every D1 college wanted him can attest to that. He’s fucking smart and he’s been my best friend since we were fucking kids, after he was adopted by the Perry’s.
I know him so fucking well to the point where it’s pretty clear to me that something’s up with him.
“You good?” I call after him, really concerned for the first time in two, maybe three weeks. In all that time, he’s been by my side, helped me with Aiden until the very end. Meanwhile, trying to forget his own demons.
He stops, glances back at me and shoots me a wink.
“Yeah, boy.” He smiles but it’s a bullshit kind of smile. “Now lighten up on young cub here, he’s the next big dog of SJ!”
“Exactly my point, dude.” Liam nods enthusiastically. “At least someone’s got my damn back.”
“Yeah, not in that way, Little Liam.” He laughs.
“Please, Cole, you love me,” Liam jokes, clutching his heart over his chest.
“I wish that were true.” Cole smiles, shaking his head. “See y’all in a minute!”
“Yeah, yeah.” Liam smiles. The kid has had a hard-on for my best friend since we were younger. Following Cole everywhere, copying everything he did, it’s freaking cute. Liam, Cole, Aiden and I are brothers and that will never change, not even in death. That’s my family.
“The plates said and I fucking quote, ‘princess’,” Liam starts, leaning over the door to look into the car as Cole’s Range Rover Sport pulls out of the lot. “So fucking unoriginal, but I saw it.”
“What?” I stare at him.
“You heard what I said.” He snorts, “The plates for that Porsche said ‘princess’ and I know for damn sure it’s not Matthews’ ride or some random chick’s car. But you saw the car and targeted it.” Liam tilts his head to the left, watching me. “Who is she?”
How the fuck did he notice that? He was egging the fucking Clintwood football jerks, laughing his head off. He couldn’t have had the time to notice the plates of her damn car.
“A nobody.”
Well, once I’m done with her, she’ll be a nobody. I’ve procrastinated on her demise for a godawful long time. It’s finally time to act.
“What did she do?” he presses.
“Nothing.”
Liam stares at me, studying me as Cole honks as he peels out of the lot.
“Why do I get the sense that I’m missing something here?”
Fuck.
“You’re not, Liam. Just drop it.”
“The fact that you can’t even look at me right now is the reason why I’m not going to drop it,” he grumbles. “At least be man enough with your fucking lies.”
“I’m not lying.”
“You’re just keeping her identity hidden,” he scoffs. “You’re an expert at that.”
I can hear the frustration in his voice, can feel the tension between us.
“Maybe you’re just reading too much into it.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Heavy silence stretches between us for a few seconds, then Liam clears his throat.
“I know she goes to that school,” he starts, his voice sombre and low.
“What?” He holds my stare, silently demanding the truth that I don’t want to admit. My heart beats against my damn chest like I’m in the middle of a game and we’re about to punt at fourth down.
“Mia Montague,” he starts, folding his arms. “After that fucking Malibu party, you tried to make it as if she wasn’t from Palos Verdes but she was. She’s been living here all her fucking life.”
I just shot myself in the damn foot. Cole was right with his stupid song.
“Liam—”
“I get why you did that, I fucking do, but it doesn’t take a genius to find skinny dipping ice queens like her.”
Yeah, no kidding.
“And I’ve never seen you so angry at someone else like you are at her.” He eyes me cautiously. “You never take your anger out on anyone except for Dad. But she’s really the only one that presses your fucking concrete buttons.”
“That’s not true,” I start. “A bunch of shit makes me mad.”
“Not like her.” He shakes his head. I know he’s searching. I know he wants to know and the fact that Liam knows me is a pain in my fucking ass. “Hell, that crazy girl pulled that pregnancy shit with you but you weren’t mad.”
“That’s different.”
“Sure, that was different,” he scoffs. “Let’s try another one then.”
“Liam, stop digging—”
“You weren’t mad when Cindy brought over that marriage license form on your birthday either.”
“That’s because that bitch is out of her damn mind,” I grumble.
“Yeah, but she’s the only one you actually fucked more than once.”
“It means