Little Liar (The Web of Silence Duet, #2)

by Leigh Rivers

To the book that nearly cost me my life. I won this time.

Daddy lifts me into his arms as tears start to slide down my cheeks. “It’s okay, Malachi. Don’t be upset. He’s asleep.” I cuddle into him and cry. Because I know I crushed the spider. I know it’s dead because of me. My body shakes uncontrollably until I fall asleep in my daddy’s arms while he carries us out of the playground.

“You’re such a good kid, Malachi.”

I’m sorry I can’t be there for you anymore, son. I hope you can one day forgive me for leaving. You see, Daddy’s head isn’t a nice place, and he’s not good for you and your mother. I tried so hard, but you both deserve better. I wish I could choose you and fight the poison in my brain, but I can’t. I’ll see you again one day, but hopefully not anytime soon. Your new eight-legged friend will protect you, just like I know you’ll protect him. I suggest the name Rex or Spikey. Don’t be afraid of him. After all, you’re an arachnophile, just like me. Love, Daddy.

I lift the hand with the spider until it’s at eye level. “Hi,” I say in my squeaky voice. “You’re my new best friend.”

If they send me back, which they probably will, I’ll run away again and make sure they’ll never find me. Because I’ll be in heaven with my parents. I stop in my mental tracks as a little girl with long brown hair appears in front of me with the biggest smile on her face.

Olivia. My new little sister. I couldn’t protect my mom or Rex, but I think I could protect her. I will protect her. Because she’s mine.

“I know you have a heart of stone, but you gotta admit that it’s pretty.” It is, I sign lazily, my eyes on her as she looks back at the view.

I love Olivia, but I’m not sure it’s the same way I grew up loving her anymore. It’s stronger, violent, and I have a feeling if she ordered me to get on my knees and kiss her fucking feet, I’d do it. Anything she asked, I’d do.

Before I fall asleep, I hear her say, “Parker isn’t nice at all.”

She’s looked at me a few times, caught me looking back at her, but it doesn’t put a frown on her face or spoil her fun—if anything, she grows more comfortable and confident, and fuck is she beautiful when she believes in herself.

Fuck. This girl owns me.

We both grab one last beer and head out, and Mason promises to keep my secret, as long as I figure out a way to get him and Abigail in the same room again. The blackmailing dickhead.

I’m definitely in love with her. Soon, I’ll make her fall in love with me too.

“Vizey’s sister is in trouble. Grab your bats and masks and let’s fucking go!”

Olivia shoves at my chest over and over again until I grab her and push her into the wall. I try to say her name. Actually say it—I can’t get the pronunciation or get the words out. I’m useless in this fight. I can’t sign because she either won’t look at me or grabs my hands; I can’t talk because I’m unable to actually do so. How do I win here?

I’m going to make her feel good. I need her to come, to cuddle me in bed to scare away the unwanted feelings creeping all over me like spiders, and tell me that I’m hers and she’s mine. I need it all. And I need it now.

Because I can’t talk? Because I can’t tell you how fucking breathtaking you are every second of every day? Because I can’t breathe without being near you? Someone like me… I’m different—I can’t be normal for you. I can’t defend you without using my fists or my bat, and I can’t touch you at the same time as telling you that you’re everything to me. I can’t whisper sweet nothings into your mouth, and I can’t fucking marry you because not only am I your brother, but I’m defective.

Believe me or don’t, but you’re the only person in my life, and you always have been. And when you take your last breath, or I take mine, that won’t fucking change. You. Are. Mine. My goddamn property, do you understand?

I love you too much to walk away, Olivia,

If my brother knew that his best friend died the same night he was arrested, while speeding to the manor to make sure Malachi was okay, it would be the final straw.

Malachi, What happened to us? We had everything. A family, friends, food in our stomachs and a roof over our heads. We had love. Real love. Did it ever exist? Was it all fake? Am I an idiot for wanting your love, in whatever form anyway? I was mad at you for lying to me about your date with Anna, but I never wanted this to happen. We were supposed to argue, yell, kiss, and make up. You would’ve explained your side if I only let you. I shouldn’t have silenced you the way I did. That was terrible of me and I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Malachi. I know what happened with Dad was a mistake. It was the sign we all needed from you to show how much you’re struggling, and I’m going to help you, I promise. Give me some time to talk to our parents. I’ll tell them the truth about us. Once Dad is doing better and Mom isn’t on the warpath with everyone, I’ll tell them that I’m in love with you and everything you said was true. I’ll spare them the details of that night though. Let’s agree to never talk about that. We’ll do everything as new. Everything. Mom is hellbent on me marrying still, so I need to try to get her to stop. I’ll refuse. I won’t marry anyone who isn’t you, Malachi, because you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, even if I have to wait a while. Please keep yourself out of trouble. I’ll visit as soon as Mom lets me. I’m so sorry I did this to you. You don’t have to forgive me. But I hope you do. I love you more than everything: It shouldn’t have taken me...

I half-smile and continue brushing my fingers through her freshly dyed hair. She did it to get rid of the blonde she was forced to have. There are still golden waves throughout since she trusted me to get the back, and, shockingly, I don’t know how to use fucking hair dye.

For one, I don’t know how to take someone on a date. And two, no.

I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to fucking be here.

“You’re more nervous than your last appointment. Has anything changed?” Yes. Everything. My entire life.

I hunt for candles, set them up on the coffee table, set out bowls of chips and various dips, and make sure the bottle of wine is in some ice. See? I can be romantic when I’m not on a warpath of revenge. Thanks to Google and reading too many forums, I’ve taken notes on this shit.

I call the number and place it on speaker for everyone to hear. “What happened? I told you not to call this number,” a voice says. The voice of Jennifer Vize. The woman who raised us.

Malachi chuckles deeply, audibly, clearly, as he walks me into the tiles of the shower wall. His head tilts, causing his black hair to fall over his forehead, a smile playing on the lips I can’t stop staring at. Clear as day, he speaks. “I’m your partner. Your lover. Your brother. Your everything, Olivia.” Then he lifts his slightly stained hands to sign, But what you are to me is something more than any words can explain. If someone found a way to remove you from existence, I would burn the world before making sure my soul found yours in the afterlife.

“What?” I don’t know if I’ve ever really told you, but you’re beautiful.

I blink, staring at them, unsure if I should try to kill them or to question whether or not I’m high, because why is there a Russian Scot at my front door with the brother of the man who’s trying to steal my girl? And why the fuck is Abigail here?

“Is that the chatty one? She’s fine. She tried to put a damn spider on my face while I was asleep on the sofa. I wanted to beat the shit out of her, but I didn’t think my father-in-law would’ve approved.” He then beams. “I’m trying to convince him I’m enough for his daughter by being a good guy.” “You’re married to someone else,” Abbi adds. “That’s irrelevant.”

“Well, despite his choice of fuck buddy, he’s a good-looking guy.” I chew my lip in annoyance. This guy is insufferable. “He’s my boyfriend, not a fuck buddy.” “Does he swing both ways?” I turn back to stare at him, confused. “What?” “Hmm.” He laughs, thinking to himself, then checks his watch and huffs that they’re still not here. “If I didn’t have a girlfriend, I reckon I’d fuck him.” My stare turns deadly.

His cousin chuckles. “You would know that, wouldn’t you? I wonder which brother she’ll choose?” “Shut your fucking mouth. Your best friend isn’t here to save you from me strangling the shit out of you.” “Kade will defend my honor when he’s home.”

“Xander can get two of us inside. But we need to wear masks too to hide who we are. Olivia will be wearing a gas mask—it’s what she requested through Xander. It’ll help to identify her.” My lip twitches. My good girl.

“His name is Malachi,” Molly snaps. “My dad already told you to stop calling him that.” Thanks, kiddo. She might be my favorite now.

Base is wearing a Batman mask, because he’s an idiot.

I turn and stop breathing at the sight before me. My fucking soul shivers. Fuck. I’m stunned into a place where I can’t even fill my lungs or blink. The black satin dress hugs her frame so perfectly, her long hair falling down her back. She’s slimmer than before. And I can’t see her beautiful face. She’s wearing a gas mask, just like mine, but with glitter around the chambers on each side. I’m looking at a fucking angel. My angel. My anchor. Mine.

I love you now. I loved you yesterday. When we were kids. When we were teens. When you had me thrown in jail and when I found you again. I’ll love you tomorrow. Next month. Next year. When you’re mothering my child. And when we’re old and gray, I’ll love you even more, because I’ll have had a fucking lifetime to fall more and more in love with you. Is that enough for you, Olivia? Do you need more from me?

“Tobes. Help me,” Base says into the phone pressed to his ear. “The siblings are fucking in the backseat, and I’m certain the mute just spoke.”

But then this kid came along and grabbed Malachi’s finger, and life has never been the same. He’s our son. But he’s Malachi’s best friend. His number-one reason for living.

Tobias nods to me as he leads his wife, I assume by the wedding ring on his finger, towards Base and his friends.

He fought his way out and got to have the girl of his dreams, and, going by the children by his side, a family.

Shit. Even Tobias got the girl, though it took him thirty years.

Her husband before him died. This entire event is for him and to fund more testing for the disease that took his life so suddenly—Ewan I think his name was.

Then his eyes land on someone by the punch bowl. “Who’s that?” I shrug. “Can I go talk to her?” I raise a brow at him, at the blush creeping up his face, and I gesture forward. Good luck, I sign, and he signs back, I don’t need luck. I’m a Vize.

“Keep your son away from my daughter,” Kade warns. I smirk. Because we both know that’s not going to happen.