Page 39 of Ly to Me

“Come here.”

“What?”

“Come. Here.” The gravel stopped grinding together. “Now, Ly.”

“No.”

“Don’t make me grab you and slam you against the wall. We can make this look sweet, or I can take what’s mine any way I see fit.”

She mulled that over quickly, then slapped on a fake smile and took a few steps toward me. I quickly closed the distance and slid my hand around her waist.

“Smart girl.”

“Shut up.”

My other hand snapped around her throat. Her brown eyes widened, the golden edges catching the sunlight as the truck door behind me opened.

“Time to look like you love me again.” Before she could answer, I pulled her body flushed to mine and sealed my lips to hers.

Lyra was stiff at first, but as bootsteps neared, she let go. Her tongue swept into my mouth, and something inside me flipped on, burning back to life. Something far worse than a fixation on haunting memories, or the desire to make her pay for shit that happened years ago.

This Lyra was soft, malleable, and fit in my arms like she’d never left them. This version of Lyra promised to end me before I could end her.

My fingers slackened around her throat as her arms snaked around my neck. When my hand slid down to cup her ass, she didn’t twist away or tell me off. No, she moaned, and those vibrations shot from her mouth to torn and tattered places no one should have access to, all before going right to my dick.

“Well, well, well. This must be the wife.”

Fuck Jamie.

I kept her firmly against me, sucking her lip into my mouth before slowly releasing it with my teeth. Her heavy lids fluttered open and my eyes latched onto the blush staining her cheeks andthe swelling of her lips. I was ready to lift Lyra up and carry her to our bedroom.

I wish I could say I couldn’t remember the last time I felt something from a kiss, but that’d be a lie. I knew the exact day and time and who it had been with. That memory alone had been on a torturous loop inside my insidious head. I could remember the feel of her against me, and the glide of my fingers against her skin as she pulled away.

Just like she was doing now as she peeled herself from my hold and stepped back, then leaned against the wall.

“Jamie.” I rubbed at my suddenly tight jaw, feeling cold. “Finally made it back for the rest?”

“Yeah, but seems like I came at a bad—” Jamie squinted and took a step closer. “Holy shit, wait. Lyra?”

“Watch it.” I threw up my hand, barring Jamie from stepping any closer to my wife.

Jamie’s chuckle came out choppy. “Nah. That can’t be.” His grimy pointer finger bounced between her and me. “She have a twin I didn’t know about?”

Lyra smoothed her hands down the borrowed shirt that devoured her curves, regaining some of the composure I’d stolen. “No, it’s me.” His jaw popped open as Lyra’s hand slid into mine.

I’d forgotten how soft and fragile her hands felt.

Her head cocked at Jamie. “Why, is that so shocking or somethin’?” She smoothed down her hair with her free hand. “It’s the hair, right? Thought I needed a change.” Lyra shrugged and smiled sweetly up at me.

But it was all fake. Every second. It was written all over her face. Had that kiss been fake for her, too?

Fuck it, I knew it was.

She hates you. She’s only doing it for the money.

“Yeah.” Jamie glanced between us, then smacked his hand on my shoulder. “Well, shit. Congrats, I suppose.”

The way I wanted to slam my fist in his face—