Vicious Lies (Lies 1)

“You will stay on the island for one year. That’s the timeline I’m giving you. One year to tell the truth. One year until you die.”

My mouth dries. Now I wish I hadn’t downed the scotch so quickly.

Langston notices, or it’s a strange coincidence, because he picks up my glass and pours me more scotch. He then takes my hand and places the glass in it.

“Thanks,” I whisper, my throat burning from the single word. I take a small sip, savoring it this time.

“Every night I will give you the opportunity to extend your time or reduce it. If you lie, your time shrinks, and I will punish you. If you tell the truth, you gain time, and your time here will be more enjoyable.”

One year.

I’m still caught on that part.

I can’t stay on this island for a whole year.

Langston said I would die in one year. Death doesn’t scare me, but the thought of being trapped this long, even in this beautiful of a place, sends icy blades jolting down my spine.

“During the day, you can spend your time however you want. Check out the island, swim, read a book, plan your escape, I don’t care. But you will spend it away from me.”

My eyes narrow, and my forehead wrinkles. “Why?”

“Why do you think?” he breathes, his breath full of warm alcohol. He’s had more than the single scotch to drink tonight.

I don’t answer. I honestly don’t know why he hates me so much.

“At night, you can sleep in my bed or be locked up.”

“Locked up. There is no way I’d be able to sleep with you in my bed,” I retort without a thought.

His fist tightens around his glass, but he doesn’t say anything.

“This is where you’ll meet me every night after the sun sets. You’ll make your choice—tell me a truth to gain more time alive, or lie and lose time. Depending on what you tell me, I’ll decide how much time to add or take away. Or…” He stops and takes another swig of his scotch.

“Or you tell me every truth on your half of that piece of paper right now and I’ll let you live.”

I purposefully don’t look at him as he speaks. Langston is a good liar when he wants to be. His sparkling ocean eyes, his bright smile, his sun-kissed hair all make him look like a handsome lifeguard about to save me.

But he’s like medusa, one look at him and he’s deadly. His look can kill.

I know his tricks, though, so I don’t look. I don’t listen to the timbre of his voice or the shift of his weight in the sand. I definitely don’t listen to my own heart, because that sucker just wants to get laid.

No, I take my cues from the wind, the ocean, the stars. I listen to the truth that only the world holds. There is no listening to Langston.

He knows there is no way I’m telling him what’s on my half of the letter, a letter he ripped and stole. A letter he should have never even known about.

“What did I do to deserve death?” I continue to look at the ocean instead of him.

Our relationship is complicated; it always has been. We’v

e saved each other as much as we’ve tormented each other. Protected each other as often as we’ve thrown the other to the wolves. And yet, we’ve never threatened to kill each other.

I’m missing something—something vital.

“You know what you’ve done. You may not realize that I know, but I do. Just think about the worst thing you’ve ever done and start there. That’s why you deserve to die.”

He pauses.

“I’m giving you a way out. You can live if you tell me everything tonight—right here, right now. This is your only chance to tell the full truth. Tell me the truth tonight, and I’ll save you. Tell me a lie, and you’ve sealed your fate. This is a one time offer. Take it or leave it. Life or death.”