Page 5 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

He didn’t seem convinced by my answer as he glanced around the sad excuse I’d called home for the past nine years of my life.

At least our lawn was mowed. Most properties in the Heights looked abandoned due to the mess. No one gave a shit about property appearances.

They were either too drunk or high to care.

“Mom wanted to set up your room, but I figured you probably don’t like people touching your belongings, so I told her to let you do it.

After dinner they’ll probably fuck off for the night, so you’ll have the house to yourself.

I’ve got somewhere to be, so I’m skipping out on whatever bullshit dinner they had planned.

C’mon, let’s go. I’ll show you how everything in the theater room works before I go. ”

I kept quiet for a second before glancing over at him, finding him already staring back at me intensely.

“Why are you being nice? Yesterday you said?—”

“You despise your dad even though he’s all you have, and you don’t take anyone’s shit. So, I figured we can at least not kill each other. Get in the car,” he mumbled as he flicked his cigarette butt away and stood, but he didn’t sound bothered by my presence, just tired.

I got to my feet, locking the house before walking over to his car with him, hiding my excitement as I slid into the passenger seat and felt the soft leather under me.

I was right about nearly having an orgasm as the engine rumbled to life.

We didn’t speak the whole drive to his place, and once we arrived, we wandered into the kitchen together, making Max frown with disapproval.

“Where have you two been?”

I snatched a banana from the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and gave him my back. “School.”

“School’s been out for over two hours.”

“After school, I went home.”

“ This is your home now, Aurora,” he said patiently, but I knew on the inside he wanted to strangle me.

I lifted my shoulder in a half-shrug as I turned to face him again. “No, this is Josie and Caden’s home. You and me? We’re like tourists. Once the money runs out, we’ll be on our fucking way.”

I peeled the banana, ignoring how his eyes narrowed to slits.

“Believe it or not, but I think you’ll be happy here if you give it a try.”

I glanced at Caden with a smirk, pretending to check him out.

“I mean, at least I have some good company while we’re here playing house. Did you know that Caden’s best buddies with Lukas James?”

My father stiffened, and Caden glanced between us as he tried to figure out why that bothered my father, but Max forced a smile and relaxed his muscles.

“Isn’t that nice for you, honey? Does Lukas come here often? I’ve never seen him here before.”

“Oh yeah, all the time. We all share classes and stuff too. Maybe I’ll hang out with him after school tomorrow and catch up for old-time’s sake?

We haven’t talked in ages.” I turned my attention to Caden, who was studying me silently and observing our conversation.

“Oh, Caden? Can you show me the theater room now?”

Caden gave me a curt nod, seeming unsure with what was going on.

“Yeah, sure thing.” His eyes darkened as I took a big mouthful of my banana, chewing it slowly and swallowing. My father looked ready to burst a blood vessel in his temple as I met his gaze, motioning to Caden.

“You don’t mind if I hang out with Caden for a while, do you?”

“Aurora, you need to change and get ready for dinner. Josie’s been looking forward to this all day.”

“Probably should stop making promises you can’t keep then.

The banana filled me up and I have homework.

” It was a lie, but he didn’t know that.

I finished the banana and put the peel in the trash before giving Caden a fake smile.

“C’mon, rich boy. Since we toured my home, I say we tour yours before I go to bed. You know, every room.”

He raised an eyebrow but smirked, deciding to play along with my little game of upsetting Max. His hand reached out slowly to avoid startling me, and he tucked the loose strands of hair behind my ear with fake affection, a soft tone in his voice that I didn’t know he was capable of.

“As if I could say no to you after you were such a good host at your place.”

“Caden, your mother—” He didn’t let Max finish.

“I have plans. Family dinner will have to take a rain check. I’d better show Rory around so I can leave.”

Max watched us for a moment before storming from the room, a smirk of satisfaction stretching across my face. I put some distance between me and Caden, who was looking amused too.

“Your dad’s going to think we’re fucking now.”

“Good. He forced me to live here, so it’s his fault I’m fake fucking my new stepbrother,” I shrugged, walking along the hallway with him trailing behind me. If Max wanted to throw my life upside down, I had no problem making it difficult for him.

Once in the theater room, I took it all in. There were couches and recliners everywhere, the entire wall was a TV screen, and there was a bar fridge in the corner. We’d had a room similar to this when we’d lived in Ashburn Valley, the technology just hadn’t been as high-tech ten years ago.

Caden dropped down onto one of the couches and didn’t say anything until I dropped down beside him.

“You know you’ll just piss him off, right? I mean, I personally love pissing people off but why do you want to?”

I met his gaze, giving him a bored shrug as I drew my knees up to rest my chin on them.

“He doesn’t give a shit about how I feel when he fucks with my life, so I’ll at least try to have fun by upsetting him back. Besides, maybe if I push him far enough, he’ll either kick me out or your mom will see the man he really is and leave him.”

“What kind of man is he?” he asked, his voice tight and irritated.

My eyes darted away from his, and my arms tightened around my legs. I’d said too much without meaning to.

“Nothing.”

“How often does he hurt you?” he asked gently, my jaw clenching in response. I ignored him, staring at the huge TV, and my body tensed when he shuffled closer to reach out to tuck my hair behind my ear like he had earlier.

My stomach fluttered from his simple touch, and I hated how my body reacted to him.

He was a stranger, part of the elite who I despised, so I should’ve been running in the opposite direction instead of sitting here acting like we were friends.

We’d never be friends, it was simply a means to an end.

“If he knows what’s good for him, then he won’t lay a hand on you when I’m around,” he said firmly, his thumb brushing the fading bruise on my cheek and making me flinch a little.

I flicked my gaze to his as I pulled back, my voice breathy as I forced out a response. “Why’s that?”

“Because I’ll fucking kill him,” he murmured as he stood, taking the remote and explaining what I needed to press to make everything work, then he left the room quickly with a half-assed goodbye.

I didn’t see him again for the rest of the night, and I was completely okay with that.

Caden

The fury that filled me as I fled the house was ridiculous. Rory didn’t mean shit to me, but the bruise on her cheek and the hint of fear in her eyes almost had me staying home.

Would Max take it out on her while she was alone? I didn’t like her, but that didn’t mean I wanted her to get her ass beat. I’d grown up with an abusive father, so I knew how it felt.

I couldn’t lie though, making Max think that I was nailing his daughter was a good tactic to cause conflict between him and Mom. If hurting her like this was the way to make Max leave, I’d do it.

I drove to Tyler’s house and let myself inside, not surprised to find him alone in the living room. He was always alone when we weren’t around.

“Sup?” he asked, lifting his chin in greeting, and I dropped down beside him on the couch as I blew out a breath.

“I need to get Max away from Mom.”

“What did he do?” he demanded, instantly ready to tear him down for her. My mom was a better parent to him than his own, she’d practically raised him, and I was grateful to know he’d always have my back when it came to keeping her safe.

I hadn’t told anyone other than him that Rory’s dad was the new guy in Mom’s life, but I didn’t keep anything from Tyler. He was my best friend.

“He hasn’t done anything to her, but I know he hits Rory. She claims he’d never abused anyone else, but that doesn’t mean he won’t. I want him gone.”

“Heights girls are wild in bed. I can fuck your stepsister, right?” he grinned, tilting his head to watch me. “Might as well have some fun before Josie sends them packing.”

“She’s probably got every disease in the world. Heights pussy might fuck good, but it’s always risky. She’s hot, I bet she gets around,” I snorted, making him shrug.

“I don’t mind playing pussy roulette. I’ll wrap it up.”

“Your dick’s going to fall off one of these days, dude. Has Luke said anything about her yet? He’s acting cagey as fuck.”

Lukas was usually easygoing around us, but whatever history they shared had him clamming up. That only made me want to know about it even more.

Tyler shook his head, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“He’s with Jense, but apparently he’s not talking about it. If Luke is, Jense isn’t spilling his secrets to me.”

“No surprise there,” I grumbled, scrubbing a hand over my face with irritation. Lukas and Jensen had a bond that they didn’t have with us. They were loyal as fuck, but they were closer to each other. Kind of like how I was with Tyler.

I had to respect it and move on, but it was hard.

“You staying the night? Want a beer?” he asked as he got to his feet, waiting for me to nod before heading to the kitchen.

A night away would do me good, and it meant we could figure out a plan to get rid of Max, or put our heads together to attempt to find out what the fuck Lukas’ history with Rory was.