Cruel Lies (Lies 4)

Langston lifts me up so he can search my eyes. He knows that something is up with me. He just thinks it’s something I’ve already done, not something I’m going to do.

If he didn’t already hate me, if we didn’t have a history of lying to each other, if we loved each other, then maybe we could survive my betrayal, especially once he realizes that I only did it to get the treasure and protect Atlas.

But we don’t love each other. We never will. Our marriage will end with my betrayal.

I force myself to smile and kiss Langston gently on the lips before I climb off his lap and find my clothes in a pile. I start putting my jean shorts and tank top back on, peering through the aisle back to a still sleeping Maxwell. His chest rises and falls, so I know he’s still alive.

Langston gets dressed beside me as well.

“What’s the plan?” I ask.

“It’s dark, so we should head to a hotel to sleep for the night. Tomorrow we can go in search of the next clue.”

I nod.

He gets up and walks to the back to wake Maxwell. He says something, and Maxwell pops up.

Langston gathers a few things in the back before walking back to me. He has a gun in his hand that he holds out to me. I take it and tuck it into the back of my shorts.

Langston nods his approval.

“Follow me, we have a car waiting.”

I stand and follow him through the aisle and out of the plane. As I walk, I hear footsteps behind me.

“Are you feeling better, Max?” I ask, without turning my head.

“Good as new.”

I smile.

Langston growls, irritated with me for talking to Maxwell. The easiest way to betray Langston is by fucking Maxwell. Maxwell is good looking enough. He’s injured, and Langston already thinks I have a thing for him. It would be easy to make him believe that. I’m just not sure I’m strong enough to do it.

My mind is spinning with how I could pull it off, how I could use Maxwell to hurt Langston as I follow Langston down the stairs. A flood of anxiety rattles through my chest, shaking me with every fucked up thought I have of kissing Maxwell, sucking his cock, letting him touch me—all so I can hurt Langston.

I try to think of all the reactions Langston could have. Him yelling, beating Maxwell until he’s dead, or just wordlessly walking out and sending me the divorce papers later. I don’t know which is worse.

“Wait,” Maxwell says suddenly, before we step into our waiting SUV.

His words barely register in my whirling head.

Langston understands the single word, though. He pulls his gun out and starts firing before anyone fires at us.

I duck down and grab my gun, watching as bullets whizz by my head.

“Huntress!” I hear Langston shout. His voice is far away. I can’t hear him. I don’t see him.

I shoot in the direction the bullets are flowing from, but I can’t make out who’s shooting.

And then I see a bullet coming straight for me. I try to flatten myself out—it’s all I can do in the fraction of a second I have to react before it hits me.

A body hits me instead—Maxwell.

He groans from the bullet lodging in his wrist as he pushes me out of the way.

Suddenly, the bullets stop.

Maxwell hovers over me, still trying to protect me.