The Confession

That shouldn’t have surprised him. After all, if the shoe was on the other foot, Seth would be hitting Hammer up for every detail he could weasel out of the man.

“Beck or Heavenly?”

“Beck. He asked what really happened to Autumn and Tristan. He wanted to know why you said you killed them because neither he nor Heavenly believe you did.”

“I might not have killed them with my own hands, but—”

“You didn’t. It’s time to stop guilting yourself. Are you intentionally pushing Beck and Heavenly away for a reason?”

“I’m not pushing them away,” he snapped. “It’s just…I can’t bring myself to tell them what happened, especially what I did after Autumn and Tristan were gone.”

“Why?”

“I’m worried it will put a wedge between us that none of us can ever fix.”

“Oh, so keeping secrets that damn near destroyed you isn’t putting a wedge between the three of you now?”

He should have seen that question coming. “Shut up.”

“No chance, mate,” Liam said with a smug smirk. “And if that’s your best comeback, that tells me you know I’m right.”

“Are we keeping score?”

Liam shook his head. “You’re glum enough. The final tally would only depress you more.”

“Then let’s skip the rest of this chat. You’ll just tell me to spill my guts and let the chips fall,” Seth drawled as he scooted his chair back and stood. “And I’m telling you I can’t.”

“Sit down,” Liam chided. “I’m not through.”

“What’s left to say except that I was a fool for opening my mouth in the first place? That part of my life is over. Done. There’s nothing to be gained by digging up the past. It’s where it belongs. It needs to stay buried.”

Liam didn’t say anything for long seconds, simply held him with a piercing stare. Finally, he took another drink of water. “You’re aware that our girls talk, right?”

“Sure. Raine is the only girlfriend Heavenly really has.”

“Then it’s no surprise I’m privy to the fact that, while you and Beck haven’t taken Heavenly to Shadows, you two are giving her quite an education about Dominance and submission.”

A crooked smile tugged at Seth’s lips. He would have loved being a fly on the wall when sweet Heavenly described all the kinky things he and Beck enjoyed doing to her. “It’s been brief but thorough.”

“Rumor has it that, after you and Beck discovered Heavenly was working at Bazookas, you two had hard words for her all the way home because she’d lied about her job.”

“River has a big mouth. Heavenly didn’t lie, but she omitted the truth.”

“Like you’re doing now?”

“It’s not the same thing.”

“Not exactly. What you’re doing is more deceitful. If you expect Heavenly to be open and honest, to communicate all her feelings, and to give you her trust, you have to give her the same in return. If you don’t, your relationship with her and Beck won’t be built on solid ground. And how long do you think it will last?”

People can’t be in relationships with partners who aren’t honest.The words Seth had once spoken to Heavenly zipped through his brain—and bit his ass like a shark.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, then stared at Liam. “This is the part where you start busting my balls for real, right?”

“Indeed. Now stop avoiding my question.”

With a sigh, Seth settled into his chair again. “I can’t tell them the truth.”

“You can. You simply don’t want to because you’re afraid it will change how they feel about you.”