Page 77 of Vengeful Lies

“You don’t have my bank details,” I remind him. He keeps on typing, and when he’s finished, my phone dings. Checking it, I see he sent me money. “How did you get my account information?”

“I can get anything. The only thing I can’t have is sitting across from me, smelling like she’s two days past needing a good scrubbing. Now, how about you shower? We have somewhere to be.”

He stands, places my gun on the side table, then turns to walk out. As he gets to the door, he looks back at me. “Unless you need help in the shower?”

“Fuck off.”

“I’d like to fuckyou,” he says before answering an incoming call.

When he clicks the door shut behind him, I immediately pick up the gun. I sigh at its weight and the comfort of holding it in my hand. The memories with my father and a flood of relief wash over me having it back.

Clinging to these weapons might seem foolish to some, but they’re all I have. It’s as if they’re permanently taken from me, I won’t have anything grounding me in this world anymore. I really will be a phantom.

This whole situation with Eli is a shit show, mainly because it’s the first time I’ve been truly seen. This gun placed in my hand is a reminder that that was never my intention.

I’m meant to remain a woman on my own path, dealing out death from the shadows. And somewhere, somehow, that part of me has started slipping. More specifically, started becoming overshadowed by another monster.

CHAPTER 40

Jewel

“Act like you like me,” he says as he drives us to fuck knows where. Sometimes, I think he keeps our destinations a surprise because if I had the knowledge of the location, I might be tempted to find the fastest exit route.

I showered and really took my time, intentionally pissing him off. But I eventually joined, him considering my bank account looks really nice right about now, and it’s the least I can do as the fiancée of a future mafia boss. Vomit.

I just wanted him to leave my apartment, and I knew that wasn’t going to happen unless I did as well.

“Why?” I ask as the car comes to a stop.

“Because it’s our engagement party.” He gets out of the car without another word.

I’m frozen in my seat.What the actual fuck?

This motherfucker.

No wonder he was rewarding me before he got me in the car.

He fucking set me up because he knew the family dinner was the most I could do.

But an engagement party? Get fucked.

I’m dressed way too casually for this while he’s wearing a black suit. I mean, I’m used to him dressing above and beyond—no one is denying this man has style—but I have fucking jeans on, for fuck’s sake.

“I’m not going,” I state, looking at the fancy hotel he has every intention of dragging me through like some broodmare. I know it’s fancy because it has a fucking doorman.

“Why not?” he asks.

“I’m wearing jeans,” I snap, aggravated. “Why the fuck wouldn’t you tell me we were coming to this?”

“You don’t really care that you’re wearing jeans, though. You don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks.” He smiles arrogantly. “Besides, Kitten, do you really think I came unprepared? As you once said, you’re just along for the ride, right? So, do as you’re told.”

I’m in absolute shock. Sometimes I think this asshole might have at least one nice bone in his body, and then it’s like he resets to default within the span of seconds.

“You’re just saying that so I get out of the car,” I grumble, already in a foul mood from being hungover. He walks around to the back of the car and opens the trunk.

A valet waits for Eli to hand him the keys, and I pout in the front seat like a fucking child. I am not getting out of this car looking like this. It’s true I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks about me, but I need mental preparation for this fiancée bullshit. And besides, I don’t like being in the spotlight. I don’t want all the questions about how we met and why we love each other because, truth be told, they’d wish they never asked.

Eli comes back to stand in front of my door and unzips a black garment bag, revealing a dress, as well as a shoebox.

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