Page 22 of Lie to Me

Marco

Present

My heart pounds as I race up the stairs towards Sloane’s apartment. I didn’t have time to stick around and wait for the elevator. Running up twelve flights of stairs is no small feat, but the reason my heart is pounding has nothing to do with physical exertion and everything to do with her.

That phone call had my heart ripping in two. I have no idea what the hell has Sloane so distracted, or what the hell she was talking about in her texts, but she went from bitching at me to sobbing in minutes. I can still hear those gut-wrenching sounds rattle around in my head. After a couple of minutes of calling out to her, she ended the call and I’ve barely been able to breathe since. I couldn’t hear anyone other than her through the phone,so I don’t think she was in immediate danger, but the possibility is still there.

My heart is in my fucking throat as I finally reach her door and pound on it.

She must be near the door because I hear her make a startled sound as my fist meets the wood.

“It’s me, Sloane. Let me in,” I call out.

I hear a shuffle before the door opens a crack and there she is, red rimmed eyes and tears still staining her cheeks. She looks fucking exhausted, and so damn beautiful it hurts.

I don’t wait for her to debate with herself about inviting me in, I just push the door open and move past her. She lets out a huff, but doesn’t argue the move, proving to me that something is wrong since she doesn’t even have the energy to fight me.

“What happened?” I ask as I lean against the arm of the sofa. She closes the door and turns to face me.

“I was just having a moment, you didn’t need to come here, Marco. I’m fine.”

Such a pretty liar.

“Uh huh. If that’s true, then what the hell are you clutching in your hand?” I motion towards the paper she’s holding tight in her fist with a raised brow. “Show me the note, Sloane.”

She shakes her head and takes a step back.

What the hell is happening right now? This isn’t my Sloane. My Sloane would fight me tooth and nail, just to be a pain in the ass. My Sloane would sass me, she’d tell me to go to hell and force me out of her apartment. Whatever is on that goddamn piece of paper has her so rattled, she’s not even a fraction of herself right now.

I approach her slowly, like you would a wild animal. As I reach her, she tips her head to look up at me, tears pooling in her ocean eyes. I see the moment she breaks. Those tears break free and roll down her face as her legs crumble beneath her. Luckily, I seeit the second it happens and I sweep her into my arms before she can hit the floor.

Sloane clings to me as I carry her to the couch and I sit down, making sure to adjust her on my way down so she’s sitting sideways on my lap. She buries her face in my chest as she lets go, soaking my shirt with her tears as she cries, letting me absorb her pain.

I don’t know how long we sit like this, but I hold her while whispering encouraging words into her hair until she finally quiets down. She doesn’t let me go. I know it’s a risk, but I take the note from her hand and quickly read it before she loses her shit. The words on the page have my blood running cold.

Do they know? They don’t take death of their own lightly.

Does who know? And who the fuck sent her the note?

“What’s the note about, Sloane? And who the fuck left it for you?”

Sloane tenses as she realizes that I’ve read it. I don’t even think she noticed me taking it from her. She pulls away from me and glares. Seeing that expression on her face should upset me or piss me off, but all I feel is relief of the fact that she seems to be coming back to herself.

“Get out.” Her cool tone leaves no room for argument, but she should know by now that I won’t give up that easily.

“Talk to me, Sloane. First you thought someone was following you and now this?” I say and wave the note in the air. “I’m worried, baby. Tell me what’s going on.” The endearment slips out without warning and her eyes flare with what can only be described as danger.

“I’m not yours to worry about, Marco. I haven’t been yours for a long damn time, if ever. You need to leave me the hell alone and stay out of my business. Now get the fuck out of my apartment before I call the cops or call my brother.”

I stand and grasp her chin between my fingers, forcing her to keep eye contact with me.

“I’ll leave, but only because I know you’re exhausted. But make no mistake, Sloane, this isn’t the last time we’ll be having this conversation.”

I force myself to let go and step away from her before making my way to the door. I open it, but before I step out, I call out her name over my shoulder. She turns to glare at me, and I feel my lips tipping up in a smile as I turn and walk backwards.

“You’ve always been mine, baby. And you always will be.”

After I left Sloane’s last night, I called Finn and told him he needs to put a bodyguard on Sloane, unless he wants her having one of our men put on her. After I called, I sent a message to the family group chat, asking for a meeting.

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