Page 125 of Vicious Little Snakes

“What the hell were you doing to get arrested?”

“Graffiti.”

Who. What. When. Where and fucking why. This is a lie.

My mouth opens then closes because I’m arrested by a thought as I stare at him. Why am I actively trying to wallow in disbelief? As I think it, I already know. How am I supposed to trust him? To honestly believe that this twist of dumbass fate is the cause of my heartbreak, rather than the big bright shining truth.

If he’d told me he loved me, I could believe him because I would know where we stood.

Last night wouldn’t hurt so much because that would be our truth. Not that we missed another opportunity because maybe we’re actually wrong for one another—life keeps proving it. We just don’t listen.

“I don’t care. You weren’t there, Liam. This is just another example of fate telling us to run.”

His eyes darken with the irritation present on his features.

“Bullshit. This is the reason why I missed our date. Nothing more.”

My eyes narrow, squirming in his arms to be let down.

“You said we’d do midnight over, and even our do-over failed. We failed, Liam. Put me down and go.”

Turning toward the door he carries me a few steps, stopping to look at the ceiling. I can feel his frustration vibrating off of him, but I don’t care.

I’m right. And he’s leaving.

Liam’s eyes drop back to mine as he chews the inside of his cheek before letting it go with a pop. “Fuck that, Carebear. You either give in or cool off.”

My head draws back as the grip on his shoulders tightens.

“What does that mean?”

He leans in close to my face, dead fucking serious.

“It means I’m here for the week. Kiss me, and then we can get on with it… Or I’m tossing your gorgeous little ass in the pool to cool off. It’s effective. I know.”

Fuck you.I grit my teeth together so hard they may break, staring at his stupid damn smirk as sarcasm rolls off my tongue.

“It’s heated.”

Liam

I give Caroline a pop, chucking her sarcastic little ass back over my shoulder, and turn to head outside. Her hands are pushing against my back as she yells profanities, but I’ve tuned her out. This is what she gets. I showed up with her favorite flowers and a reasonable fucking explanation, and still, Caroline’s trying like hell to deny the both of us this moment.

I’m done. I want my girl, she wants me—this bullshit is over.

The chill from outside is on us for only a moment until I open the atrium door that houses the pool.

“Liam Brooks. I swear to God. Don’t you fucking da—”

The rest of her sentence is a scream because I launch her slight frame into the water. She better hope it’s fucking heated. The splash makes me chuckle as I cross my arms, standing at the side of the pool as a wet Caroline pops up, spitting water, but it might as well be fire. Oh shit. She’s growling a scream—I love it when she does that—as she swims back toward the edge with daggers in her eyes.

Here we go. I squat down, locking eyes with her.

“You ready to talk now? Or do we need to try the ocean next?”

Her hand grips my sweatshirt tugging hard, jerking me right into the pool.Dammit.

As I come up, she’s halfway out, flipping me the bird, stomping back toward the house. The smile on my face might be permanent because I swear as fucked up as it sounds in my head, I know my thought is correct.