Page 49 of The Perfect Stranger

“You’re not concerned that this sort of violence is going on in the club?”

Admit to it you bastard!

“Antonio…” He threw his towel on the pool chair in frustration, apparently fed up with the conversation. “This is the world you’re in now. Not everything is fairy floss and candy. But shit happens in the drug world, and sometimes it’s the ones you least expect that are the snitches.”

“What makes you think Ana was a snitch?”

He held my gaze, eyes loaded with challenge. He wore a knowing smirk, and for a second my fingers itched to grab my Glock. The truth was, he knew we’d had conversations. The room was wired, and it would have recorded me asking Ana to come out and talk. After that it had gone quiet. Suspiciously quiet. It must be eating him from the inside out not knowing what was said. It would have sent his paranoia through the roof, not knowing if she was revealing Los Santos trade secrets.

She was a precautionary kill.

She would never have received a chance to deny anything.

She was the example.

“Where there aren’t eyes and ears, brother, I use my better judgment. She was a talker. Loose lips. I couldn’t have one of my finest men being corrupted now could I?” Accepting a glass of liquor from the maid, he winked at me. “Eyes and ears everywhere.” He started to head back to the house, knocking shoulders with mine as he went. I remained rooted to the spot contemplating my future in this mission.

“Antonio,” he called from behind. I turned, his eyes ice cold like his fucked up soul. “Instead of it being something we all mourn, it should serve as a warning to others. You included.”

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