Page 165 of Desperate Actions

That this is personal.

That someone wants to make a mockery of him.

And maybe they do. But my gut tells me there’s more to it than that.

I meet his furious gaze head-on. “I told you, Mr. Fury. It wasn’t me. I have no interest in a war with you or the Vipers.”

Angel snarls, his expression lethal. “Then who does? Who else would get off on fucking with me?”

Luc exhales heavily and leans back in his chair. “Angel, think. Sammy has nothing to gain from pulling some dumb shit like this. He’s a fucking billionaire, not some punk looking to make a power play.”

Angel doesn’t want to hear it, but Luc is right.

But something Luc said clicks in my brain.

Maybe this isn’t about Angel.

Maybe it’s about me.

“Maybe this isn’t about you,” I murmur, voicing my theory aloud.

My mind is shifting gears quickly, piecing the puzzle together as I speak.

Angel’s eyes narrow dangerously. “What the fuck are you talking about? They stole from me.”

“Yeah,” Luc says slowly, catching onto my train of thought. “But the way it happened? It’s too obvious.”

Angel’s jaw tics. “Explain.”

“Come on,” I say, sitting forward. “Think about it. You get hit. A military-style operation. The kind of tactics I know. It happens right after I marry your daughter. And what’s the first thing you do?”

Angel’s entire body goes still.

Luc smirks darkly. “You accuse Sammy.”

Angel exhales, long and slow, and for the first time since I walked into his office, I see it click.

The setup.

The precision.

The fact that whoever did this knew exactly how he’d react.

“Fuck,” Angel mutters, scrubbing a massive hand over his face.

“Exactly,” I say. “This wasn’t just about stealing fromyou. It was about pinning it onme.”

“But why?” he growls. “Why you?”

I already know the answer before I even say it.

Because it’s personal.

Because someone wants me to suffer.

Because someone knows the only way to get to me now is through her.

My blood turns to ice.

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