Page 148 of House of Lies

Fuck, she can’t be here.

She can’t witness this.

She’s already had trouble sleeping, waking up and yelling for Angelo to stop touching her. She never tells me what happens in the dreams, but I can tell they’re terrifying from the way she quivers against me as she tries to fall back asleep every night.

Now this?

“We’re leaving,” I say, tightening my grip around Cassidy.

But when I pull against her, trying to draw her back, she stiffens, grabs my arm, digs her nails in.

“No. Not yet.” She takes a glug from her champagne glass. “Is he like…conscious?”

“Barely,” I mutter.

Smith is watching Cassidy with a faintly bemused smile. “I have something that might help.” He takes a syringe out of his pocket, pushes the needle into Angelo’s arm and slowly presses down the plunger. “Adrenaline should give him a few moments of lucidity.”

Angelo draws a ragged breath through his lips, his head rearing back, eyes wide. He throws his gaze around, staring wildly at everyone he sees.

“Fuck you!” he yells hoarsely. Then he realizes he’s bound up and starts tugging at the ropes holding him in place. “Gemme the fuck out of here!”

Cassidy slips out of my grip so quickly I’m clutching empty air as I try to claw her back. “Cassidy!”

She walks right up to Angelo and tries to punch him in the face. But Troy catches her wrist, stopping her fist an inch from Angelo’s battered face.

“What the hell?” She plucks at her hand, but Troy simply pulls her back a step and hands her a slim, double-edged knife.

“You don’t want bruised knuckles in the morning.”

She stares up at Troy and then looks back at me. My hands are in fists at my side, my entire body vibrating with suppressed rage.

I thought I’d forgiven Angelo. It seemed pointless to hold a grudge. Toxic emotions like those will poison you.

But that was back when I thought he was dead.

Seeing him alive, even in the state he’s in, was like dropping a match into a dumpster truck full of fireworks.

I give her a nod. “Go ahead,” I murmur.

There’s a twinkle in her eyes I’ll never forget. She spins around and sinks the knife into Angelo’s thigh with a roar that sounds too loud coming from her curvy little body.

Angelo roars out in pain, spittle flying from his mouth. The chair rocks, but Smith darts forward to catch it before he can tip it over.

“That’s for trying to kill Ethan, you motherfucking asshole!” She drags the knife free and stabs him again, this time in the arm. “And that’s for trying to kill me!”

She aims the blade for his heart, but I rush forward and catch her around the waist, pulling her back.

“Seriously?” She throws me a frustrated scowl.

“You had your turn. Now it’s mine.”

She puffs a strand of hair out of her face and then relaxes in my grip. Nodding, she hands me the knife.

I shake my head, moving her aside and walking up to Angelo. The hatred and revulsion roiling inside me is so fierce, I can’t bring myself to speak. The only sound is Angelo drawing in one ragged breath after the other.

“Better hurry,” Smith says. “His tank’s almost empty.”

There’s a pool of blood under the chair, and it’s spreading.

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