Page 130 of Scars Run Deep

Blocked ID: ?

Asher: I know their agenda now.

Blocked ID: Call this number I’m sending over. One-shot deal.

He sent the number and the asshole had me fucking hesitating.

I didn’t do that.

I was sure in myself and my actions.

But I couldn’t read him like I could others.

He was like me, too good at wearing a mask, at locking himself down.

I walked to my dresser and pulled out a long sleeve tee, hurriedly slipping it on, along with my jeans that were on the floor after last night. The fact I hadn’t had the wherewithal to tidy up the floor before I’d passed out said a lot in itself.

I glanced at Jonah, confirming he was still sound asleep, then I strode through into my art studio, snatched up my cigarette pack I’d left in there with the lighter inside, then blew on out to the balcony.

The second I fired up a smoke, I called the number.

It picked up on the first ring.

“Asher,” he rumbled.

“Lance,” I returned right back with enough edge just in that one word to make it clear to him that he was on thin ice with me.

“Let’s remember that we’re allies here.”

“That should be my line.”

“We’re in emergency situation territory, let’s table all the rest.”

“I know the goal of the Heretics is to step into the shoes of the Infidels.”

“I’d ask how you were able to glean that—or from who—but we don’t have time. Either way, neither of us wants that, so your accusation via text moments ago makes little sense.”

“If you didn’t think it had merit, you wouldn’t have facilitated this phone call.”

“What is it you think I’m doing to save myself? What’s this selfish, secret agenda you seem to believe I have?”

“You don’t want the Heretics to ruin what you’ve worked at for years, what pulled you from your family, from your own daughter. So, you won’t let them take the Infidels’ place. It’s why you’re really holding them off from us, because what we’re doing is undermining and weakening the Infidels, and if the Heretics made contact with me and mine, they’d help me. You should be allowing them unfettered access to the Infidels, using them as a weapon, not holding them off.”

“You’re smart, I’m certain you can see the dangers of that. They’ll just take the Infidels’ place, replacing one monster with another.”

“My goal is to destroy my father and his organization. That’s it.”

It wasn’t, I didn’t want another monster replacing them. But Lance didn’t need to know that. I needed to plant doubt to push him, to drive it home to him just how much he needed me in on this and the fact that it would require him to lift the veil on his secrecy when it came to the Heretics.

“I know you’re not that shortsighted.”

“It’s only an issue if you are already aware of them having nefarious intent toward me and mine.”

He grunted. “You’re really pushing it.”

And I was going to push it some more. “Who is at the head of the Heretics?”

“Knowing that won’t make anything easier, or better. In fact, it will be the direct opposite.”

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