Page 64 of Filthy Liar

“Raven, we finally meet,” Stefano said cheerfully, his accent strong.

“What do you want?” I asked, making his mouth quirk into a smirk.

“Straight to the point, I like that. I want to make a deal with you.”

“Not interested.” I forced myself to move to the sink to wash my hands, trying not to look affected. Inside, I was freaking the fuck out. He could probably hear my damn heart beating out of my chest.

He tsked, tilting his head in the same way Ander did when he was curious about something.

“This deal will keep you and your friends alive.”

“All of them?” I scoffed, his silence telling me everything I needed to know. “Look, whatever your issue with Zavier is?—”

“He knows things that could be very bad if they get out. Surely, you know the danger that can cause a person. That little town of yours is pretty tight-lipped about things, no?”

“We live by the code of minding our own business, yes. Whatever you think Zav knows, he doesn’t. He had no idea about you until you had us run down. Even if he did, we mind our own business. Your business has nothing to do with us.”

“I want Zavier and that bastard son of mine. Logan and Reid are none of my concern, and neither are you.”

“Not interested,” I repeated, turning to leave but the guy at the door blocked me. The distinctive click of a gun being loaded sounded behind me, just as the barrel was pressed to the back of my head.

“See, this isn’t a negotiation or optional. You’ll bring them to me or all five of you pay the price. Understand?” he said calmly, pressing a little harder to make his point.

“I won’t hand them over to you,” I spat, trying to keep it together but my hand started shaking slightly. Especially when he stepped up behind me so his front was flush with my back.

“I see why Andre likes you. You’re a little spitfire. Women who can’t do as they’re told in our world don’t last long. I don’t care if he wants to bend the Lopez kid over behind closed doors, but he will not embarrass our family by betraying us for a man.”

Confusion hit me, my voice quiet. “You think he’s with Zavier?”

“Why else would he protect him and turn on me? His father? You’re probably just a cover-up so he can hide in the closet,” he growled.

“He’s not into guys, and that’s what family does. We protect each other,” I replied before wincing, knowing I’d said the wrong thing when he gripped my hair in his fist.

“The only family that boy has is me!”

“What about Dante? You set him up at Wet Dreams, right? You killed that girl and tried to make everyone go after Dante so he’d return home,” I threw back. “Where is he? Ander’s adamant that you’ve done something to him.”

I stumbled forward as he shoved my face down on the counter, leaning down to speak in my ear.

“You tell that traitorous son of mine that next time I won’t leave you breathing. My men will run a train through you before I chain you up in the yard and stone you to death. If he doesn’t call me by midnight tonight to agree to come to me with Zavier, you’ll regret it, Raven Pierce,” he answered sharply, releasing me long enough for me to turn around, then he slammed the butt of the gun into my face, pain blooming across my temple and head.

My vision dimmed as I reached for the sink, missing it and landing on the ground. My ears rang, and it took me a moment to realize I’d blacked out for a few seconds as I forced myself to sit up, glancing around the now empty room.

I winced as I pressed my fingers to my eyebrow, finding blood on my fingertips. My head was pounding as I grabbed the sink to pull myself up, peeking at my reflection in the mirror to find blood streaked down my face from a cut on my eyebrow.

My hands were shaking, and instant terror hit me.

What if Stefano went to the car after leaving me? Had he already found Ander and Zavier?

I managed to make my legs work as I stumbled out into the cool evening air, making a beeline for the car.

“Don’t be dead, don’t be dead,” I repeated under my breath as I approached, the driver’s door opening as Logan jumped out and practically ran around the car to me to take my face in his hands.

“You guys are okay?” I choked out, trying to look past him at the car to see the others, but he was blocking my view.

“Areweokay? You’re the one that’s bleeding. What the fuck happened?” he demanded, my panic increasing. He didn’t want me to see the car, had it been a massacre?

Logan didn’t have blood on him, so that can’t have been it, but I was being irrational.

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