The Lie (Kings of Linwood Academy 2)

When my mom was here, she was always the one to talk with Mr. Black about the details of the household management. I was just her assistant. So I’m not quite sure what he wants with me.

And I shouldn’t be all that surprised by the look on Lincoln’s face. The whole reason he hated me so much when I first got here was because his dad has a history of sleeping with the help, and he thought my mom and I would try to seduce Mr. Black or something.

Ugh. No thanks.

“Hey. Thank you for the ride.”

I rest my hand on Lincoln’s arm, squeezing gently, trying to reassure him through my touch. I have to hope that by now he knows I wouldn’t do anything with his fucking father—which makes me wonder if it’s me or his dad he doesn’t trust.

Lincoln turns his amber gaze toward me, then shocks the fuck out of me by leaning down and pressing a kiss to my lips.

I practically jump in surprise. I mean, I know his dad is aware something’s going on between us—in fact, he was the one who used the word girlfriend—but we’ve always played things cool in the house. Linc sneaks into my bedroom at night, and he’s given me several of the best orgasms of my life, but outside of that little bubble we’ve created for ourselves, we don’t even hold hands under this roof.

My heart takes off at a gallop, and I grab Lincoln’s arm to steady myself as the kiss lingers a half second longer. Then he pulls away, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

“No problem, Low. Anytime. You know that.”

He glances once more at his dad, then heads up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Mr. Black watches him go, a somewhat bemused expression crossing his face. He raises his eyebrows, then shakes his head, as if banishing some private thought. When he shifts his gaze back to me, his beaming smile is back in place.

“Well. Shall we?”

“Yeah, sure,” I repeat, then follow him as he leads me through the massive house to his study.

I watch his back as we walk, trying to anticipate what on earth he could have to say to me. Is he going to kick me out? Have I worn out my welcome already?

Or maybe this is about me and Linc. If he’s figured out we’re sort of dating, maybe he’s more upset about it than he let on before. I am the maid’s daughter, after all. I’m sure there are a lot of fathers in his social circle who wouldn’t approve of their son dating the help. Maybe Samuel Black is one of them… as hypocritical as that would make him, given his history.

My spine stiffens and my muscles tense up as I consider all the possibilities. None of them are good, and by the time we reach his office and he ushers me inside, my shoulders are somewhere around my ears.

He shuts the door behind him and gestures to the couch that takes up the central spot in the room.

“Have a seat, please. Would you like a—” He breaks off with a chuckle. “I was about to offer you a drink. I forgot who I was meeting with. Although I can offer you a seltzer, if you’d like?”

“No. Thanks.” I perch on the edge of the couch, my spine straight and stiff as a metal rod.

“Of course. You don’t mind if I…” He trails off, tilting his head toward the shelves where his glasses and half-full bottles of expensive booze sit.

“No, that’s fine.”

He smiles and nods, walking over to pour himself a drink. I sit in silence as I wait for him, and the seconds seem to tick by at an interminably slow pace. When he finally comes back, he sits on the couch a few feet away from me, leaning back and crossing one ankle over the opposite knee.

“So. You and Lincoln really seem to have hit it off.”

My skin feels like it flushes hot and cold at the same time.

Goddammit. That is what this is about.

Is he going to try to buy me off or something? Offer me some exorbitant payoff to leave his son alone? Then again, why would he do that when he can just kick me out of his house and be rid of me that way?

“We—I—”

I don’t honestly know how to answer what wasn’t really a question.

“I think it’s great,” Mr. Black says firmly.

The streaks of gray at his temples glint in the warm light as he inclines his head. He looks a lot like Lincoln, with the same almost-black hair and similar features, although his eyes are a more basic light brown instead of the almost preternatural amber of Lincoln’s.