Liar (Madison Kate #2)(63)

Archer just gave a shrug that seemed to shift him closer to me. Or maybe that was my imagination. "Okay, what if it's her dad and he's somehow convinced her to do his dirty work? I'm just saying, she gives me some pretty intense vibes the way she looks at you."

I glowered. "Don't let jealousy cloud your judgment, Archer. It's not fucking Bree; let it go."

Bree was my best friend. One of my only friends, really, seeing as I couldn't exactly count the guys as my "friends" unless we added "with benefits." The idea that she could be putting up a front with me for some devious motive? Nope. I couldn't even entertain that possibility, and I wouldn't. She wasn't involved, and if Archer tried to suggest it again, he would find out just how hard I could junk punch.

"Okay, how about Dallas?" Steele offered up, and I scowled in his direction. "Hey, I didn't mean anything by that," he defended himself, raising one hand—not disturbing his damaged arm—in surrender. "I just think we need to consider all the obvious options. Dallas would have been, what, sixteen when your mom died? Teenage boys are messed up, and Dallas came from a rough upbringing. He's clearly attracted to you, too, and possessive. He fits the profile."

I was simmering with anger, but I had to appreciate what they were doing. They were trying to help, and they didn't know Bree and Dallas the way I did. Of course my friends looked like suspects to them.

“Your stalker clearly has a sexual interest in you, and you have had sex with Moore, haven’t you?” Archer pointed out in a pissy sort of tone.

"It's not Dallas," I replied, trying to control the anger in my voice. I couldn't defend him any further than that because Steele's points were all valid. I was just running on gut feelings about my friend and one-time lover. Dallas wasn't evil. He wasn't the guy who killed a bird or blew up a car and injured innocent bystanders. "Next?"

Kody rested his head back on the couch beside my thigh, his pink hair brushing my skin. "Okay, how about Steinwick?"

"Ew," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "That's gross."

"So is a dead bird in the mail," Archer retorted.

I narrowed my eyes at him, then turned my attention back to Kody. "What's your reasoning?"

"Same as any of the staff, really. Access." His gaze was clear of accusation or maliciousness. He was simply spit-balling ideas, like we were brainstorming for a school project together. I kinda appreciated that level of detachment and latched onto it. "I mean, it's probably not. But I can't see any reason for him to not be on the list of suspects. Can you?"

I rolled my eyes. "By that same reasoning, everyone I've ever met should be on the list. You three included."

"Hmm yeah, I could have planted a hidden camera then deliberately convinced you to fuck me in the kitchen and then sent a dead bird to myself as a threat. I mean, it’s a bit fucking kinky but anything is possible," Kody replied with a grin.

He had a point. And Archer had been watching from the hallway. Didn't totally clear them, but again, I'd have to trust my gut and scratch them from the list of suspects.

"What about the QB?" Steele pondered. "He would have been too young to stalk Deb, but what if it's a copycat stalker?"

I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "That just complicates it even more. If it were a copycat then literally anyone could be responsible. The freaking gardener or my criminology professor or one of the cops or the security company or, fuck, one of those Madison-Kate groupies that Bark told me about. You know his sister was one of them? Colored her hair and everything."

Kody scoffed a laugh. "So creepy."

"Seriously?" Archer snickered, reaching over and flicking Kody in the side of the head. Right on his pink hair.

Kody just looked up at Archer with a smug smile. "Big difference between some random chicks trying to look like MK and me accidentally dying my hair pink because she distracted me with sex while I had color shampoo in." I rolled my eyes and snickered, but Kody just shifted closer and kissed the side of my thigh. "Totally worth it. And now we match like a super cutesy couple, so I think I might keep it."

"Don't," Steele commented, "It takes a rare breed to pull off that color, and you, my friend, aren't it."

"Asshole!" Kody reached up to the couch and grabbed a pillow, then chucked it at his smirking friend. Steel deflected it, but groaned as he brought a protective hand to his injured arm. Meanwhile, the pillow Kody had chosen was one I had wedged slightly behind me, and without it I slipped down the couch and collided with Archer's shoulder.

He shot me a sharp look, and I quickly rearranged myself to not be touching him. But I already knew it was going to take a while for the warmth of his shoulder to fade from mine. Fucking mysterious bad boys were definitely proving to be my kryptonite, based on these three bastards.

"Alright, are we playing this game or not?" Steele asked, indicating to the TV and chomping through a slice of pizza. He didn't even try to hide the eagerness in his voice; we all knew he was dying to do some gaming without the guilt.

I sighed. "I need to go and study. This whole stalker thing is going to see me dropping out of SGU soon, otherwise."

"You'll do fine," Archer commented in a quietly neutral tone.