Page 43 of Between Secrets and Obsession

“Pretty cocky for a guy who’s hanging out with saidvirgin.” I glower, leaning over and snatching my half-eaten sandwich out of his hand. “Asshole.”

“Oh, lighten up, Mads.” He bumps my shoulder. The teasing look on his face makes it hard for me to actually stay mad at him. “Stay one forever. Guys are trouble.”

I snort at the irony. “I already told you, I’m selling it. Gonna post videos of how flexible I am and give it to the highest bidder,” I say lightheartedly as if I were talking about flowers and kittens. It’s a first-class ticket to getting under his skin.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he hisses. “That’s how you get sold into sex trafficking. Just keep your legs together and stay where I can watch you.”

“Watch me?” I push away and glare at him. “I’m not a fucking child.”

His shoulders slump as if he’s already exhausted from this conversation. “That’s not what I meant, so relax. I just know how guys are, and you’re too good for any of them.”

“So…stay a virgin, or what? Turn into a lesbian? Those are my options?”

Liam smirks, and I smack him, rolling my eyes. “You’re such a pig.”

He takes me by surprise and moves closer, wrapping his arm around my waist and nearly pulling me onto his lap. “I’m justprotective of you, Maddie. Yeah, you’re a pain in my ass most of the time, but I’d kill any motherfucker who hurt you.”

“You can’t just go around killing everyone I come into contact with,” I retort, and his face hardens.

“Yes, I can.” His voice is deep and serious, causing shivers to run down my body. Liam’s split personality gives me whiplash. One moment, he’s flirting with me, and the next, he acts annoyed by my existence. But this Liam? I can’t even comprehend what’s going on in his damn head. Does helikeme, or does he see me as a little sister?

“This movie is raunchy,” Liam says a half hour into it. “Your parents allowed you to watch this?”

“They never knew,” I counter. “Lennon, Soph, and I would sneak around and put it on after they went to bed. Then once I got a DVD player in my room, I’d play it on repeat when they weren’t home.”

Liam smiles, shaking his head at me. “Such a rebel.”

I repeat another one of Johnny’s lines when he talks to Baby about his dance space and her holding frame. “I love this part.” I sigh with a grin.

“This movie is so predictable,” Liam says, still sitting close to me. “He’s teaching the ugly duckling to dance, she’s already in love with him, and he’s gonna end up falling in love with her. But he’s the bad guy, and she’s the good girl, so her parents will never allow it. Some other drama will ensue and pull them apart, then he’ll make some romantic gesture, andbam,they’re back together.”

I scowl at him, narrowing my eyes at his jadedness.

“Amiright?” He smirks smugly.

“No!” I defend even though, technically, he kinda is. “How’d you know anyway? You watch a lot of romance films?”

“Only since you’ve moved in and started hogging the remote.”

“Ha-ha. I didn’t hear you complaining.” I cross my arms over my chest and wiggle deeper into the couch, moving closer to him. “Plus, you have a TV and game console in your room, so don’t even pretend you’re watching this against your will.” He rolls his eyes and stays silent, but I notice the way his gaze wanders back to me.

He’s right, though. Since I’ve moved in, we’ve sat through a lot of chick flicks and dance movies together. But he’s the one who stayed when it was on, so I’m not giving in to his fake pity party.

“He’s so gonna bang her, isn’t he?” Liam asks when Baby and Johnny drive back from their secret performance. Five minutes later, he gloats. “Yep, called it.”

I snort at how much he’s getting into it now. “You’re missing the point.” I elbow him. “Just watch.”

“Music’s pretty dope,” he says with twenty minutes left. Baby just confessed that she spent the night with Johnny when he’s accused of stealing from the guests. “She’s Like the Wind” starts playing, and my eyes tear up when he leaves.

“Pretty dope?” I gasp. “The album won like a million awards! I can’t believe how uncultured you are!”

“Pfft. I’m plenty cultured. Just because I haven’t memorized some songs from a dance movie doesn’t mean anything.”

I pat his shoulder and snicker. “Okay, Hulk. Whatever you say.”

Before I can stop him, Liam has me pinned on my back with my arms over my head. He’s towering over me, smirking like the devil himself.

“Are you patronizing me? Is that condescension I hear?” He grins and my cheeks are flushed.