Page 18 of Fated Lies (Lies 3)

Liesel’s worried about me. It warms and pisses me off at the same time. She has no right to care about me.

“Liar,” I say. She can pretend she’s looking out for my kids all she wants, but I know the truth. She only ever looks out for herself.

She blinks like I just slapped her. “Is it so wrong of me to care?”

; I touch her cheek. “It’s only wrong of you to say you care because of my kids. You’re selfish, Liesel. You care about me because you are the one who wants to destroy me.”

She shakes her head angrily and steps back. “You’re right. I lied. You are my only chance at killing the danger outside this door. I just want you to be smart so that I don’t end up stuck in this room without food or water. This gun isn’t enough to protect me, and I don’t trust you to protect me.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. No matter how many attackers are out there, I’ll be able to protect you. I never lose.”

And then I kiss her to piss her off.

The kiss starts that way as she tries to push me back with her hand on my chest. Her lips push me away as she bares her teeth, but when her back hits the wall, she moans. She slips up and parts her lips just enough for my tongue to push between her full lips. And her hand grips, instead of pushes, at my shirt.

And then we are kissing, not fighting. It seems the only time we aren’t fighting is when our bodies are pressed together. I want more and more and more.

Her moans prove she doesn’t want the kiss to stop either.

A loud booming sound jerks us away from each other as we both pant hard.

“Why do I enjoy kissing you so much when all I want to do the rest of the time is end your life?” I say, talking to myself.

“Because I’m an excellent kisser and you’re a man. You only think with your cock.”

I shake my head. “You’re a huntress whose main strategy is to attract her prey with honey and lure them into her trap. I’m no prey. You can’t trap me, and we already know you are incapable of killing me.”

“I killed Siren.”

I grit my teeth and fist my hands. She’s trying to goad me. To knock me off-balance so when I leave this room, I won’t be on my game. I’ll be thinking of killing Liesel instead of focusing on my task.

“Siren isn’t dead.”

“You don’t know that.” She smirks.

“I know that if she is, you’re a dead woman.”

“I’m a dead woman either way.”

The way she says it with such a softness and certainty hits me to my bones. She’s right, but I didn’t expect her to surrender to that truth so soon. I expected more of a fight from her, but maybe killing Waylon did that to her.

“Stay here and use that gun on anyone who tries to get through the door.”

Then I open the door and quickly shut it behind me, before keying in a code that puts the whole ship into emergency lockdown. It will keep Liesel safe. I just don’t know if she’ll ever let me back into that room when the danger has cleared.

I listen carefully, trying to get hints of who and how many attackers are onboard. I don’t hear any footsteps, but I do hear a loud banging sound from upstairs, like someone is banging on a door trying to get in.

I crack my neck. After my conversation and kiss with Liesel, I need an excuse to kill someone. It will help get out some of my rage.

I pull out my phone to check the security feed, but no one shows up on any of the cameras.

I frown; whoever is attacking knows how to hack into my security system to make themselves invisible. That’s not an easy feat. Not impossible, but not easy.

The assailants are more skilled than I first thought. But why are they so brazen to make loud noises? It’s almost like they are drawing me out on purpose.

I consider turning back and checking on Liesel, but I don’t want her to win. I don’t want her to know I have a single feeling for her other than hatred.