Page 48 of Beautiful Lies

Locke arches a brow. “Brains and charm? You mean arrogance and luck.”

“Luck’s still winning,” Levi fires back, flashing that infuriating smile.

Dorian groans, tossing his cards aside. “Every time we do this, I end up losing a few grand and gaining a shit-eating migraine.”

Levi winks. “Consider it the price of entertainment.”

“Bastard,” Dorian mutters.

“I am, aren’t I?”

I take a slow pull from my beer, watching them, knowing exactly what’s going to happen next.

“I’m out.” Dorian stands and leaves the table.

And there it is—my prediction.

“Oh, Dorian, please don’t go,” Locke says in that stupid goat voice while he feigns innocence with a hand placed over his heart.

“Fuck you guys.”

Levi and Locke respond with a cackle that makes them sound like a bunch of hyenas.

I roll my eyes at them and keep drinking. Best not to say anything or get involved. At least I no longer have to break up a fight like when we were younger.

Dorian loosens his tie and crosses the room to join me by the counter. “You’d think I’d stop letting those two rob me blind.”

“But you like the challenge,” I tell him.

He smirks, grabbing a beer from the mini-fridge. “Maybe.”

I huff a quiet laugh and shake my head.

Dorian leans against the space next to me and takes a swig of his beer while Levi and Locke resume their deep focus on the game.

After a moment of silence, Dorian studies me. “You’re quieter than usual,” he notes, examining me over the rim of his bottle. “Everything okay at home?”

I answer him with raised brows. “As good as they could be.”

He chuckles. “Your wife-to-be has some serious balls.”

“You can say that again. If looks could kill, I’d be ashes in the wind.”

“You’ll be fine.” He pats my shoulder. “You have balls, too. Though, I’d rather you than me withthatgirl. Can’t believe you’re getting married in two weeks.”

“Me neither. All things aside, it’s finally sinking in.”

“I was wondering when that would happen.”

I take another slow sip of beer. “It’s happening.” Shit got real when Isla stepped through the doors of my home.

The light humor recedes from his eyes and is replaced by seriousness. “You know… I can’t stop thinking about how I stumbled over that lead on her father. I’ve been wondering if there’s more we have to worry about.”

I’ve been so consumed with everything I hadn’t given that part much thought. It really was a stumble, and there’s still no explanation for why no one caught it before.

The kind of evidence we found shouldn’t have stayed buried this long. But it almost looked like someone,besides John, made sure it did.

The evidence looked like someone covered his tracks, but we’re not entirely sure it was to protect him. It was more the case that they wanted to make sure that when the truth finally cameout, it tookmedown with it. Whoever it was knew exactly where to hit.