The Lies We Tell (The Four 1)

“Smoke?”

I took the joint from his outstretched fingers.

We sat there for a while, passing the bottle and the joint between us un

til I was pleasantly numb, my big plan to investigate my mother completely foiled by vodka and weed.

“Here’s the thing, babe,” Cassius finally said, his words slurred from the effects of the drink. “It’s obvious Cade thinks you’re sexy as fuck, yeah? But he kind of hates you, y’know. Seeing you looking like that tonight—” He waved a hand lazily in my direction. “—and with the drinks, and the weed, and his jealous thing with Granville…think he just gave in to his urges. He’ll be kicking himself tomorrow.”

Through my drunken haze, I tried to make sense of what he was saying. “I don’t get why he hates me.”

He lowered his voice. “You look like your mother. He hates her. You remind him of her.” Swallowing hard, he mumbled, “And he doesn’t trust you, does he. Thinks you might be working with her.”

“Huh?” I tried to get my addled brain in order. “Working with her? What do you mean?”

“She’s up to something. Bad. We’ve been keeping tabs on her. And you.”

He stared down at me, dawning horror in his eyes as he realised what he’d said. “Fuck, shouldn’t have told you that. I’m too wasted for this. Don’t ask me anything else.”

This was a conversation I needed to have with all the boys, and sober. I had to get one thing straight, though. Maybe the alcohol and weed had lowered my inhibitions or whatever, but I felt like I could trust Cassius.

“Cass.” I waited until he looked at me, his eyes glazing over. “Cass.”

He blinked a few times. “What?”

I carefully climbed onto my knees on the sofa, using Cassius’ arm to steady myself, and leaned in so I could whisper in his ear. Somehow, I managed to get the garbled words out. “I came to Alstone to investigate my mother. I think she may have had a hand in my father’s death.”

“What?” His stunned inhalation echoed loudly in the room.

“Yeah. Talk about it tomorrow, hmm?”

Shock at my words warred with the drunken stupor he was falling into. “Yeah. Tomorrow.” He yawned widely and slid down, arranging himself so he was lying lengthways, his head propped up on a cushion which leaned on the arm of the sofa. He tugged me down so I was lying with my back against his front and draped his arm over me.

“Closing my eyes for a few.” He yawned again.

“Don’t get any ideas,” I warned him as he smoothed down my hair so it wasn’t in his face.

“Cade would kill me.”

Then he was asleep, and seconds later, my eyes drifted shut, and I was lost to my dreams.

THIRTEEN

“Something you want to tell me?”

I slowly peeled my eyes open at the disapproving voice, wincing as I did so. Everything hurt, and my mouth tasted disgusting, as dry and arid as the desert. I licked my cracked lips and swallowed, my parched throat begging for some liquid.

“Need. Water,” I groaned, my voice hoarse. I tried to sit up, but I was weighed down by a muscular, tattooed arm.

Oh, yeah.

Last night came back to me. That epic kiss with Caiden, and getting wasted and high with Cassius afterwards, then falling asleep with him. I blinked rapidly, trying to get my eyes to focus.

“What time is it?”

“Nine.” Cassius spoke in my ear, his own voice husky from sleep. He tightened his arm around me. “Need more sleep.”

“Again, something you want to tell me?” This time I forced my eyes to stay open, and I managed to focus on Caiden, eyeing me and Cassius with a mixture of disapproval and what I think might have been a tiny bit of jealousy, but was probably just as likely to have been my hazy vision playing tricks on me.