Page 68 of Whisper Pretty Lies (Lust & Liars #1)

EvanAnn

I park in the garage and Hawk rides in next to the car. My lips feel swollen from his kisses and I want nothing more than to pull him back down and kiss him again. But Mia is going to be here soon to study.

I get out of the car and grab my things to carry inside. The plan, at least on my side, is to pretend I don’t live here. Which might be hard if my mom comes in. If it happens, it happens.

Mia won’t have access to the guys through me because they aren’t allowed to fuck her while we’re doing whatever we’re doing.

I don’t know if Mia will take the don’t fuck my future stepbrother as a rule or a challenge.

I’m trying to trust the Devil’s trio, and that means trusting they won’t cross that line.

Hawk walks behind me into the house. His hand brushes the small of my back. I shiver at the flood of tingles he ignites and look up at him. We didn’t do anything but kiss because there wasn’t time. But I desperately want to do more.

His gaze drops to my lips. Anticipation buzzes through me. He leans in.

“How’d practice go?” Damon asks. He has on jeans and a t-shirt.

I step away from Hawk and tuck my hair behind my ear. Damon smirks at the two of us.

Hawk laughs. “Fuck off.”

“Where are our parents?” I ask. Suddenly nervous because Mia is coming here.

“Out.” Damon closes in on me and drags his thumb across my lips. “Have you been kissing your boyfriend?”

“You want to call me your boyfriend, baby girl?” Hawk leans against a side table and winks at me.

My heart ratchets up a beat. “You guys don’t do girlfriends.”

I glance at my phone. Mia could be here any minute. Do I have my books? Do I need anything from my room?

Damon slides his hand into my hair, drawing my attention. “If I’m going to have to endure your friend?—”

“You’re the one who invited her here.”

“Give me your panties, little devil.”

My eyes widen. “What?”

“You heard him.” Hawk rubs the corner of his lips. “Do what you’re told, baby girl.”

“I’m wearing a skirt.” I try to back away, but Damon tightens his hold, drawing me in against him. At least this is one of the newer skirts.

“And I want to know that you’re bare under there.” Damon drops his lips to mine and talks against them. “It’ll be our secret.”

“He won’t stop pestering you until you do it.” Hawk chuckles.

“Fine,” I whisper.

“Good girl.” Damon kisses me briefly before pulling away. He spins me around and lifts my skirt.

I roll my eyes but slide my thumbs into the sides of my lacy panties and push them down my thighs. When I bend over, he slides his thumb over my entrance. Liquid heat flows through me.

“Try not to stain your skirt, little devil.”

I step out of my panties and hold them up. “Happy?”

“Immensely.” Damon snags them from my hand and shoves them in his pocket.

The doorbell rings. Damon grabs the back of my neck and kisses me properly before releasing me.

“Behave.” He heads to answer the door.

He’s the one who needs to behave. Mia is going to flirt with both of my guys, and I can’t do a damn thing about it. But they don’t need to flirt back.

I hear Mia’s voice in the hallway and pick up my backpack. They come around the corner.

“Oh, good, everyone’s here.” Mia smiles. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt that clings to her figure. “Where are we setting up?”

Damon nods his head toward the stairs down to the basement. “Why don’t we go down to the rec room?”

“So, Damon, do you ever throw parties here?” Mia looks at me with a sly grin.

I return her grin with a shrug. I don’t know what she expects to happen tonight. It’s not like I’m going to leave her alone with the two guys. Or maybe she’ll hit on Hawk because she thinks Damon is into me.

“No.” He leads us down the stairs and over to a table the perfect size for playing games. “We should be able to work over here.”

“I thought you three ran in a pack. Where’s Cam?” Mia takes a chair and I sit down next to her. It’s a four-person table so Damon sits next to me and Hawk takes the seat across from me, next to Mia.

“He’s not in our history group, why would he be here?” I ask.

Mia shrugs. “The more the merrier, I always say.”

An image from the night she took Liam and Fletcher comes unbidden to my mind. My cheeks heat. Is that what she’s hoping for?

“Let’s focus on the project. I have something I need to do later.” Damon’s knee brushes mine under the table.

Am I the something he needs to do? I try to keep the heat that pours through me from my cheeks.

“I made an outline the other day.” I take it out and pass it to Damon.

He looks it over and grabs a pen. He edits it before passing it to Hawk. Hawk does the same thing before handing it to Mia. She looks it over.

“So do we want to split this up? How do we want to do this?” Mia returns the paper to me.

I glance over their notes, and they’re good additions. We split up the work and it grows quiet as we all dig into the text or research on the internet. I cross my legs and focus on my section.

After a while, Mia stretches, drawing everyone’s attention. “I could use a drink.”

Damon gets up and heads over to the bar. He opens the fridge. “Soda or water?”

She stands and walks over. She stops very close to Damon to check out the contents by bending over.

Damon steps away from her and leans against the bar. His gaze meets mine behind her back, and he arches an eyebrow. They know she wants them, but she’s my friend. Mia takes a bottle of Sprite and glances toward me.

“Do you want something?”

“A water.” The sooner she finishes, the sooner we’ll be done.

“Hawk?” She smiles his way. “Can I get you something?”

“I’m good.” Hawk turns the page in his text and continues to write notes.

She glances up at Damon.

He shakes his head.

She brings my water and her soda back to the table and sits down. Everyone falls silent again while we work. Damon leans my way to ask me a question. His breath is hot against my neck, but he maintains a respectful distance.

Mia clears her throat and turns to Hawk. “Can you show me where the bathroom is?”

She winks at me as she and Hawk stand and head toward the other end of the room.

My cheeks heat. Is she trying to create alone time for me and Damon? Or alone time with her and Hawk? Damon watches them go.

“What’s her game?” he asks softly. His fingertips touch my thigh. No matter how many times he touches me, sparks ignite.

I meet his blue eyes, keeping my voice low. “She might have mentioned she thinks you like me, and that if you want me to give you a blow job, I should.”

Damon chuckles. “Maybe Mia isn’t so bad.”

I roll my eyes. “It isn’t going to happen while she’s here.”

“Do you think she’s offering a quickie in the bathroom to Hawk?” Damon’s fingers slide up my thigh.

I open my mouth and close it as I look toward where they disappeared. I release my breath. “Probably.”

Do I think she’ll offer? Yes. Do I think he’ll accept? No. Not after that kiss.

Damon’s knuckles brush against my pussy. “How long do you think we have?”

I wet my lips and press my thighs together. “Not long enough.”

“Shame.” His blue eyes sparkle. “We know you like to watch, but do you like being watched, little devil?”

My breath catches at the teasing touch. “I didn’t have a choice to watch or not.”

“I could make you come while she’s at this table and she’ll never know, unless you make it obvious.” Damon leans in. His lips brush my ear as he says, “If you can stay quiet.”

“Damon.” My tone isn’t as chastising as I’d hoped. It’s almost a plea.

His chuckle races through me as he straightens, taking his hand from under my skirt. Hawk is talking to Mia as they head back to the table. His green eyes meet mine.

Damon wouldn’t actually touch me with Mia at the table, right? She takes her seat, and I cross my legs away from him to prevent Damon from doing anything. Mia sighs and looks at me with a pout.

I’d ask what’s wrong, but Hawk probably rejected her advances. Hawk clears his throat and our gazes collide. He winks before he settles back into reading.

We discuss the paper more, and come up with a solid plan to finish it this weekend. Before Damon can offer our house again, I suggest we meet at the library.

“Evan.” My mom’s voice drifts down the stairs. Fuck.

Mia’s brow furrows. “Who’s that?”

“Uh, my mom.” I blow out a breath. Should I come clean? “She gave me a ride here.”

“Oh, I was wondering where your car was.” Mia smiles. “Do I get to meet her?”

I glance at Damon. He’s not looking at me, which is probably good. I turn back to Mia. “Not tonight. I’ve got to go.”

Mia leans back in her chair. Her smile is smug. “Could I use the bathroom again before I go?”

I want to say no, but I also don’t want my mom coming down here and telling Mia I live here now. I don’t want it to be awkward between us, and I really don’t want the rest of the school to find out.

“I’ll walk you up.” Damon stands and I gather my books into my backpack.

Mia stands and gives me a hug before heading to the bathroom.

“What do I do?” I don’t want to leave them alone with Mia, but I don’t really have a choice.

“You don’t have anything to worry about, Annie.” Hawk tucks my hair behind my ear.

Damon guides me to the stairs. When we reach the top, Mom is there with a smile.

“I’m glad you’re exploring the house more.”

I gesture toward the main stairs up. “How about we go to my room? I wanted to ask you some questions about my clothes.”

“Of course, honey.” Mom smiles at Damon. “Did you guys get a lot of studying done?”

“Group project. I need to go make sure our guests find their way out.” Damon disappears down the stairs as I lead my mom away from meeting my new friend.

Damon

When I get back downstairs, Hawk has his things packed up. He glances at me, and then toward the bathroom.

“Did she try anything?” I ask quietly. She’s already offered Hawk a blow job last week, but he rejected her offer.

“Just flirted and wanted to stay out of the room.” Hawk narrows his gaze at me. “She thinks you have a thing for Annie and wanted to give you two time alone.”

I shake my head. I didn’t think I was being too obvious about my obsession, but if Mia got the impression I want Evan, then who else has noticed? Fuck.

I don’t give a shit about Chase finding out, but I don’t need Olivia being a bitch to Evan. How would I protect her at school without claiming her? That can’t happen for my plan to work.

Then again, Mia is new and doesn’t know me that well yet.

“Well, boys, it’s just us now.” She puts her hands on the back of the chair and glances toward the stairs. “Unless you have parents who will interrupt us?”

Her smile is predatory. Even if Evan hadn’t told us she wanted us, it would be obvious.

“I’ve got that thing I need to take care of.” I gesture to the stairs.

“Cards on the table, boys.” She straightens and pushes her breasts out. Her blue eyes take us both in. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend, just a good time. And I’ve been hearing you guys are the best.”

Hawk shakes his head and looks to me.

“Does this usually work for you?” I ask her, crossing my arms over my chest.

She shrugs and smirks. “The direct approach gets me what I want most of the time.”

“We’ve heard what you did with Liam and Fletcher.” I lean back against the wall. “It’s impressive, but not something we’re interested in with you.”

She arches an eyebrow and glances toward the staircase. “The offer is always open, boys.”

“We’re not interested,” Hawk says.

She shrugs and gathers her things. “We’ll see.”

She lifts her eyes to meet mine.

“Experience tells me eventually you’ll be curious enough to ask.” Her smile is subtle. “I don’t have many scruples when it comes to sex.”

That’s been made obvious.

“So if you change your minds, let me know.” She moves toward the staircase. “One thing though.”

She meets my eyes and I narrow mine on her.

“Evan isn’t the girl for you. Not only is she loyal to her boyfriend, she’s now loyal to me.

” Mia smiles. “She knows I want you, so she’s not about to jeopardize our friendship or her relationship to do anything with you.

When I told her she should give you head, she was insulted.

So when you’re ready for a real woman, call me. ”

I almost laugh in her face because Evan is mine. Mine to play with. Mine to tease. Mine to control.

Mia sweeps out of the room. Hawk watches me with a curious look.

“She’s going to be a problem,” he says softly.

I nod. She’s got a mission. “Evan hasn’t trusted her with a lot.”

“Noticed that too?” He shakes his head.

Evan hasn’t even told her friend about what’s happening with her home life or the roles we’re playing. Mia is new, but does Evan confess to anyone?

“Tell Cam we have to make sure we look available this weekend.” I rub my jaw, feeling the rough stubble growing there. It means I need to play Olivia, so she doesn’t suspect anything.

“And Evan?” Hawk asks.

I smile. “She’ll be where she needs to be.”

In my bed when the night is over.

“I need to go home tonight. Dad’s at the house.” He steps closer to me. “You good?”

I blow out a breath. “I will be.”

“Tell her goodnight for me.” Hawk claps me on the shoulder and heads out.

I gather my things and walk upstairs to my room. Evan is still talking to her mother. Their voices carry through our shared bathroom. I sit on the edge of my bed and pull Evan’s panties out of my pocket, rubbing the soft material between my fingers.

The plan is to use the girls to divert attention from Evan. But we also need to start attacking Chase’s confidence in his relationship. It’s a delicate balance that could shift at any moment.

“Love you, Mom. Good night.” Evan’s voice strikes at the core of me.

“Love you, Evan. Sleep well.” Her mother. What kind of dumb fate had their partners die and our parents find each other. I’m not even sure how they got together. There’s no crossover in their worlds I can find besides Evan and I attending the same school.

The door opens from the bathroom and she stands there. Barefoot, but still in her uniform. That skirt. She puts her foot on top of the other as she stands there waiting for me.

Our eyes lock.

“Come here, little devil.”

She doesn’t hesitate to cross the room. Tucking her panties back into my pocket, I tap my lap and lean back. She straddles my lap without me saying exactly what I want. Her stormy blue eyes lock with mine as her fingers sink into my hair.

“Kiss me, little devil.”

Her lips capture mine. I slide my hand behind her neck and my other hand slides up her thigh to her bare ass, and I take control. Because she’s mine. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.

Evan is ours.