Page 13 of Little Liar

“Malachi?”

I blink, realizing I’ve frozen on the spot and my parents are staring at me like I have two heads.

I mean, I do.

“Is there something wrong?” Mom asks.

Olivia isn’t marrying anyone, I sign, closing the door behind me and getting straight to the point.She’s too young.

Mom scoffs. “Get out, Malachi. Don’t you have to study for your test next week?”

I step forward.Why does she need to get married?

“Tradition, son,” Dad says. “You know this.”

Fuck the tradition.

Dad rolls his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “This is of no concern to you. We’ll find a suitor who we can trust, and when she’s old enough, she’ll marry him. This has been in the family for generations.”

Even as the words fall from my father’s lips, I know he hates them. Regret is all over his face as Mom tries to conceal her smile. They’ve been arguing nonstop about this. He refuses, yet she wins every time they have a debate.

You can trust me,I sign, not a single nerve going haywire as I keep my confidence.I’ll marry her.Stepping further into the room, desperate for them to listen, I keep going.She’ll be safe with me. I promise. You can remove me from adoption, and I’ll wait until we’re both old enough.

I’m about to turn eighteen—she’s just turned sixteen. They can’t say no because I’m the only person in the world who can protect Olivia.

Why are they just staring at me? They look… disgusted. Disappointed. Because I straight up offered that they could remove me from the family maybe?

You don’t need to look for someone. I’ll do it.

Dad laughs. “Very funny.”

I stare at him for a long second then look at Mom.Why can’t I do it?

“You’re serious?” she asks with a revolted look. “That’s vile. That’s—”

“Not happening,” Dad finishes sternly. “But I agree that she’s too young.” He looks at Mom. “Give her a few years to find her own partner.”

“I already have suitors lined up. One I’m especially interested in is your business partner’s son. Parker Melrose.”

“Absolutely not. He’s twenty-one, Jennifer.”

Oh, hells fucking no. Olivia left that piece of information out. Why the fuck is Mom trying to partner her up with someone five years older?

Despite the dire need to trash the place to get across how angry I am, desperation seeps into my vein.Let me marry her.

Mom glares at me. “No. Don’t be ridiculous. You’re her brother. She needs someone who comes from money. She needs someone stable who can give her children.”

I will,I sign slowly.I can do that, Mom.

Her face contorts, but it’s Dad who grabs my shirt and yanks me forward, dragging me to the chair. I want to break his fucking hand, but I need them to agree. There’s not a chance in hell I’m letting them push Olivia into the arms of a grown-ass man when I’m the perfect suitor for her.

He shoves me down on the chair and steps away, trying to control his rage. “This fascination you have with Olivia needs to stop, Malachi. It’s wrong and sick, and I won’t stand for it any longer. You’re her brother. Start acting like it.”

Mom crosses her arms, shaking her head. “We talked about this before when we moved you to another room. Your father has been warning you off her since you were a child. We thought it was a friendship thing and you just needed her to help you… ground yourself. We were worried you’d drag her down with you. But now you’re suggesting incest? How sick are you?”

Grinding my teeth, I don’t bother responding. It isn’t incest. We aren’t related by blood. We have different backgrounds. We were just two kids adopted by the same family. I’d happily give up a mother and a father to have even a day of calling Olivia mine.

Remove me from the adoption,I sign.I’ll marry her when we’re old enough.Then I pause, needing to swallow given how fucking much I need them to agree to this.She’ll feel safe with me. I’ll protect her. Please.