Vicious Lies (Lies 1)

Liesel was actually going to kill this shithead.

She would have killed him.

I couldn’t let her kill—not a low life like him. When she kills, it needs to be worth it. Her first kill will stay with her forever, as will each kill after that. I don’t want her thinking about this bastard one second longer than she has to.

Liesel’s fuming at me as Fitz grips her around the neck with one arm and holds the gun at her temple. She’s not scared; she doesn’t fear for her life. She knows that I won’t let anyone hurt her, but her red cheeks, teeth biting down on her lip, and daggers for eyes let me know how pissed she is.

“You couldn’t let me have him,” she spits out as she pulls from Fitz’s grasp, almost getting away on her own without my help.

I stand still as a statue, hoping that if I let her think about this a minute, she’ll calm down. As long as she’s in Fitz’s hold, she has time to realize she shouldn’t be fighting me. I already know how she’ll feel in my arms.

As much as I yearn for that, and hate to see her in another man’s, I can’t have what I want. I never get what I want.

Yet, it won’t stop me from demanding it, from eventually getting it. I’m tired of being patient when it comes to Liesel. Our story has lingered on for far too long. It’s time to end it.

“You’re the huntress,” I say.

She shakes her head, her anger pulsing off her in waves. “You’re the killer.”

Fitz’s eyes narrow as he takes me in, trying to understand who I am and what I’m doing here. Unlike Liesel, though, I won’t be asking any questions.

“Don’t take a step forward, or I’ll kill her,” Fitz says.

I smirk. If he killed her, it would make my life a lot easier.

Liesel notices my smirk, and her glare intensifies, as if to say, I’ll kill you and haunt you from the grave if you let me die.

I give one look to Liesel, letting her read my thoughts like we used to be able to do as kids. She slams her elbow into Fitz’s groin.

It’s enough to get him to release her.

I take slow steps forward as Fitz hunches over in pain. I grab his gun that he so carelessly let Liesel take from him. He almost let her kill him. I pocket it from Liesel, and then I snap his neck. His body falls to the ground in one crumple.

Liesel gasps. Even though she’s seen death hundreds of times. Even though she’s seen me kill—it still takes her breath away every time.

After a moment, she composes herself and stares at me with such a harshness in her eyes as she folds her arms across her chest.

“I knew I should have found someone else,” Liesel says.

I don’t answer her. She should have found someone else. But she found me. She always finds me. That’s why our lives keep intertwining.

I step closer to her. I expect her to slap me. To try and knee me in the balls. For her to try and steal my gun.

She does none of those things. She just lets me get close to her.

“If you need to kill someone, you call me. You don’t do it yourself,” I growl my command at her.

She scoffs. “Since when do I take orders from you?”

I grab her hips and jerk her to me until her chest is flush against mine.

“Never.” But you will soon, my huntress. You will soon. You won’t have a choice.

The music carries from the ballroom, making me want to dance now that Liesel is in my arms. So that’s what I do. I sink my fingers into her lush hips, and we sway together.

It’s wrong for so many reasons.

There is a dead man on the floor next to us.