Page 56 of Things I Read About

I exhale through my nose. Every word out of their mouths is like a dagger to my brain. She’s a rich kid. A freaking kid. She’s only twenty-three. And not a pianist. Not a brunette. Not a sassy little mystery.

Just a spoiled little actress. She wanted a meaningless fling, and she got one.

A liar.

Exactly like Meredith.

The realization makes me physically sick.

“Nate?” Fergus looks concerned.Last contract. Partner. Get over yourself.

“Fine.” I look between them. “But Dean, you keep the family out of my way. I know this girl and I’m doing this the way it needs to be done.”

“What do you mean you know her?” Dean asks.

I glare at him, not fond of his protective tone. He has his own charges, Sally is mine.

“Client crossover. These kids all run in the same fancy circles. I met her in Park City.” They both hum in recognition, then I give a final nod with the hand on the door, bracing myself.

Last gig like this. Just do it.

I bust back into the room, and everyone looks up, startled. The door slams back into the wall after me. I probably look a bit unhinged right now. Good. They need to listen.

I give in to my urge to march right up to Sally.

She won’t look at me. Typical shady-ass behavior from someone with a lot to hide.

It gives me the opportunity to study her. She’s wearing a dress that she did not choose. Or, maybe she did. I don’t know her, after all. It’s cute, plain, and black. Sexy, but only in the way that anything on her little hourglass would be.

“The walking, talking hazard herself,” I spit out, sounding more menacing than I mean to. That’s all right, though. She can be a little scared of me, then maybe she’ll listen to my instructions.

“The what?” one of the sisters whispers behind me.

“The lying ends right now.” I point to the ground. “Sally? Look at me.”

She does and even her eyes don’t seem the same.

I have a blinding urge to grab her face and search them. To hug her, carry her away, to demand answers. Why does she look this way? What happened to the girl I met? Why did she leave me without a word?

Oh, yeah, because she is a two-faced snake. I bet she and Meredith are a part of some club. A secret society targeting broken, lonely assholes like me. Anger resurfaces, a welcome interruption to whatever else it is I’m feeling right now.

I inch closer to her. “I knew you were trouble.”

“Sally? Trouble? Are you high?” It’s the oldest sister. “Sally?”

“Dean, who is this guy?” That’s the sports talker.

“Oh, it's him!” a sister whispers.

Sally’s eyes go wide, locking with someone behind me.

“Don’t look at them, look at me.”

“What the hell? You need to watch your tone, dude.”

“Not now, Shepherd.” I snap.

The blond football has-been beefs himself up and comes toward me. “Excuse me?”