Cruel Lies - Ella Miles Page 0,7

He quit. I look for the lie in his eyes, but I don’t find it.

His frown lightens slightly when I look at him.

“You don’t get to quit. None of us do,” Enzo says.

We both snap our heads in his direction. “I quit. I used to be part of this family but was thrown out years ago. I was written out of this family. I was considered the villain. So yes, if Langston wants to quit, he can quit.”

No one responds.

And then Kai smirks. “At least our plan worked. You two don’t want to kill each other anymore; you want to kill us. I can live with that if it means you’ll stop bickering.”

Her eyes say she knows that we’ve done more than just stop bickering. We’ve fucked each other, and if circumstances were different, we’d keep fucking each other until we no longer want to fuck any person.

But I feel Phoenix’s gaze.

I’m the devil. I fucked another woman’s husband. I don’t care about the reason they got married. I don’t care that they have an open marriage. It was still a sin—one that I don’t regret. I still hurt the woman who has been selflessly raising my son.

I close my eyes, unable to deal with my own shame. I rub my arms, trying to soothe myself as the cool night breeze rattles through the empty place in my chest where my heart once beat. The only heart I have is for that of my son. And I’m more conflicted about what to do about him than ever.

“Come on, it’s late; let’s leave the lovebirds alone,” Kai says, not mincing her words even though she sits next to Phoenix.

Finally, I let my eyes drift to her. She’s not looking at Kai; she’s looking at me. If my chest cavity wasn’t already empty, Phoenix would be burning a hole straight through it.

Kai stands up and grabs Enzo’s hand, dragging him behind her.

“Let me know if you need any resources or men to help you,” she says as she starts down the stairs of the deck.

“Finish this,” Enzo hisses at Langston. He doesn’t like anything risking his family or empire. But Langston doesn’t like being bossed around, and it’s clear that he’s done following orders after what they did to us.

Beckett stands and follows his half-brother. He doesn’t speak or give us any of his thoughts, but it’s clear his loyalty lies with his blood family.

Siren climbs off Zeke’s lap and motions for him to follow her. She gives me a slight smile before turning to Langston. “I’m not sorry. You needed this.”

She looks back at Zeke, who is standing still as a statue near Langston. I don’t know what he’s doing, but it appears Langston does.

“Get it over with you big oaf,” Langston says, rolling his eyes.

Zeke’s fist flies in Langston’s face, knocking him back on the couch he sits on.

Siren shakes her head like her husband is a ridiculous overbearing bastard.

“That was the last freebie I’ll give you,” Langston growls.

“Good, it will give me more reason to hit you harder next time,” Zeke snarls.

I realize now as I look at Langston’s face, that both sides of Langston’s face are puffy. Even in the dark light, I can see the hint of purple forming just under the skin. This isn’t the first time Zeke has hit him today.

It makes me giggle.

Langston shoots me an I thought you were on my side glare. That only makes me laugh harder.

Serves you right for getting his wife on her knees to suck your dick, I shoot back.

You’re one to talk. Langston looks to Phoenix, and my smile wavers. I’ve committed the same sin. If I was a better woman, I’d let Phoenix take a swing at me too.

Zeke and Siren leave. And then it’s just us and Phoenix.

There’s a heaviness in the air between us, threatening to choke me if someone doesn’t talk soon. I’m sure Phoenix knows what happened between Langston and me. Either because he told her or she’s smart enough to figure it out. I just don’t know what she’s going to do about it.

I don’t know what Langston is going to do about it.

I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.

Phoenix yawns and then stands. “I’m going to bed. You coming, Langston?”

“Not yet,” he says, meeting her gaze.

Not yet—those words hurt us both. Phoenix because he isn’t following after her. And me because his words insinuate that he will eventually.

Her jaw ticks in disapproval, but she doesn’t tell him