Page 116 of The Bitter Words

“Fine, mate. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I take a swig of my beer. I’m high on coke, have painkillers still in my blood, and two shots down, so my inhibitions are way lower than usual. “Leon showed me a video from New Year’s Eve a couple of years ago.”

“What was on it?”

“You remember when you found us passed out on the couch in Leon’s home office?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Sebastian found his way into the room at some point. He was trying to get on Livianna.” Acid crawls up my throat. I drown it out with another drink. “Leon stopped Sebastian from raping her. So there you have it. Happy now?”

Bren’s eyes fill with hatred. “Why haven’t you turned the sick fucker in? Leon has the proof. Get him to show it to the police and let’s put him in jail.”

“That’s the great news, Guns.” I slip him a defeated smirk. “I can’t do that because if I do, Leon will give all the other videos he has to the press.”

“So? Let him.”

“I don’t think you want that.” I prepare to let Bren in on something that’s gonna rock his mind.

“Why?”

I raise my eyebrows. “You want the world to know about the time you were with that chick and the other guy? And I don’t mean how we used to double-team a girl.”

His face bunches together and he sits straight. “What time was that?”

“The same night Sebastian was creeping on Livianna, you were upstairs fucking some dude while he was bent over, eating some woman out. You all took turns on each other.”

“Uh… What are you talking about?” Bren’s cheeks turn red. “That didn’t happen.”

“Guns, I don’t care about who or what you did with your dick.” I shift closer to him. “I’ve seen the tape. You did it. But like I said, I couldn’t care less what or who you do. The issue is, I’m stuck.”

“What are you saying, Cash?”

“You know damn well what I’m saying. Leon has shit on every single one of us. One wrong step and he has all the power to take each and every one of us down.”

“Fuck him. Let him send?—”

I reach over, take Bren’s shirt into my grasp, and bring him near my face. “You wanted to know. Now you do, but that doesn’t mean you get to speak to anyone about this. If you do, other people who have a lot more to lose will have all their secrets exposed. Understand, you say nothing.”

After a moment, he nods, and I release my hold on him.

He stares at me with a defiant gleam in his eyes. “The next time Leon calls you to his office, I’m going with you.”

“Like hell you are. I’ll beat you to a bloody stump if youeven try. This is my war and you need to stay the fuck out of it. You gave me your word.”

“But, Cash. You need help.”

“If our friendship means anything to you… No. If Livianna, Hawke, or Cooper… The list goes on and on, but if they mean anything to you, you’ll stay far away from Leon and you’ll never speak of this again. Let me handle him. I’m used to his sick games.”

“Shit, bro.” A knowingness covers Bren’s face. “This is why you faked sleeping with Zara. You’re trying to protect Livianna from Leon. You set that up with the intent of her ending it with you or else something was gonna happen to her.”

I avert my gaze and lift my beer to my lips. I’ve already said way too much. If I tell him any more, we’re all fucked.

He rips the bottle from my grasp. “What was he planning on doing to my sister? Or better yet, what’s he got on you?”

Chapter Twenty-Five

LIVIANNA/LILY

Then