Page 39 of Lie to Me

I’ve been a part of my family’s…dealingsfor a few years now. I’ve tortured countless men and killed even more. Nothing has ever made me squeamish; nothing has ever had an effect on me. Until now. Until watching my girlfriend’s father slice the skin off a girl who shares similarities to his own daughter. His laughter booms off the concrete walls of the warehouse, drowning out her cries.

My skin itches with the need to do something, fuckinganything, but it would be a fruitless task. There’s no escape.

I hold eye contact with her, sending her a silent apology that this is her fate.

If I could take her place, I would.

If there was a way—any way at all—for me to break free from this chair and save her, I would.

If there was a way for me to take her pain away, I would.

Her eyes begin to dull as O’Brien continues his assault and I know she doesn’t have much time left. She’s going to die, and that death will be on me.

I make a silent vow that once I leave this place, I’ll do everything I can for her family. I’ll figure out who she is, find her family, and make sure they get away from this goddamn city and away from the horrors it holds. It won’t make any of this right, it won’t take away the fact that she died because of me, but it’s the only thing Icando.

I’ll find them, right after I break Sloane’s heart.

And my own.

Chapter Eighteen

Sloane

Present

Stupid.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

That’s all that’s been on repeat in my mind for the last two days.

What the hell had possessed me to kiss him back? Why didn’t I stop him sooner?

Because you wanted him.

Ugh. I had a clear plan in place when coming back to the city.

Job.

Reconnect with my brother.

Make friends.

Not fall back into the pits of hell with Marco goddamn Romano.

I guess the one good thing to come from the kiss was that I haven’t seen or heard from Marco in two days. I guess me kicking him out gave him no choice but to finally get the message.

So yes, it’s a good thing, because now I don’t have to deal with him.

Is that really what I wanted, though?

I shake my head at myself and push that little voice aside for now. I can’t deal with her tonight. I may not have heard from Marco, but I have heard from another Romano. Izzy messaged me this morning and asked me to stop by her apartment after my shift so she could update me on what she’s found. To say I’ve been antsy as fuck all day is an understatement.

I step into Izzy and Luca’s apartment and spot her and Enzo’s wife sitting on the couch.

“Sloane!” Izzy calls and I grin at her.

“Hey,” I say and take a seat in the chair opposite them. My eyes slide over Robyn briefly as I recall the last time I saw her, when she was in the hospital and I thought she was married to Marco. My eyes gravitate to her stomach and I can see how her bump has grown since then. I swallow the knot in my throat before diverting my attention to Izzy.

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