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The corners of Rhett’s mouth tip up in a small smile. “We had to teach Oliver how to lie, too.”
“Really?”
Oliver shrugs. “Didn’t have a reason to do it much when I was a kid. My mom’s not very strict.”
“I learned from an early age by watching my mom,” Elliot says. “She habitually lies to my dad, and I realized that she always mixes in some amount of truth, which makes it easier and probably more believable.”
“Oh. That makes sense, I suppose.”
“That’s why we’re having Aubrey actually ask you to go get her makeup bag,” Elliot says. “Not only will you be able to tell a little truth if someone asks what you’re doing, but other people will overhear, so they’ll be able to back up your claim that you’re just doing what Aubrey asked.”
“Right. But if I get caught leaving the billiard room, I have to also pull off saying that I’m lost.”
“Andthat you just happened to find the door unlocked,” Oliver adds. “But only if someone else points it out. Since it’s Ludo’s private room, it’s possible that the guys who work for him don’t even know it stays locked.”
“Got it,” I say slowly.I don’t know if I can do that.
“We’ll get you there, sweetheart,” Rhett replies, and it takes me a moment to realize I said that last part out loud.
“So let’s try again,” Oliver says. “And remember, maintain eye contact.”
“Okay, but I look away sometimes during normal conversations, don’t I?” I ask.
“Yep. But youalwayslook away when you lie. It’s one of your tells. A common one, so don’t feel bad.”
With a groan, I slouch into my seat. “What else do I do?”
“You bite your lip a lot. The inside of your cheek, too. And after you finish, while you’re waiting to see if you pulled it off, your eyes get all wide.” Oliver grins. “It’s pretty cute, actually.”
“So don’t look away, don’t widen my eyes, and don’t bite my lip.” It’s a lot to focus on at once, but I have to try. This has to work.
“Ready?” Elliot says.
“Ready.”
“What are you doing here?” Elliot asks, his tone firm and a touch intimidating.
“Just grabbing Aubrey’s makeup bag.” I slightly raise the one I grabbed from upstairs to use as a prop. While I do, I keep my gaze fixed on Elliot.Don’t bite your lip. Or your cheek. And don’t open your eyes more.
“Now you look like you’re trying to shoot lasers out of your eyes.” Oliver is barely holding back a laugh. “Just look at him the way you normally do.”
“Okay.” Rolling back my shoulders, I take a deep breath to reset myself. “Again.”
“What’re you doing here?” Elliot asks.
“Oh, Aubrey asked me to grab her makeup bag. Gotta do a quick touch up.”
“You grimaced,” Rhett says. “You can’t grimace. It’s a dead giveaway.”
I drop my face into my hands. “I’m hopeless.”
“You’re not,” Oliver says. “It just takes practice, and you’re already getting better. Do you want to take a little break? We can focus on something else?”
Something else?Rhett already had me in the gym this morning for self-defense training. After our meeting yesterday with Aubrey, he’s also bent on helping me have more situational awareness. We spent hours on the blueprints of Ludo’s home until the layout was burned into my mind. He also has plans to take me to places I’m less familiar with to teach me what I should be on the lookout for.
It’s overwhelming to say the least, but all three of them are patient teachers. I’ll be fine as long as I have them.
“I want to stay focused on this,” I say. “Let’s go again?”
