Page 148 of Brutal Little Secrets

Damon stands and stretches, showing off his lean muscles before going into my closet. He brings out the box and sets it on the bed. I put on my other earring and go over as he opens the box.

When he picks up the list, he offers it to me. Smiling, I read over the movies. I haven’t really looked it over in the past eight years. Some of the more recent ones I’ve seen, likeGet OutandThe Quiet Place.

“There’s a few I can cross off.” The list is still long, with movies spanning almost four decades of cinema.

“What’s this?” He holds up a small jewelry box and opens it. I glance over at him and give the jewelry a wistful smile.

“It’s a necklace my dad gave me for my tenth birthday.” I watch the chain slip through Damon’s fingers. “It broke a few years ago, and I didn’t want to risk losing it.”

I don’t add that I couldn’t afford to get it fixed and didn’t have the time to do it myself.

It’s a small gold heart pendant on a delicate chain. Damon returns it to the case and sets it in the box. There are a few other things in there. Cocking an eyebrow, he holds up a stuffed bearthat has seen better days. Dad gave it to me when I was five, and I slept with it every night until he passed away.

I shrug. “I was ten.”

He finishes shifting through the box and then closes it to put away. I check the mirror again. I’m going with Mom, Adam, and Damon to Tom’s birthday. Unfortunately, now would be the best time to tell our parents Chase and I broke up, but I still haven’t.

I don’t want to fuck things up by telling them. This week has been really nice. Even dinner on Wednesday with Mom, Adam, and Damon was pleasant. I’m definitely not ready to tell them I’m technically dating Hawk, Cam, and Damon. So I’ve done nothing, and that might bite me in the ass today.

I walk downstairs with Damon to join our parents.

“You look so pretty, Evan.” Mom touches my blond curls.

“Thanks.” I lower my eyes and step away from Damon.

“Are we ready to go?” Adam opens the door.

Damon and I follow our parents out to the car and get into the backseat, sitting far from each other. The drive doesn’t take long and Adam has music on, so we’re not expected to converse.

When we walk up to the house, I fall into step beside my mother so I don’t accidentally take Damon’s hand. One of these times I’m going to forget and lean into him for a kiss. It’s so easy at school.

The attention on us there hasn’t really waned, but I’m loving having three boyfriends and getting to claim them as mine. In a school that caters to art students, the teachers don’t really raise an eyebrow at unusual pairings or groups like ours. As long as we don’t become disruptive, we can do whatever we want.

We stick to their table at lunch with a few guys from the hockey team. Mia joined us with Fletcher and Liam on Friday. It was nice, but I can’t get over the girls watching us, whispering to each other. It’s not like any of them were dating my guys before me.

Adam hands the keys to the car to the valet. The party is around the pool in the back, so we walk through the house. We follow Adam to Tom and Jessica. I itch to step closer and grab Damon’s hand as my stomach churns. This could be the end of the lies.

What did Chase tell them about our breakup? Did he tell them I cheated on him? Will they hate me? What if they ask me to leave? Damon wouldn’t hesitate to take me out of here.

They don’t look like they hate me as they smile at us. Is it fake?

“We’re so glad you could make it!” Jessica kisses Adam’s cheeks, then my mom’s, then mine, but when she reaches for Damon, he steps away. Not missing a beat, she laughs and touches his arm. “So good to see you.”

“It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve seen you, EvanAnn.” Tom shakes his head. “I’m sorry we had to ground Chase this past week, but that party should have never happened last weekend. He should have known having a few friends over would get out of control.”

I smile and nod. Maybe Chase hasn’t told his parents either? Why wouldn’t he though? Oh, right, I’m his little trophy. Fucker. As long as he’s dating me, he gets free rein.

“Chase,” Tom says, looking over my shoulder. I tense.

Chase touches my waist, and I flinch. “I’ve been waiting for you, EvanAnn.”

Damon’s lips flatten, but he can’t do anything about this. Not if we don’t want to blow up everything. And everything’s been going so well.

“Hey.” I turn and give Chase my plastic smile. “Can we talk for a sec? You don’t mind, do you, Mom?”

“Of course not.” Mom smiles.

“Don’t stay away too long.” Tom nods toward a group of people standing off to the side of the pool. “I haven’t forgotten. I need to introduce you to my friends.”