The Lie (Kings of Linwood Academy 2)

I’m still mad. I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin like boiling oil, and it wants a target. It wants to land somewhere. It wants to blame the kings of Linwood for the shitstorm that has overtaken my family and my life.

But the truth is, they made the best choice they could in an impossible situation.

I drop my head for a moment, and I feel both Dax and Chase squeeze my knees harder. It’s such a strange feeling, being touched by both of them at once. It’s almost like being touched by one person—that’s how in sync they are.

My nostrils flare as I drag in several deep breaths, and when I rise to my feet, the twins stand with me. They follow several paces behind me as I cross to the door and open it.

I was wrong. Lincoln’s not standing with his back to it. He’s leaning against the hallway wall opposite the door, arms crossed over his chest. River stands next to him. He must’ve arrived while the other two were in the room with me.

Linc straightens slowly, his sculpted features impassive, his intense amber eyes focused on my face as if he’s trying to read my thoughts.

“Now do you understand?”

There’s something like a challenge in his voice, and I think I understand better why he’s been so pissed at me this week.

Because I didn’t trust him.

Even though he was trying to protect me. Protect my mom.

I hold his gaze and nod. “I’m sorry.”

Something in his stiff posture snaps, and before I can say anything else, he’s pushing away from the wall and striding toward me. His body collides with mine at the same time his arms wrap around me in a bruising hug, holding me up even as my legs stumble.

He tucks his head next to mine, his lips brushing my still-damp hair, his breath tickling my ear.

“No, baby. I’m fucking sorry.”

6

God, I didn’t realize how much I needed this. How much I fucking missed it.

I’ve been craving it all week, wrestling against my desire to bury myself in Lincoln’s embrace, to feel his strong arms around me and breathe in his spicy scent.

But the physical touch wasn’t all I was craving—it wasn’t all I missed. I missed the feeling of being enveloped by him, consumed by him, on the same side as him.

Same with all four of these boys, really, if I’m being honest.

I missed them.

Lincoln keeps holding me, breathing in my essence just like I’m breathing in his, his arms wrapped so tightly around my waist that movement is impossible. Not that it matters. There’s nowhere else I want to go anyway.

When he finally relaxes his hold on me, he draws back slightly to peer into my eyes, like he’s trying to verify that I really do believe him. I’m not sure if what he sees satisfies him, but he doesn’t get a chance to look for long, because as soon as his grip loosens, River pulls me into his arms.

He hugs me like he’s been waiting to do this ever since my mom was taken, like maybe he missed me as much as I missed all of them.

When we break apart, he keeps his hands on my waist, his blue-gray eyes churning like storm clouds. “We didn’t mean to cut you out, Harlow. Linc just didn’t know how to tell you what was going on without making Dunagan suspicious.”

“I know. I get it.”

His gaze flits down to my lips, and it lingers there even after I finish speaking. I suddenly become aware that even though we’re no longer hugging, we’re still standing so close together our chests are almost touching, and his fingers are still wrapped possessively around the swell of my hips.

I can feel all three of the other guys watching us, but I can’t read their expressions without craning my neck to look, so I just keep my gaze on River and pretend it’s perfectly natural to be touched this possessively by two guys in quick succession.

Lincoln pokes his head out into the hall, then turns to look at us. “My parents are gone for the day, but just in case one of them comes back early, let’s go downstairs. It’ll be more private.”

River releases me, and the five of us troop down the west wing stairs to the main level, and then down one more flight to the basement. I’ve been down here to clean before, and it’s the easiest part of the house to work on because it barely gets used. Which is crazy, because it’s awesome. There’s a full steam room and sauna, a couple rec rooms, a weight room and a small basketball court, a huge wine cellar, and a mini movie theatre with a dozen plush, luxurious seats.

I’ve never once seen any of the Black family members use the movie theatre, but that’s where Lincoln leads us now. The recessed lights are dim, though the room isn’t as dark as it’d be if we were actually planning on watching a movie in here, and the guys and I all grab seats in a cluster. I end up sandwiched between Lincoln and Chase, with Dax and River in the row ahead of us.