Page 93 of Vicious Little Snakes

“Do you want to know what they’re doing, Caroline?”

“No.”Lies—fuck yes, but I’ll never admit that.

Grey sets the bottle of vodka down, motioning with his head toward some glasses in a cabinet.

“How would you know, anyway?” I snark, grabbing two tumblers and handing them to him. “Liam would feed you exactly what was needed to keep you off his back.”

“Is that still a ‘no’?” he challenges, pulling the cork on the Grey Goose.

He pours two slight shots and slides the glass my way. I wrap my hand around and stare at him.

“Speak.”

All I get is a quiet laugh before he does just that.

“Nothing. Arden’s a lesbian, Caroline. Liam might be acting like a bitch, but he lacks some important characteristics—like a vagina.”

Um, what? I gulp my drink back as flashes from the party begin to make sense. That’s why the guys thought the whole exchange was funny. Son of a bitch.

I scream-growl, smacking my glass down onto the counter, and punch Grey in the stomach.

“You’re such a dick. The whole time I was acting like a jealous little—oh my God. You knew and let me make a fool of myself?”

He grins, rubbing a hand over his abs. “You hit harder than I expected.”

I ignore everything he’s saying, fuming, shaking my head. “Why would you do that to me?”

“It was entertaining.”

Grey’s enjoyment’s pushing me over the edge. He takes a polite drink of his vodka before adding, “And it was about time for the shit to hit the fan.”

My eyebrows shoot to the roof. Grey drags his hand through his hair, placing his drink on the counter.

“For fuck’s sake, Caroline. You and Liam have been in this ridiculous holding pattern since we were kids. Get over yourselves. You needed a push, and Arden was fate providing an opportunity.”

“A push? How dare you—”

Grey interrupts, putting a hand in my face—“Zip it, princess”—before lowering it as he adds, “Yes, Caroline. You needed a push to stop buying into the idea that somehow, you’re an imposter. You belong in this world—just as much as you belong with Liam.”

I hate him. Because that’s exactly what I feel like—an imposter. The Debutante Ball, the parties, the mentions on Page Six—it’s the only way I know how to prove I belong.

All this time, I’ve been worried about my mother, along with everyone else’s opinion. I’ve been living to disprove all the fucking condescension and insults instead of asking myself if I even want to do half of the shit I do.

Grey pours another shot into my glass, placing the bottle back on the counter.

“Arden is everything you’ve been vying to become. Seeing them together, a real piece of competition—I figured you’d go nuclear. I didn’t factor in that Liam would lose his shit, though. Although I’m proud. Take it from me, Caroline. Love doesn’t request permission to happen—so stop with the melodrama and get on with it.”

My mouth hangs open, trying to process his words or my own, but I can’t, so I snap my jaw shut. I let my shoulder hit his arm as I push past, swiping the bottle and yelling over my shoulder.

“You burned down a fucking tree. Maimed a kid and beat up your best friends. Don’t talk to me about melodrama—you were an episode of a telenovela.”

I look back as he shrugs, uncaring, so I scowl. “I expect an apology.”

But he yells back.

“Lower your expectations.”

My feet stomp up the stairs as I uncork the bottle again. “You are literally the worst brother.”