Lies We Tell (Thistle Cove 3)

“Especially that.”

“You really think it’s one of them?” Finn asks, hands balled into tight fists.

“I have to assume.” He glances at Kenley. “You’ve poked a lot of hornet’s nests, and they have the most to lose.”

“Then why keep it going? Monica’s in jail—why continue to harass Kenley?” I ask.

“Because they want to dominate and control. They want to win, and as long as one person is still making problems, they’ll do what they need to in order to keep them quiet.”

“They’re scared of Kenley.”

My father nods. “Maybe more than they were scared of Rose.”

32

Kenley

“I can take care of this,” Mr. Baxter says, “but you have to leave it alone. Don’t say another word. Keep your mouths shut and stop poking around into Rose’s disappearance and anything that has to do with the SugarBabies site.”

The boys, Mr. Baxter, they all look at me, waiting for me to make the call.

Do we believe him?

Are his hands really clean(ish)?

Are these men just scared of me revealing their secrets?

But most of all, do we have any choice?

I sigh and wrap my arms around my body. “Fine. I’ll leave it alone.”

“Are you sure?” Ezra’s gaze shifts from me to his father. “You don’t need to be intimidated by him.”

“Rose is gone and we all know there’s no bringing her back. Monica is in jail—as she deserves.” Hot tears prick at the corner of my eyes. “I’m tired of worrying. Finn shouldn’t have to sleep in my room every night to keep an eye on me, and my parents don’t need the stress.”

Mr. Baxter nods. “It’s the smart move, Kenley. I don’t actually think they’d hurt you, these are scare tactics, but obviously we can’t make assumptions.”

He walks over and lifts his hand like he’s about to touch my shoulder. Ezra steps between us. Father and son stare at one another, until Ezra says, “Go fix this and leave us alone.”

“I’m sorry,” Mr. Baxter says to his son. “I know I’ve failed you in many ways—just like I failed Rose. I’m a shitty father—a terrible spouse. I’ll do what I can to make it up—starting with you and Kenley.”

He walks out of his office, leaving the four of us alone.

Finn slides his arm around my back and I lean into him. “That was…”

“Fucking crazy,” Ozzy says. Finn’s hair is sticking up in spikes from running his hands anxiously through it and Ezra? His jaw is still snapped tight.

I want to talk to him, to clear all this up, and I squeeze Finn’s side, prepared to ask for a minute with Ezra, but he speaks first.

“I’m sorry you had to witness the Baxter family dysfunction firsthand.” Ezra looks at me. “Especially you KK, although I shouldn’t be surprised. There was a reason I kept to myself the past few years—why I was deep in drugs and other shit. It was easier than dealing with all this.”

“It’s over now. The air’s cleared,” I say. “We can go back to normal.”

“If you think that’s all of the skeletons in my father’s closet, then you’re way more naïve than I thought.” He shakes his head and laughs bitterly. “Rose was my sister? I never saw that coming. Nothing is ever going back to normal, because there is no normal.”

My heart flips anxiously. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that nothing between us has changed.” His eyes flick to Finn. “None of you need the Baxter baggage following you around.”