Page 76 of Little Liar

Olivia: I’ll be out in a minute.

I pocket my phone and turn the key in my bike, making it vibrate beneath me. Revving, I catch the attention of Olivia’s friend—that fucking Abigail—and she scowls at me before shutting the blind.

What’s her deal?

Part of me wants to get her out of the picture, but she knows things. Her saying that Xander won’t back down, even though Olivia hasn’t once mentioned it to me, means either my girl is lying, or her friend is fucking one of the Reznikovs, maybe to get intel?

The front door opens, but only Olivia leaves. She’s hugging herself as she walks across the street and up to me. She doesn’t seem happy to see me.

I gulp and smile at her. “Hi.”

“You couldn’t give me some time with my friends? Anna just had twins.”

I frown in confusion—she just spent time with them and now I’m taking her home.

Her phone buzzes in her hand, and she glances down before stuffing it into her purse. “Abigail,” she says, seeing my silent question about who’s messaging her.

My gaze flicks to the house then back to her.

Chewing her lip, her eyes glaze over. I try to take her hand, but she pretends to rub her arms to heat them up. She shakes her head and takes my helmet when I pull it off. I still need to get her one, and I refuse to drive with her on my bike without her being protected.

I grab the helmet and drag her to my chest. “Look at me,” I demand, keeping the visor up to see her red eyes.Tell me what’s wrong.

Her silence kills me. She’s hurting, and I’m the reason why.

“I’m sorry,” I say, wetting my dry lips. “I’m trying.”

She nods. “I know. So am I.”

“Do you still love me?”

She lets out a breath. “Of course I do.”

Good. That’s good. If she didn’t love me anymore, I don’t know what I’d do. Maybe keep her tied up in our bed until she fell back in love with me.

When she slides behind me and wraps her arms around my waist, I pull off with a feeling of unease encasing me tighter than Olivia’s hold as I speed up.

I feel… not nice.

Does she still have the ridiculous idea of me taking her on a date and going back to the start, and that’s why she’s being so cold?

What if seeing her friend and her new, happy family made her realize I’m the wrong person for her and she’s thinking of ways to leave me?

So many thoughts are rushing in my head as I speed down the road faster than intended, causing Olivia to tighten her arms around me.

Maybe I should go faster.

Olivia doesn’t say a word when we reach home, or when she hands me my helmet and walks into the house. I follow behind with my brows knitted together. I want to ask her what’s wrong, but words fail me, and she won’t look at me so I can sign to her. She goes straight into the bathroom, shuts the door, and slides over the latch to lock it.

My jaw tenses as I press my forehead to the door, eyes closing as I hear her soft sobs. She’s crying. Because of me. I’m doing itagain—making her unhappy. She’s going to leave me because all I do is upset her.

I can’t call her name. I can’t unlock the door and communicate with her. I can’t do anything but wait outside the door with one question on my mind.

What should I do?

Olivia is far too excited as we wait for Molly to finish school—her classes end in twenty minutes, and we’re taking her dress shopping for homecoming. I had no choice but to join them—I have to meet my little sister, be nice, and also be patient.

I’m also not to smoke a cigarette or joint in front of her, scare her, or do anything violent.