Page 118 of House of Lies

I snap my purse closed and stare at nothing.

Did Ethan find it and get rid of it?

Invisible fingers tip-tap up my spine.

I’m just being paranoid again. After the fight we had yesterday, I’ve been having all sorts of dark thoughts about Ethan. It couldn’t always be rainbows and pixie dust. We were bound to have a disagreement.

I just wasn’t expecting it to be such a doozie.

I call Ethan’s cell again and have to stop myself throwing my phone on the floor when it goes to voicemail. He’s been quiet the whole day. Only a single text an hour ago to let me know he was on his way back from wherever he’d been.

Strangely, he didn’t offer to take me with him.

I could wait for him to come back.

I should.

But the idea of hanging around here until he comes home sets my teeth on edge.

I know who can put me in touch with Angelo.

And it’s a two-for-one special, because by going to the Devil’s Den, I can find out for myself just how much—or how little—effort Myles used to find my mother.

Chapter 48

Ethan

I sigh as I drop my car keys on the kitchen counter.

“I’m back! Sorry I’m late,” I call out as I make a beeline for the fridge, grabbing a beer and chugging down half of it before I stop for breath.

It’s been a busy day, and it’s far from over.

I’m in half a mind to reschedule our visit to the Devil’s Den, but Cassidy won’t stand for it.

I’ve had enough time to cool down and realize she’s at the point I was a few months ago. I shouldn’t have been so hard on her—it’s difficult to accept that the ones we love don’t always love us back.

I met with Parker at Glenmont today to sign the purchase agreement for the manor. I thought hell would freeze over before Donald Parker ever impressed me, but he closed a deal on the manor in record time, and I’ll be making a handsome profit on the sale. Even better, the new owner wants occupation by the end of the month, so he’s arranged a lease on the manor until the sale goes through.

Soon, that heap of bricks will belong to someone else.

Parker said the new owner was some shell company, which he thought was hilarious, because I bought the manor through a shell company myself. I guess whoever bought it prefers to remain anonymous, just like me.

But Parker’s wrong if he thought I gave a shit. The devil himself could move into Glenmont and I’d still be raising a glass.

Shit, that reminds me. I made a deal with the fucking devil, and now that he’s done his part, I’ll have to do mine. And I know exactly what Myles wants.

What will Cassidy do when she finds out I’m obligated to do one last job at the Devil’s Den?

I set down my beer, frowning.

Where is she, anyway? We left things a bit heated, but I’d have expected her to come and greet me already.

“Cassidy?”

There’s a hollow echo in my voice as it bounces around the penthouse. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“Cassidy!”

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