Page 65 of Vengeful Lies

“Any particular type of mask?” they ask.

“No, just a plain black mask.”

“On it.” Rory hangs up, and I’m hit with an intense abdominal cramp.

Wait a second…

I go to the bathroom and realize my period has started.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I say, groaning. I’d been so preoccupied with everything going on I must have lost track ofmy cycle. “Could it get any worse right now?” I sulk, leaning my head against the wall.

On the upside, at least I still have half a tub of ice cream. On the downside, when I reach the bottom of the tub, it most likely won’t have all the answers I need.

I’m furious all over again as if it’s the stress caused by Eli Monti that caused my period to start without my knowledge.

Fuck this guy and his broodiness. He sent me a message earlier, explaining that he’d like to make it up to me for being an ass, which is surprising for a man like him. He wants to take me for breakfast before we go wedding dress shopping.

That’s a hard no on both counts.

It would appear that this asshole needs to be reminded of who he’s dealing with. And I need to actually start looking for my guns.

So I grin to myself as I reply.

Me: Breakfast with an asshole. Delightful. Don’t be late. Kiss emoji

CHAPTER 34

Eli

I’m sitting in my car outside her apartment building. I texted her to warn her I was on the way, and she told me not to come up and that she’ll meet me down here.

I’ve been waiting for over thirty minutes.

No sign of her.

I try calling.

No answer.

I message.

No answer.

I huff in frustration. I have tried to do the “patient and chivalrous” thing, which is so uncomfortable and out of character for me, and I’m now pissed for even trying, especially when I’m rewarded with her silence.

Pocketing my phone, I leave my car and am heading inside the building, when I receive a notification that someone has entered my apartment. Pausing outside Jewel’s door, I open the app for the cameras I had set up and see someone wearing all black, walking around my private space. I watch as they go to my fridge, pull out a piece of cheese, and eat it as they open every door, then close them, leaving everything the exact same way. That’s when the intruder turns, amber eyes staring directlyat the camera I had installed just because of her. She has the fucking audacity to wave before she continues her search.

She’s trying to find her guns.

Good luck to you, tigress; that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

This little vixen actually has the balls to not only lie to me about her whereabouts and pretend she’s taking her time to meet me but to break into my apartmentagain.I’m just now realizing that perhaps my approach of having minimal security personnel besides Ford and Hawke, might have been a miscalculation, especially when it comes to this sneaky woman.

My other camera indicates motion detected as she walks into my bedroom. She spins dramatically and then throws herself backward onto the bed with a smile, her knee-high-boot-clad feet kicking into the air before they land on my bed.

“Jewel,” I say into the microphone. She offers me a small wave as she lounges on my bed. “Get your shoes off my bed.” She laughs but doesn’t do as she’s told. Of course she doesn’t. I would expect nothing less from her.

Flipping onto her stomach, she gives me a perfect view of her ass in those leather pants as she crawls to my bedside table. She proceeds to pull open the drawer and then wreaks havoc on the contents. My jaw tics. She’s purposefully fucking with me because she knows I like things in a particular way.

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