Bad Liar (The Reed Rivers Trilogy #1) - Lauren Rowe Page 0,43

to get something for Alessandra. How dare you!”

He chuckles. “How dare I? Save your indignation for your next performance, Georgina. The jig is up. You want something from me. I want something from you. There’s no need to scream and act outraged about any of it. Let’s talk like rational adults about the terms of this exchange and put this deal... to bed.” He winks.

My jaw thuds to the floor of the car, even as my heart explodes with rage. “Asshole!” I unfasten my seatbelt with frantic fingers, swing open my door, and stomp away from Reed’s fancy car, pulling up the Uber app on my phone as I go.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Reed says, marching after me.

“Home. Call me crazy, but my lady-boner sags to my knees when an arrogant, self-entitled prick-asshole calls me a fucking whore.”

“Sweetheart, trust me, if I fuck you hard enough while calling you that, you’re gonna come harder than you ever have.”

I whirl around, intending to slap him, but he grabs my arm and laughs. The bastard laughs.

“Fuck. You,” I spit out, wrenching my arm from his grasp. “I wouldn’t sleep with you now if you were the last man on earth!”

We’re just inside the metal entrance gate of his driveway now, standing in the foggy darkness near a streetlamp. And, in this moment, I’ve never hated anyone as much as I hate Reed fucking Rivers.

“Stop being so dramatic,” he says. “Nothing’s changed. I admit I was thrown for a loop for a split-second, but I still want to fuck you. The only difference now is I’m aware I’ve been your mark all along. Well, bravo, Georgina. Well played. But like I said, that’s not a deal-breaker for me. I just like knowing the price list in advance, that’s all.” He looks me up and down. “The menu of options, shall we say, of what I’m getting in exchange for giving this stepsister’s music a listen.”

I ball my fists, forcing myself not to punch his smug face. “I’m not being dramatic,” I shout. “I’m disgusted and enraged at you because you’re a pig and a jerk who’s treating me like a whore. Because I’ve suddenly realized: I hate you.”

He laughs. “You hate me? And you’re not being dramatic? Okay.” He leans his broad shoulder against the post of the iron fence, and then puts a languid hand in his pocket. “Let me remind you: you’re the one who’s had an ulterior motive this whole time, as you’ve been winking at me, and kissing me, and pushing your tits at me at all the right angles, and—”

“Fuck off, Reed!” I shout. “Fuck off and die, you arrogant, rude, self-entitled piece of shit.”

“Oh, my, my, my. And I’m the asshole here? Nice language, Georgina. Tsk, tsk.”

I palm my cheek in mock horror. “Oh, no, did I hurt your sensitive ears with my filthy mouth, Mr. Rivers? Or does this cut even deeper than that?” I add my other palm to my face. “Oh, no. Did I hurt your actual feelings? This whole time, were you thinking I might actually be your Cinderella, and you might actually be my Prince Charming? Do you, like Bryce, believe in love at first sight?” I put my hands on my hips and narrow my eyes. “Or is it simply that this is the first time you can’t have what you want, and it’s killing you? That’s what’s got you so worked up, isn’t it—knowing you’re never, ever gonna fuck this epicness?” I motion to my body. “Too bad, sweetheart, because I promise I would have been the best you’ve ever had.”

His nostrils flare. His chest heaves. And thanks to the massive boner straining inside his pants, there’s no question my punch has landed. “Okay, enough,” he says. “Stop acting like a petulant child and come inside. It’s cold out here and you’re pissing me off.”

“Sucks to be you, I guess. I’ve already called an Uber.”

“Cancel it. We’re going inside now. I’m gonna listen to one of your stepsister’s songs—one—but only if you promise not to have a fucking tantrum if I tell you she’s not a fit. And then, in exchange for me listening to that one song, we’re going straight to my bedroom, where I’m gonna rip off those clothes, tie you to my bed posts, and fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before. So hard, you’ll be seeing stars. So well, you’ll be crying for mercy and coming harder than you knew was