Page 16 of Filthy Liar

“I think it’s best if you stay after all. I think this is for you.”

I took it, frowning as I read the note.

Bastard blood was always your downfall. There is no loyalty in half-family, only snakes and liars. The worst thing about rotten fruit is it spreads to the rest of the bowl. Time to throw out the rotten ones.

- Dante

“This isn’t Dante. You won’t believe me, but this isn’t his handwriting,” I insisted, looking up at Milky to see him studying me. “He’s sitting with Rory right now too.”

“Dante bailed not long after you left the table,” Rory said coldly as she appeared, snatching the note to read it herself. “Still trust your brother?”

“Yes,” I bit out. “This is what Stefano does. He tears people apart from the inside. Dante wouldn’t do this then leave me here, even if it was him. I need you to believe me.”

“Your brother took off. There’s a tortured dead hooker in front of us with a handwritten note signed by Dante. What do you think I’ll believe?”

“Rory, I swear?—”

“The word of a liar means nothing to me, Ander. I think it’s best if you leave,” she snapped, but Milky put his hand out to silence us.

“No one leaves. Donovan, you and Lex wrangle the women into the office for their own safety. Lex can do a headcount. I need Diesel and Marco to stick by the doors with security. I’d like everyone to have someone watching their backs in case this prick is still here. Arch is on the way, so he’ll tell us what he wants soon. Ander,” he said as he nodded at me. “You try and get hold of Dante.”

I wasted no time pulling my phone out and dialing his number, cursing when he didn’t answer. I tried again, sending a text to tell him to call me back ASAP.

Whatever Stefano was trying to do, it was fucking working, but the fact that Dante had vanished was what worried me the most.

If Stefano was trying to frame Dante, it meant he knew he was here.

What had Stefano fucking done to him?

CHAPTERFOUR

RAVEN

“Typical man,” Beckett muttered under her breath as she got off the phone, my heart sinking as she added, “One fight with you, that was his fault in the first place I might add, and he’s in the fucking whorehouse drowning his sorrows.”

“Ander’s at Wet Dreams?” I asked, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.

It hurt. Badly.

Was he paying for a lap dance, or was he losing himself in one of the girls to make himself feel better?

Was this why he couldn't talk earlier? He was too busy getting naked with someone else?

“Why would you get a call about him being at Wet Dreams?” Logan asked suspiciously, moving to stand beside me.

“It was Marco. He called to tell me there’s been a murder there and the place is on lockdown. Seems Dante killed one of the girls and ran.” My heart hurt for Ander without my permission, and Beckett gave me a dirty look. “He’s in the strip club, Raven. Don’t pity him.”

“Maddox is always at the strip club on business,” Jett called out from the living room, making Beckett’s teeth clench.

“Your point?”

“Everyone does business there. It’s discreet. Do you want them all living here forever? Stop interfering,” he chuckled as he walked in. “Besides, I’ve barely ever seen Ander fuck the girls. You’re putting shit in her head.”

“But youhaveseen him with them?” I asked, glancing over as he cringed.

“Yeah. Him and Riley used to hang out there a lot. Ask your other guys, they went there a bunch with him too.”

“Thanks a lot,” Logan muttered, but he gave me a firm look. “It was mostly to just hang out. It wasn’t like we had the money to waste on shit like that, and Lavaro paid girls half the time just so they could have an hour’s break. He respects the girls, that’s all. No matter what, I know he wouldn’t touch them behind your back.”

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