Page 65 of Don't Lie To Me

Jagger nods, pleased. “Since I can’t always be there with you, Onyx has also agreed to stay at our apartment with you until we track this motherfucker down.”

I glance toward Onyx. Did he now? He gives me nothing, just that cold distant expression that sits on his face when my brothers are around. Can’t make it obvious there is something going on between us. But he can offer to stay with me permanently? For fuck’s sake.

“Romeo will be by your side while you’re at the club. We will make sure you’re never alone.”

Fucking great, just what I need, extra babysitting. “I don’t trust Romeo,” I snap back, making sure Jagger knows I’m not on board with his plan. “What is he blackmailing you with this time?”

His unimpressed eyes meet mine. “Romeo only wants what’s best for you, Sloane,” Jagger huffs.

I jump off the bar. “Bullshit. Romeo wants what’s best for Romeo, end of story.” I walk around the other side of the bar and top up my drink.

“If that was true, he wouldn’t be letting you have so much control at the club. We both know he has a soft spot for you. Let’s keep him on our side, Sloane.” Jagger’s voice is strained, his patience with me wearing thin. Everything to him is a business deal, a way of keeping the control over his portion of this town he so desperately craves. But this is my life, and it’s not as simple as he’s making it out to be.

I roll my eyes, taking a big swig of my drink as I lean my elbow on the bar. “What if it’s a VIP member or a disgruntled ex-staff member?” I ask, just throwing it out there. They have it in for Reef, but I’m not so sure he’s a real option. I saw the look on his face when he spotted the body and the message for me, he can’t be that good of an actor. The point he made this morning was also valid. This could be any motherfucker I have pissed off over the years, and there are a lot ofthem around. “There was that dude I had to cancel his membership after he tried to assault one of my girls. Remember? It was like a year ago, but maybe he’s still stewing on it.” I click my fingers, trying to remember his name. I knew at the time I should have taken care of him properly. “Tony someone, you remember him, Asher? You were there when we kicked him out.”

“Yeah, that dude was fucking crazy,” Asher agrees.

“Do you still have his details on file? I’ll look into him,” Malachi says, nodding in agreement, rapidly typing details into his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.

Cruz watches me, his brow furrowed in concern. “Do you have any disgruntled ex-staff?”

“Not that I can think of.” I shrug. My relationship with my staff is good. They make more money with me than they can anywhere else, and they have the best working conditions around. What is there to be upset about?

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea if we made our presence around The Raven’s Nest more known, make sure any fucker who thinks he can mess with our sister knows he will come up against an army of Strykers,” Asher tells Jagger with a wink in my direction. “I’m happy to offer my assistance in any way needed.”

“I’m sure you are.” I roll my eyes, knowing he has an ulterior motive in wanting to help.

“Got to keep myself busy while protecting you, Sis.” He kisses my cheek, making all this feel so damn normal. And I know for them at least, nothing has changed. I’m still their little sister, and they are still my overprotective big brothers.

My phone rings a jarring, insistent buzz across the bar, and I glance at the screen to see a private number flashing up.

“Who is it?” Jagger quizzes me.

My brow furrows. “Not sure,” I answer, curiosity getting the better of me.

Asher slips it from my hand and places the call on speaker so they can all listen in.

I snap my phone back, throwing him a filthy look. “Hello,” I answer cautiously.

At first, it’s just heavy breathing, then a low dark chuckle floods the line. “Did you receive my gift?” comes a male voice with a thick Italian accent.

I feel like a bucket of ice has been dumped over my head, and I drop my phone on the bar as if it’s just bitten me.

My brothers all watch me, and I blink back at them, not sure what to do. “Keep him on the line,” mouths Malachi.

“Who is this?” I murmur, knowing I sound vapid as hell, but what the fuck else do you say to the man stalking you?

“Don’t be scared, baby. I can hear the tremble in your voice, but I won’t hurt you. Not while you’re so useful to me.”

I feel the color drain from my face. “Listen here, asshole, stay the fuck away from me or I will come for you and make sure you end up in a much worse condition than that poor girl was left in.”

His deep chuckle vibrates through the phone, a cruel edge to it. “You’re so fun when you get angry, just like your mother. Keep it up, it will make the hunt so much more fun for both of us, and me finally capturing you much sweeter.”

With a shaky hand, I go to disconnect the call, but Malachi shakes his head. He mustn’t have a trace on him yet. My insides churn, I can’t take much more of this. “Go to hell, you piece of shit. You will never catch me,” I throw back at him, I’m not some weak bitch he can hunt.

“That’s it, my girl, keep fighting me. I’m closing in on you, getting closer every day. I own you, girl, and it’s only a matter of time before you’re mine again.”

My eyes find Onyx from across the room, and I see the way his fists ball. I want to run to him, have him wrap me in his protective arms and tell me this is all some messed-up joke. But it’s not. This motherfucker is after me.

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