The Six: Genesis | A Reverse Harem Novel

Sixty-Eight

I've fallen for not one, but three liars, and it chills me to my core.

"I think we should go."

I'm not expecting Kellan to want to leave the tension brewing in my front living space, but I send him a grateful look and nod. Jason opens his mouth, a scowl already pulling on his handsome features, but when his partner shakes his head, it snaps shut. His big arms rise and cross on his chest.

"He's right. We need to head out. The crime team looks to be done gathering evidence, and the coroner is collecting the bodies."

A swathe of people dressed in white amble past one window pushing three gurneys. The last is already carrying a body covered in a white shroud. As they leave the sidewalk and move toward the scorched earth, an arm flops out. Graciously, the tech pushing the body simply stuffs the arm back in and continues on his way.

He may be used to something like this, but I'm sick to my stomach.

"Be seeing you again, Blue," Jason says, then he glances at Chris and Michael. "Keep her safe."

Keep me safe? How would they do that? They can't even tell me the truth. And why does his promise always sound like a threat?

The moment Jason and Kellan leave the confines of my home, I hustle through the grand arch and down the hall. A loud curse echoes after me and then the heavy punch of footsteps in pursuit. I hurry faster, timing my steps and stride to stay ahead of them.

"Blue—wait!"

I don't want to hear it. Whatever his excuse is, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear their voices or see their faces.

From now on, I want them as far away from me as physically possible.

"Blue... just..." Something wrestles and before I can make the kitchen and turn toward my lab, a warm, callused hand closes around my right wrist and spins me around. "Will you please stop running and listen?"

"Why? So, you can lie to me again?"

Chris' eyebrows furrow and his pink lips pinch. He's pissed, and he has no right to be. I shuddered mentally as I forcefully pushed his emotions out of my headspace.

I'm having enough issues on my own, I neither want nor need his, too.

"I asked Charlie to tell you before he left and I figured he would," he says, moving so close his body heat envelops me, "but when you woke up demanding to know where he was and who the hell those men were, I knew he hadn't said a damn thing."

"Oh, you figured the man who, like you, has been lying to me for months would suddenly going to grow a conscience and tell me? Imagine that."

Finished, I turn away, but I don't make it far. His fingers close like a vise around my wrist, anchoring me in place. I start, nearly tripping as I'm vehemently yanked backward against my momentum.

"Let. Me. Go."

Stubbornly, Chris shakes his head, "no."

"You have no right to hold me like this—to touch me. I don't want to be near either one of you."

"I know," Chris sighs, "but I'm not letting you go until we've talked about this."

"There's nothing to discuss. You chose to lie, and you chose wrong."

And now I don't want a single one of them anywhere near me. As soon as I make it to my lab, they're going far, far from me and they will never see me again. Ryker's opinion won't matter, especially since I'm sure he already knew.

"I didn't lie to you, Blue."

"You didn't lie?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"No. I didn't."