But his voice gave me pause. “I wonder what Dad would think of you spending the night with Phoenix Wilder.”
No.
No.
My blood turned to ice as I glanced back at him and forced my expression into complete neutrality. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No? Huh.” Amusement glinted in his eyes. “I must have gotten it wrong then.”
A beat passed. The air crackling around us.
He knew.
Somehow Max knew.
Had Nate told someone about last night? His brother? Or Marc? I didn’t think he would betray me, but what if he’d accidentally slipped and someone told Max?
Before I could figure out what to say, how to fix it, he shrugged and said, “Well, I’ve got shit to do,” and walked off as if he hadn’t just dropped an undetonated bomb at my feet.
I all but ran up to my room, slamming the door behind me. This place had always felt like a prison. Cold. Unforgiving. Soulless. But I’d tolerated it, found peace in the little things. The roof terrace, Celeste, my bedroom, the huge yard.
It had been enough, a means to an end. Get through senior year, get my diploma, and then run far, far away from Darling Hill.
But now that I knew what lay beyond the gates, now that I knew Nix was out there, waiting for me… This prison, this gilded cage, suddenly felt like a small room, the walls pressing in on me, taking the air with them.
And I knew it wouldn’t be long until I suffocated.
But if Max knew, if he’d somehow seen me with Nix…
Things had just got a hell of a lot more complicated.
* * *
Harleigh and Nix’s story concludes in These Dead Promises, available here
PLAYLIST
Tear Myself Apart – Tate McRae
Everything I Wanted – Billie Eilish
Wandering Romance – LIE NING
Bleed Out – Isak Danielson
NDA – Billie Eilish
Lost My Mind – FINNEAS
He Don’t Love Me – Winona Oak
Power – Isak Danielson
I Don’t Think I Love You Anymore – Alaina Castillo
Safe – Olivia Grace
Break My Broken Heart – Winona Oak
Hands – ORKID
Young and Free – Dermot Kennedy
Hurricane – Kayne West, The Weeknd, Lil Baby
Two Weeks – FKA Twiggs
Between The Wars – Allman Brown
If You Leave, I’m Coming With You – The Wombats
Stay – Gracie Abrams
Lovely – Lauren Babic, Seraphim
Cosmic Love – Florence and the Machine
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Ahhh finally, Nix and Birdie’s story has arrived. When I wrote their prequel These Dark Hearts I had some idea of how their duet might go … of course, they proved why I should never get too far ahead of myself. But a huge part of my process is trusting my characters and letting them take me on their journey. And what a journey it was.
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Nix and his Birdie are flawed. They’re broken and hurting but they’re also resilient and strong and I can’t wait to watch them fight for their well-deserved HEA!
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As always, I need to thank my team for helping me put the finishing touches on this story. Andrea (aka editor-extraordinaire, I feel like a broken record but you always go above and beyond for me and my utter chaos, I owe you! Amanda and Bree, thank you for beta reading and providing me with your constructive feedback. Darlene and Athena, thank you for your eagle-eyed proofreading. Candi Kane PR, thank you for all of your support with the release and keeping me on track. To all the book bloggers who took the time to read an advance copy of These Dirty Lies your support, reviews, and messages, are everything.
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And finally to you, the reader, thank you for giving my stories a chance.
* * *
Until next time,
L. A. xo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angsty. Edgy. Addictive Romance
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USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty mature young adult and new adult novels, L. A. is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.
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Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L. A. immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.
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L. A. loves connecting with readers.
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The best places to find her are:
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Did you love These Dirty Lies? Then you should read These Dead Promises by L. A. Cotton!
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author L A Cotton comes the conclusion to Nix and Harleigh's story.
* These Dead Promises is the final book in Nix and Harleigh's duet. It should be read after These Dirty Lies. Due to mature content that some readers may find distressing, this book is recommended for readers 17+
Read more at L. A. Cotton’s site.
Also by L. A. Cotton
Black Hearts Still Beat
Rush: Eva & Rafe's Trilogy Book 1
Rise: Eva & Rafe's Trilogy Book 2
Rule: Eva & Rafe's Trilogy Book 3
Ruin: Levi Hunter's Story
Riot: Hudson Ryker's Story
Raze
Chastity Falls
Loyalty and Lies
Salvation and Secrets
Tribulation and Truths
Affliction
Redemption and Regrets
Penance and Promises
Absolution
Darling Hill
These Darks Hearts
These Dirty Lies (Coming Soon)
These Dead Promises (Coming Soon)
Liar Liar
Liar Liar
Truth or Dare
Rixon High
Blurred Lines
Off-Limits
Tragic Lies
Reckless Games
Ruined Hopes
Broken Ties (Coming Soon)