Page 47 of Liar

Youandonlyyou.Shamehedoesn’tseeitthesameway.

It’s three seconds flat before Diego goes ballistic. “Jesus fucking Christ. Why would you do such a thing? Why am I only hearing about this now?”

I shrug.

“What exactly did he do?”

“Do?” I pause, thinking how Hayden stared off into the distance as I made my pledge. Not exactly accepting it. Not exactly refusing it either.

“Nothing. He simply nodded.”

“Heacceptedyour oath?” Diego demands, incredulous that I, of the weaker sex, would be the first female Lobo.

“Of course,” I snap back. “Why wouldn’t he?”

Diego pins me with his eyes. “Tell me word for word what he said.”

I flinch.

“He nodded, then said, “Luciana.” Like he was warning me away. Like he was unhappy of this new change in our relationship.

Relationship?Nowwho’ssmokingpeyote?

“What’s the big deal?”

“He’s fucking unpredictable, isn’t he?”

“And he’s done nothing but help us.”

Diego throws up his hands. “And you’re defending him.”

“I’m stating the truth.”

Diego snorts. “You said yourself he manipulated me into joining him. There’s a reason behind all his actions. The Bastard never makes rash decisions or loses his cool. All business, that’s what he is.” Placing both hands on the counter, he leans in toward me. “For once in your life, listen to what I’m saying. If you need anything and I’m not around, find Javier. Keep away from him. Understood?”

He spins on his heels, not waiting for my response. At the door, he pauses. “The alarm installers will be here by tomorrow.”

Of all the overbearing, insufferable, pig-headed men ...

I lift the iron from the rack and drop it onto his white shirt, then go about business as usual.

12

“We should call it a night,” Eduardo gasps between breaths. We’ve been practicing the new ten-point lift for hours in the theater and on the stage we’ll be performing on. Jump after jump. Fall after fall. It’s a disaster.

This is Eduardo’s fault. But it’s my lack of focus impeding our progress.

My thoughts are stuck between a daydream and a nightmare. Over and over, I imagine how I’d have done things differently that day in Hayden’s Jeep. When the fire was in his eyes, and I was half-naked and hungry for him. Batted my eyelashes and licked my lips, whispered naughty words and seduced him into submission. I shake my head and once more, curse my inexperience along with my inability to move on from a moment in time that can never be changed.

“Once more.” My body protests as I haul myself up from the floor. I’m well on my way to being covered in bruises.

Eduardo repositions himself center stage.

This ten-point jump is actually a series of moves, beginning with me throwing myself into Eduardo’s arms. Next, he flips me up and overhead, releasing me so I’m airborne in a horizontal position. Enough momentum needs to be in his toss in order for me to spiral in three complete rotations before he catches me. To his credit, he’s been perfect, using the right amount of momentum and positioning himself perfectly for the catch.

It’s my body refusing to cooperate with my brain. We go through the steps one last time. Except I barely manage two rotations. I come crashing down, knocking Eduardo off his feet. We end up with me on top of him on the stage floor.

“That was the worst one yet.” I glance down at him. And he’s gazing up at me with puppy-dog eyes filled with hope.