Page 29 of Whisper Pretty Lies (Lust & Liars #1)

Damon chuckles, drawing her attention. “I’ve got something I need to show you, Evan. Promise it will only take a few minutes.”

She bites her lip, and I can see how much she wants to flee. It won’t work. She and Damon have been on a collision course no one can stop. It’s better to get it over with now so we can move on to the fun stuff.

I slip her bag off my shoulder and set it on the steps. She starts for it, but I block her.

When I tip her chin up, her eyes are wide and wary. “We want to talk, goody two-shoes. You’re going to be around this house. We need to establish the rules. Besides, don’t you think you should get to know your potential stepbrother?”

I lift my gaze to Damon and Hawk, letting them know I’ll handle this. I can handle Evan.

Damon scoffs and heads downstairs. Hawk follows him, leaving Evan and me alone. That urge to kiss her startles me again. I’m attracted to Evan. I’ve known from the second Damon put her in our sights, but the strength of that attraction is what confuses me.

I don’t want to just fuck this girl. Sitting with her while she fixed me something to eat was unexpectedly pleasant. She’s easy to talk to, and I want to be around her. With most girls, I fuck them, and I’m done. They’re useful to satisfy the itch.

With Evan, I want to spend more time with her. I need to convince her to spend time with us.

“What do you plan to do in your room anyway?” I glance up the stairs. “I guarantee everything’s unpacked. This place runs like a well-oiled machine. The only reason Damon’s bed isn’t made every day is because he told them not to.”

I hold my hand out to her and give her the smile that says trust me and gets me out of trouble with older women. “If you feel uneasy and want to leave, tug on your ear and I’ll get you out. But you don’t have anything to worry about.”

She searches my eyes doubtfully. She should be concerned. Damon’s done waiting and he thinks he holds the key to make her do what he wants. I’m curious what will happen honestly. Will she shed the good girl act, or is she truly as innocent as she seems?

“Tug on my ear?” Her blue eyes are so wide and trusting. For a second, I forget myself and step closer, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It would be so easy to kiss her. No one would stop me, except her.

Would she? Stop me? Her gaze drops to my lips before looking away.

“Yeah. It’ll be our code.” I let my hand drop to my side, though I long to slide my fingers into that thick blond hair and tilt her head back. I want to claim that plush little mouth with mine and find out what she tastes like. But I want her trust.

For now.

She swallows. “Okay.”

EvanAnn

This is stupid. This is so stupid. I walk with Cam down into the rec room. I don’t know if my mom or Damon’s dad are in the house, but I’m convinced even if our parents were, they wouldn’t be able to hear anything we do.

This house seems even bigger now that it’s supposed to be my home. It feels like it will gobble me whole. Cam is familiar. Even Hawk and Damon are familiar. They’re all I know here and am a little comfortable with. Though my heart is racing, and all I can think is that I’m alone with them.

This whole plan of my mom’s sucks. But I get it. She’s been lonely for years.

Adam is handsome and better off than most men his age.

I’m going to college next year and won’t be home.

I still don’t understand what happened with our rental house, but if they’ve been dating for a while, it was probably inevitable they would move in together.

It’s better I move in too instead of being left alone all year, while Mom basically lived with her boyfriend anyway.

I can’t fault my mom for wanting to move on with her life, but she has no idea how this has already disrupted mine. That’s on me. I don’t want to spoil her future because I’m uncomfortable.

Damon sits on the couch with his phone in his hand. The television is on, but not displaying anything.

He leans forward and his blue eyes lock on mine. “Come here.”

My steps falter, but Cam puts his hand on the small of my back and guides me forward. This is a fucking trap. I know it. I can feel it in my bones. But Cam’s right, it’s going to happen eventually. Maybe Damon will finally tell me what I did to grab their attention.

I need to know what I did wrong so I can apologize and we can get back to normal.

I glance at Hawk. His green eyes are hooded and he’s not showing me anything.

I almost touch my lips, remembering the feel of his lips against mine.

Cam’s fingers burn my back. And Cam, is he as lonely as I am?

That night he wanted company, and fuck, did I need someone to be there with me for a little while.

Do I want to go back to the way things were before?

Do I want them to look through me like I don’t exist? Because that’s the way it was. I swallow. It’s what I should want, but it’s time I face the truth. I like their attention. They make me feel alive in a way I’ve never felt before.

I thought my life had changed when Chase noticed me and worked to bring me out of my shell, but it was nothing compared to these guys.

I don’t know what that means, and I’m trying not to look too closely at it.

I cheated on my boyfriend with Hawk. I’ve spent more time talking with Cam in the past week than I have with Chase.

And Damon. Nervous butterflies riot in my stomach at his attention.

Those piercing blue eyes seem to see all the way into my soul.

They measure me to see if I’m worthy, and fuck, I really want to be worthy.

My fingers twitch to rest my hand over my stomach to try to calm it, but there is no calming it when it comes to Damon Storm.

When I stop in front of Damon, Cam sits next to Hawk.

“Will you tell me what I did wrong now?” I ask softly. Maybe he’ll finally tell me and get this over with. His sly smile makes me swallow and the butterflies inside me crash into each other.

“Evan, Evan, Evan.” He shakes his head and pats the spot on the couch next to him. “Sit down.”