“You wouldn’t know something about that, would you?”
He’s referring to Jeff. I couldn’t thank Austin enough for what she did to his body. “Are you accusing me of something?” I arch a brow. “Because this time you’re gonna need a warrant.” I won’t willingly lie down on the gravel and allow them to take me again. And sure as hell not for Kellan. What I did was for Austin.
He smirks. “This case also wasn’t the first one your daddy paid to go away.” Taking a step forward, he closes the small space.
“Yes, but we both know if you had done your job the first time, then you would have realized my car was tampered with, and it wasn’t really an accident, right?” I tilt my head to the side.
He removes his hands from his pockets and fists them down by his sides, ignoring that. “I know your girlfriend stabbed him in self-defense. But I also know that you and your group finished him off.”
I smile. “I dare you to prove it.”
His face tightens. Then he looks over my shoulder at the clubhouse once again. I refuse to turn around and see what he’s looking at. I won’t be caught off guard. When his eyes meet mine again, he gives me a curt nod. “Have a safe trip, Cole.”
“Is that a threat?” I ask and try to hide my smirk. You can try to fuck with me all you want, but you will lose!
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he gets back in his car and drives off, ending our pointless conversation.
I walk back inside, and Lilly sits on the couch watching videos on her phone. Her blond hair is a mess from moving around in her sleep, and she still wears her Frozen nightgown. I make my way up the stairs to find Austin making the bed. “You’re up early.”
“Yeah, Lilly and I are meeting Becky for breakfast.” She tucks the end of the top sheet under the bed and turns to face me. “What were you doing outside?”
“I had to call and talk to Deke about something,” I lie. It used to be so easy lying to her, but now it chips a piece of me away every time she looks up at me, knowing she loves me. How easily she believes anything I say. It makes me sick to my stomach.
She nods and then begins to bite her bottom lip nervously.
“What?” I ask her.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” I sit on the side of the bed, and she comes to stand between my legs. “What is it?” I place my hands on her hips. She wears a little pair of cotton shorts and another one of my T-shirts. I can’t wait to get to our house in Texas where we have our own bedroom with a door that locks. So she can sleep naked for me again.
“I’ve been thinking about Texas.”
“And?” I ask.
“And we have four bedrooms.” I nod. “I spoke to Becky the other day …” Shit, I know where she’s headed with this now. “And she’s having trouble finding a place to live. I thought maybe she could move in with us.”
“Austin …”
“I heard Deke say he was going to be in the dorms. And they’re still not a hundred percent on speaking terms right now.”
I release her and run a hand through my hair. They’re not speaking at all actually. Deke told me the other day that she won’t return any of his texts or phone calls. I haven’t spoken to her once since we got into it while standing in Austin’s closet, and I’m fine with that. Becky and I don’t need to have any kind of conversation or interaction. That’s how things work between her and me.
“Come on.” She places both of her hands on my face, and I melt for her. “It will only be for a little while.”
I look up at her soft smile, and my shoulders fall. I’m going to be in classes and busy with swimming. Austin hasn’t decided what she’s going to do regarding school yet. She said she just wants to make sure Lilly is taken care of and adjusting to the new living situation and school. I guess having Becky around won’t hurt. It’s not like I’m going to see her much. “Sure,” I relent.
She squeals and leans down, giving me a kiss on the lips. “I love you,” she mumbles against them. When I don’t say it back, she pushes me away so she can look me in the eye. “You okay?”
I run my hand over her hair. “Of course.” Lie.
All I’ve done is lie to her. Over and over again. Is this how I want our relationship to go? I plan on marrying this girl, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is unpredictable. I don’t want to lie to her. Austin is strong—physically and mentally—so I need to tell her what she deserves to know.
“I love you too,” I finally say, picking her up we fall onto the bed. She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck. I bury my face in hers. I don’t know how much longer I can last with these blue balls. It’s been almost three months. Two weeks ago, I couldn’t keep my hands off her anymore, and she begged me so sweetly that I brought her to orgasm with my fingers between her legs. Then the next day it was with my mouth. And every day since then. She’s tried to return the favor, but I refuse her every time.
Austin giggles. “Just gotta wait one more day,” she says, knowing exactly where my mind is going. Once we’re in our new house in our own bed, I’m going to spend all night between her legs.
I nod. “Just one more day.” Giving her one more kiss, I push off her and help her stand. “I’m gonna call Blanche and see if she can keep Lilly today.”
She eyes me skeptically. “Why?”
“She called me yesterday wanting to take her to the aquarium before we leave for Texas.” Not a total lie. “I told her she could have her for a few hours today.”
“Okay.” She nods once and then kisses my cheek before making her way to the bathroom.
I look over my shoulder and watch her close the door. I pull my cell out and send a text. I have plans for us, and I don’t want Lilly around when we do what must be done.
_______________
I stand inside Liam’s office in his house because he insisted that I come over before I leave town tomorrow. Austin doesn’t know I’m here. She thinks I’m out having lunch with Deke. I didn’t want her worried about anything else. Whatever he is about to throw at me, I can handle.
“What do you want?” I ask when he finally enters. He left me in here for the past fifteen minutes while he did who knows what with who knows who. Typical. Any way he can show he is in control, he will.
He shuts his door, walks around his desk, his shoes slapping on the hardwood, and sits down. “To show you something.”
I lean my shoulder against the bookshelf and refrain from sighing. I need to get home. After Austin and Lilly left for breakfast with Becky, I jumped in the shower, and afterward, I decided to give him a call. He’s been blowing me up for weeks, reminding me that he needed to talk to me and that we needed to do a press release. I told him it won’t fucking happen, and nothing would change my mind! There was nothing to release. I took the fault of the car wreck, and nothing was going to change that. Even if it meant that people now know Bruce paid to cause the accident, it wasn’t going to change anything.
“Come over here. You need to see the computer,” he orders.
“Liam—”