Page 112 of Vicious Little Snakes

How can I hate him if he did? He has zero reasons not to embody every tenet.I said, “No.”I should’ve gone back, hung out with Kai, but I couldn’t. Instead, I came up to my room and watched reruns ofUnsolved Crimes—research for when I run into Arden again.

Throwing back the cashmere blanket, I sit up. I’m right back where I started. Finally plummeted into the depths of basic bitch that I’d hoped to avoid. I’ll need to start wearing beach waves, drinking Starbucks, and watching the Hallmark movie channel.

Fuck.“No,” I growl to myself as my feet hit the floor, and I make my way to the closet.

This melodramatic girlshit is precisely why I did what I did last night. Liam and I haven’t changed—maybe individually, we’re growing.Wait, am I growing?Because I feel like I’m still sixteen, wondering if I’m enough, acting jealous and petty. And he’s still the same guy that didn’t say the wordlove.

Still didn’t miss that, Brooks.Why am I so dumb?

I grab the first dress I see, going on autopilot as I change and do my makeup, painting myself into a pretty picture. My feet are halfway down the stairs as Bradley stands at the bottom looking up, pensive. A frown blooms on my face.

“What it is?”

“The staff would like to know what to do with the clothes left behind by the young ladies from last night.”

Are you fucking kidding me?I have no right to be mad. I have no right to be mad.Maybe if I keep chanting it, I’ll start to act accordingly. I close my eyes for a moment, reopening and smiling at Bradley.

“Young and ladies doesn’t seem applicable. Burn them.” I stop at the bottom of the stairs, “Where is the degenerate?”

Bradley never smiles or gives anything away, as he says, “Last I checked, in the billiards room. You may also want to ask the young Mr. McCallister where we should store the crew boat that’s still in the pool.”

I give a tight nod, crossing my arms as Bradley takes his leave. I’m so irritated. I stalk down toward the billiards room, shoving the heavy double doors open, hoping to exude the bravado I wish I felt. All the while secretly hoping not to see anything that’ll burn itself into my brain for life.

“There you are,” I hiss at Grey, rolling my eyes. “Why is there a crew boat in the pool? What the hell happened in here last night?”

My eyes discreetly scan the room, eyeing a pair of cheap red panties on the floor before Liam’s voice comes from the pool table. He’s laid across, back in his tuxedo pants, shoeless with just the top few buttons undone on the shirt.

Grinning at me, he pushes to sitting. “What didn’t happen? I think hell might’ve frozen over with all the nos that became yeses.”

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Because it’s not funny. My stomach drops because, during my spiral over last night, as I weighed out what would happen between Liam and me, I never considered that he’d be angry.

Or that he’d turn back into the same guy that used that well-worn charm against me.Don’t be douchey, Liam. But that grin on his face, paired with those words, is proving otherwise.Guess old habits die hard, huh, Liam.

I narrow my eyes at him, saying, “Shut. Up,” before walking past and turning my attention to Grey’s half-awake face.

“Make your feet stop.” Grey groans, rubbing his head.

Good, I’m glad Grey’s hungover. He deserves the pain as a consequence of being one.

“You’ve destroyed the room,” I snap.

My hands find my hips as I look around at the floor that’s littered with empty bottles, cigarettes. Eww. I glance over my shoulder at Liam, who’s leaning back on his elbow, letting his eyes roam over my body.

Is he fucking serious?I roll my eyes, ready to spit venom, when footsteps from behind call my attention. Donovan’s in the doorway, holding two lidded coffees. Our eyes meet for a second, then hers dart to Liam before she saunters past me, stopping only to do a double take at Kai.

“Looks like I left just in time last night.” She giggles.

I follow her gaze to Kai, seated in a high-back leather chair, and my brows hit the roof. For fuck’s sake, he’s wearing a top hat, boxers, a red bra, and a fucking monocle. How didn’t I notice that when I walked in?

“Jesus. You look like a perverse Monopoly character.”

He grins back at me, amused over his costume, and winks. I almost laugh, but I’m too on edge with Liam behind me.

Grey motions to his chest. “That must belong to the owner of the mystery panties on the floor. Wanna share with the class?”

A small breath leaves my body in relief, relaxing my shoulders. Dammit. I’ll hate myself for that moment, for at least a few months. Liam huffs a laugh, but I refuse to look back at him.He didn’t notice that, did he?

Grey pulls Donovan onto his lap, laughing,“Dude, you’ll need a penicillin shot if it’s the girl I think it was.”