Lie to You
USA Today Bestselling Author
J.C. VALENTINE
Books by
J.C. VALENTINE
Night Calls
Stranded
That First Kiss
Surrender to Love
Trust
Wayward Fighters
Knockout
Tapout
Blue Collar
Sweetest Temptations
Forbidden
Dance for Me
ABOUT THIS BOOK
What if the person who stole your heart wasn't who you thought they were?
When my parents passed away, I grew up fast. Learning to stand on my own two feet has been a challenge, but I'm making it... my way. I make no apologies for the path I've chosen. My choices have served me well, but no one knows the real me.
Except one man.
He's a mystery to me. He's controlling, demanding, and he has me wrapped around his little finger. Anything he wants, I'll give it to him. The hours we share together aren't about love. It's just sex. Hot, dirty, passionate sex. It was never supposed to be anything more than that.
Until everything changed.
Now, I'm more confused than ever. The more I learn about him, the less I seem to understand. What I do know is that I'm falling, and I have the feeling when I land, it's going to hurt.
For you, my loyal readers.
ONE
I’m going to kill myself. Okay, maybe nothing that drastic. Still, I need a distraction in the worst way. If I sit in this apartment any longer, doing nothing but watching Netflix movies and talking to myself, I’m going to lose my freaking mind.
It’s been three days since I walked out of Ransom’s apartment. Unfortunately, walking out of his life hasn’t been as easy. Just as before, when we decided that seeing each other wasn’t the best idea we ever had, I can’t escape him. It’s impossible to do when I have to see him every single day in class, though.
To make matters worse, it’s clear that he and his brother, Rebel, don’t intend to leave me alone. If it’s not the constant looks preventing me from concentrating on my classwork, then it’s the constant, salacious looks following me around inside the club.
My life is hell.
Which is why I have decided to lock myself away at home at the end of the day. I need the peace. I need the space. From everything and everyone. Ever since I found out I was sleeping with twin brothers, it feels like my life has turned into a whirlwind of chaos.
Okay, maybe not chaos. Christ, even my thoughts are prone to melodrama today. I can’t even begin to express how much I don’t need the added drama in my life right now.
Annie is my only source of companionship at the moment, but with her gearing up to move clear across the country in a matter of days, even she can’t give me as much of her time as I need. As much as I enjoy catching up on the latest season of Teen Wolf, I’m not used to staying indoors so long and am in major need of a change in environment. It’s Sunday night and I’m in the mood for fun.
Flicking off the television, I drop the remote on the table and reach for the phone. There is one person I can always count on when I need to blow off some steam.
“Helloooooo!” Brody’s deep, craggy voice barrels down the line and I have to hold the phone away from my ear to avoid going prematurely deaf. There are all kinds of racket going on in the background, which confirms my belief that he was the right person to call.
“Hey, are you busy tonight?”
“J, baby, what’s up?”
Warmth spreads over me and I smile to myself at his pet name and the enthusiasm in which he speaks it. “I need to get out of the house. I’m going stir crazy over here.”
A girl screams somewhere in the background and the music grows even louder. “Shit, I can’t hear a thing. Hold on a sec. Let me find someplace quiet.”
I wait patiently, listening as the noise levels steadily decrease and then disappear altogether. When Brody speaks again, his voice is a little heavier than normal as if he is out breath. “Okay, we’re alone now.”
“Did you just run up the stairs?”
“I did,” he says, a smile in his voice. “And even though you didn’t ask, I think it’s important to tell you I am alone, in a stranger’s bedroom, and…I just laid down. You should also know that these blankets are ridiculously soft. I think they might be Egyptian.”
“Really,” I chuckle. “Is there anything else I should know? Like why you’re lying in a stranger’s bed?”
“Yes,” he says, his voice growing husky. “I’m touching myself.”
“Brody!”
He laughs, the sound rich and smooth, and it makes the smile I’m already wearing stretch across my face. “You’re too easy. So, what’s up?”
Sobering, I say, “I’m bored. I was wondering if it’d be cool if I hang out with you tonight. Unless it will get in the way of you scoring. Lord knows, I never want to be accused of cock blocking.”
He chuckles again. “You’re always welcome to hang out. You know this. So what time are you coming, or do you need a lift?”
I look out the open window in my living room. It’s after dark. Living as close to the campus as I do, it makes it easy to walk the short distance to any major party being thrown. Despite all that, I find that I am a little nervous tonight. Not of the dark, but of who I might run into.
“Umm...”
“Say no more,” Brody cuts me off. “I’m on my way.”
Apparently, I took too long responding. He hangs up before I can say any more and I sigh as I end the call. It disgusts me how needy I’m being. Normally, I try only to rely on myself. That way, I’m never indebted to anyone. But Brody’s giving nature makes it easy to let my guard down. He’s like a big brother, always looking out for me, always coming to my rescue. It makes it difficult to keep things platonic between us.
Brody is sexy. He’s a tough jock on the field and a playboy off it. His dark hair and eyes combined with his unfailing confidence makes him a total catch. This is what he projects to everyone, but I’m the only one who gets to see his soft, sensitive side.
Recently, Annie insisted that he was in love with me. I know she’s right. I also know how lucky I would be to have him. On paper, Brody is the perfect guy. But the problem is that I don’t want him like that. At one time, I thought I could change those feelings, but it’s just never going to happen.
Right now, my head is plenty full trying to figure out what to do with the two men currently in my life. I don’t need any added complications. Brody and I are friends, and that’s it.
I hear footsteps bounding up the stairs and a moment later, a heavy fist bangs against it three times. It’s Brody’s signature knock, and as I stand up to answer the door, I look down at my zebra-print pajama bottoms and fluffy slippers and realize I’ve done absolutely nothing with myself today.
“Shit.” Well, there’s nothing to be done about it now. Shuffling over to the door, I remove the chain and turn the lock. The door is already opening before I can reach for the handle, and then Brody is stepping inside.
He takes one look at my clothing and smirks. “It’s not a sleepover, baby girl.”
I roll my eyes as I walk away, letting him take care of the door. “I forgot to change. Just give me a minute to pull myself together and we can go.”