06: LIAR

SCOTT

I arrived at Jack's place a few minutes later. Everything felt peaceful, much like a home should.

“I visited, just like I promised. You doubted me, Thomas!” I joked.

I had missed this.

“It was either that or get skinned alive,” he fired back.

I laughed at his joke. Who would have thought Jackson Garcia would smile this much after being betrayed by his own wife and nearly ruining himself by indulging in some terrible habits?

“So, where are your sister and daughter?”

“My sister stepped out to take care of something important, but my daughter is home.”

He proceeded to ask one of the maids to call his daughter.

“Tell her it's important.”

Important?

In less than two minutes, the girl appeared. She certainly wasn't a little girl anymore. She seemed focused on something on her phone.

“Eliana,” her dad called.

In an instant, she lifted her head, and our eyes locked.

She was the same girl from last night!

What have I done?

She'd lied to me. Christ! She was twenty. That explained the mask and the blood. She'd probably never been intimate with anyone before me. I should have known.

How was I supposed to tell my best friend that I'd been intimate with his daughter without knowing who she really was?

“You?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

The look on her face told me she knew exactly what was happening. She'd lied about her name and age. How was I supposed to explain this?

“What's wrong, Scott?” Jack asked, confused by my outburst.

“It's nothing. We just met at the cafeteria earlier, and he didn't recognize me,” she lied.

Damn! She didn't even have to think before lying. I was furious, but I couldn't deny that, even after discovering the truth, I was still attracted to her.

I have to end this.

I'd been looking forward to seeing her that evening, but now I couldn't ignore the truth. She was my best friend's daughter. Someone I should have treated with far more care.

“I see. You did remember him, didn't you?” Jack asked her.

“I did.” She smiled at her father, her eyes wandering over to me.

“Good. Now that I remember, Eliana's going to be attending art school in London. Since you spend most of your time there, I was hoping you could help me look after her while she's there.”

What?

This couldn't possibly be happening.

“Of course. I'd be happy to do that,” I replied, flashing a fake smile at Jack and a displeased look at Eliana.

Thankfully, a call came in, giving me an excuse to get some air and process everything outside.

“Excuse me. I have to take this.”

The moment I stepped outside, I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

There was no way I could hide this from Jack. But how the hell was I supposed to tell him?

“Mr. Scott! Mr. Scott!” Ellie called as she hurried toward me. “I'm sorry. I—”

“You're sorry? You're really sorry?” I demanded. “You planned this, didn't you? You deliberately deceived me. What were you thinking?”

“I just wanted you to—to look at me… to want me.”

What the hell was she talking about?

“This is forbidden! You're my best friend's daughter, for goodness' sake!”

She moved closer, reaching for my chest.

“I know, but I've always wanted you, and I know you want me too. After last night—”

“Shut up!” I thundered, pushing her away in anger.

She lost her balance and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The moment she hit the ground, my anger gave way to regret.

What the hell was wrong with me? I shouldn't have pushed her like that.

I rushed over to help her up.

She was crying. When I helped her to her feet, a pained cry escaped her, and guilt twisted in my chest.

“What's wrong, Ellie?” I asked, supporting her in my arms.

“My ankle…”

“What's going on here?”

The sound of her father's voice cut her off.

My heart skipped. I wondered if he had heard all of that.

“Nothing, Dad. I was on my way to the art studio and slipped and fell,” Eliana said.

Damn, she was good at lying. Jack rushed over to check if she was hurt.

“Eliana, you need to be more careful! What if you fall and hit your head or something? You should—”

“I should stop burying my head in my phone. I know, Dad, I know.” Eliana completed Jack’s sentence with a smile.

It was obviously something he told her often. Seeing their bond, how my friend still treated Eliana like his little princess, hurt me even more.

“Come on, Scott. This way—we have to get her to her room. It looks like she hurt her head and ankle.”

Jack ushered me toward Eliana’s room. It felt strange holding her so close after everything that had happened between us. Stealing a glance at her, I caught her staring at me with a smile. She immediately looked away when she noticed me watching her.

Jack stopped at a door and opened it. It was Eliana’s room. It looked girly, just as a room belonging to a girl her age should.

I carried her over to her bed. She hurriedly hid something, but not before I caught a glimpse of it.

It was a photograph of me.

“Dad, can you help me get Aunt? I need one of those healing teas.”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.”

Jack hurried out of the room. I turned to leave as well, but she held me back.

“I got my dad to leave so it’s just the two of us,” she said with a smile.

As if I cared about being alone with her. She was trouble—and I knew better than to encourage her. Lord! Something was definitely wrong with me.

Who was I kidding? I would never look at Eli as the little girl I'd once known anymore. The memory of our night together had changed things, and a part of me still wanted her.

This wasn't right. I had to keep my distance.

“Too bad, Eliana. The last thing I want to do is spend time alone with you,” I said, pulling away from her and continuing toward the door.

“Is it because you’re afraid you wouldn't be able to stop yourself from having sex with me again?”

“No. I could never have sex with you—never.”

Although I spoke firmly, my body betrayed me. She was right about one thing: I couldn't stay close to her another minute. I might end up doing something we'd both regret.

“You already have, Mr. Scott, and you know how much you wanted me,” she said, getting off the bed and walking toward me.

“I see you're very good at what you do—lying. Have you thought of earning money from this talent of yours?”

She stopped immediately at my remark.

Good. It seemed she'd forgotten her own lie.

“Are you so scared of my dad finding out about us?” Eliana asked softly.

“Yes,” I admitted without shame.

The truth was, if I could go back in time, I would never have spoken to her, let alone become intimate with her.

She nodded as though she understood.

“What if I tell him about us?”

At those words, I rushed over to her, gripping her arms and shaking her in anger. Hopefully, I could knock some sense into her.

“You wouldn't dare! Are you trying to threaten me? Is that what this is, huh?”

“Let go of me, Scott. You're hurting me,” she said weakly.

I immediately released her.

Running my hands through my hair, I took several deep breaths to regain control of myself.

“It's Mr. Scott to you, do you hear me?”

She nodded.

I glanced at her one more time and walked out of the room.

As I left, I heard her say, “You can't run from me forever, Mr. Scott.”

Maybe not forever, but for as long as it took to get rid of these feelings.