Page 22 of Don't Lie To Me

“You got a thing for my cousin?” He chuckles playfully.

“No,” I snap in disgust. I may have had a thing for him a couple of hours ago, but that thing dried the fuck up the moment he tried to mess with what is mine. “He’s trying to fuck me over. I want to know what I’m up against.”

His face grows more serious, and I know he knew nothing about it until this very moment. “Fuck you over how?”

“That’s what I want to know. You boys brought him here last night, you must have known he had an agenda.”

He runs a hand through his long hair. “I’m sorry, Sloane, I really didn’t. He’s staying at the Moretti mansion while he’s in town. He said he had some business debts to follow up for his papa. He didn’t mention anything about you. We all just assumed you took an instant liking to each other last night.”

“Okay. Thanks then.”

“How bad is it?”

“I don’t know yet.” I sigh, wishing I had more details.

“Drop by our apartment on your way home and I’ll have that bottle of pills for you. I’ll see if the others know anything about Romeo as well. But if he gives you shit, you come to us, and we will deal with him. He might be our cousin, but we don’t know him all that well, and you’re Harley’s girl, so we will back you all the way.”

“Thanks.” I smile, so grateful. Knowing I might just need to take him up on that offer; he and his brothers have a lot of sway around here. “I’ll see you later.”

He offers a wave as he walks out the door, closing it behind him.

I slump down in my office chair feeling lost, knowing my pills are no longer in my drawer. I pour myself a whiskey from the decanter and turn on my computer. The first thing that flashes up on the screen is the camera footage for room six of my private rooms. The room I was staying in with Romeo last night. That motherfucker! Onyx is the only one with the key to my office, so he must have been here last night watching us via the security footage. I could fucking kill him. Happy birthday, Sloane. Your bodyguard stayed up all night watching you with your one-night stand, and your fucking one-night stand has turned out to be the lay from hell who wants to steal the business you have spent your entire life building.

Twenty-five is going to be one hell of a year.

Chapter 9

AsIwalkthroughthe front door of Casa Moretti, with my shoulders back and my head held high, the aroma of garlic and tomatoes instantly fills the air. This is one of the finest Italian restaurants in Ravens Hollow and as good a place as any to get this over with. I’m not letting this motherfucker get to me. He might have manipulated me into bed, but I’m Sloane Stryker, and he’s about to find out what that really means.

Ricky was kind enough to have my new meds all sorted for me when I dropped in to see him and Harley this afternoon. Their apartment is just two doors up from mine. He wasn’t, however, able to enlighten me any further about what exactly Romeo wants with my club. Jagger says I have to meet with him tonight to sort it out before his demands get out of hand. After last night, it’s the last thing I want to do. Negotiate with the man who stole my virginity, knowing all too well he was about to screw me over. What did he think, we would fuck then he would tell me we were business partners, and we ride happily off into the sunset together? I’m not going to stand by and let him take over what I have worked so hard to build either.

Romeo had demanded I meet him at the Moretti boys’ mansion, but fat fucking chance I’m going to do anything he says, so here we are at the Moretti boys’ family restaurant instead. Me in killer heels and a red velvet mini dress with long sleeves, my hair in a high ponytail andmy make-up painted to perfection. And him waiting for me at a table in the center of the room, in an expensive navy-blue suit that makes him look like an Italian catalog model. His wavy hair is tousled just so, in a way that makes my fresh hatred toward him melt a little. Shit. Tonight is going to be tougher than I had imagined.

He stands as I approach the table. “You’re late,” he comments, unimpressed.

“And you’re an asshole, so I guess we’re even.” I smirk, as bitchy as I can be. Fuck him. I’m late because I had to find the most torturous outfit possible. I need him to be squirming in his seat tonight if I’m going to walk out of here with my business in one piece.

He leans in and kisses my cheek, his lips brushing my earlobe in a way that sends a shiver down my spine and butterflies taking off inside my stomach at the same time. “Don’t make a habit of keeping me waiting, doll face. You won’t like the consequences.”

I take a step back from him, my heart already racing erratically. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I don’t give a fuck about your consequences. I don’t answer to manipulative motherfuckers like you in any way. I do what I want, when I want, and that won’t change for some cocky asshole in an expensive suit.”

His grin broadens, and he takes me in with a fresh twinkle in his eyes. “I’m going to have so much fun proving you wrong.”

“Waste your time with some other girl who wants to play your fucked-up games. I’m not interested,” I snap back, my voice sharp, his infuriating attitude pushing me to the edge.

“Take a seat, Miss Stryker, we have a lot to discuss,” he says a little more seriously, but there is still a stupid grin on his face that tells me he thinks this is all some big joke. He pulls my seat out for me like the perfect gentleman we both know he’s not.

Reluctantly I sit, knowing I can’t storm out of here yet. Not until I know exactly what he wants. On the table is a bottle of red, a glass in front of me already filled. I collect the glass and take a sip. The rich aromatic flavor warms my insides.

“I took the liberty of ordering for you, as you were fashionably late.”

I have a little more of my wine, trying not to bite back. It’s what he wants. He’s trying to prove he has some control over me. “Thank you,” I say instead, my fake-ass smile not reaching my eyes. They burn with flames of fury directed at him.

“Are you feeling better?” he asks, some concern in his voice that actually sounds genuine. It shouldn’t when he’s the one who caused me to pass out from shock.

“Just perfect.” I smile tightly.

“You looked very unwell this morning. I hope my cousin was able to help get to the bottom of what is going on with you.”

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