldn't fathom the idea of remaining a prisoner so long. I needed my freedom, my independence. More than that, I needed to be rid of my stalker. And my attempted murderer... if they really were unconnected.

I'd woken early, again, and shivered as I padded around the kitchen in my socks. I needed coffee more than I needed a sweatshirt.

"Good morning, Miss Danvers," my father's elderly butler, Steinwick, greeted me in a quiet voice as he came into the room. "Would you like me to make that for you?"

I shook my head quickly, giving him an alarmed look. "Uh, no offense, but no. I remember the last time you tried to make me a coffee on this machine." It had probably been about three years ago but was bad enough to stick in my memory.

Steinwick gave me a watery smile and inclined his head. "Well, if you need anything..."

He looked a bit forlorn, and I smiled. He'd been in my father's employment for about five years, but I saw him so rarely I barely knew the man. "I know how to find you," I assured him, nodding to the intercom that we never used. "But maybe just enjoy the break while my father is away. I trust he's still paying your wages, even if none of us really need staff around?"