Page 33 of Don't Lie To Me

“As long as he fucks me first then, I’m good,” I snap back just to irritate him.

“Sloane,” Onyx warns as he opens my car door for me.

Yeah, I know I sound like a brat. But fuck him. He doesn’t want me, and I’m not hanging around the club pining for him. By seven tonight, that club might not even be in my control anymore, and I might just need a fucking distraction with a sexy smile to take away my pain.

Chapter 13

It’sfourforty-five,andI’m back to pacing the Persian rug in my office, freaking the actual fuck out. I avoided Romeo the rest of the day, working in other sections of the club so I didn’t have to deal with him. But now I’m running out of time. “Why haven’t I heard anything from Alex yet?” I ask Sally and Onyx.

“He’s a man of his word, you will hear from him in time,” Sally says nervously, and I’m not sure she even believes her words, but she’s trying to keep me calm.

“I hope so, for all of our sakes.”

“Is Romeo going to sit out there all day? It’s awkward trying to manage the place around him. He keeps watching me.”

“He’s probably waiting for his moment of glory where he gets to come in here and take over my office.”

I hear an email notification ping on my phone, and I move quickly to check my computer, praying to anyone who will listen that it’s from Alex and not Romeo. Sure enough, there is something from Alex. I open the attachment, with both Onyx and Sally reading over my shoulder.

Attached is a contract between Emilio Moretti and Syd Stryker, outlining that Syd has transferred sixty percent of ownership of his business Nest of Sin to Emilio Moretti. Evidence it’s actually true.Emilio must be Romeo’s papa. My blood boils with irritation as I close the attachment and open the next one.

The next is a hit contract, signed by Emilio Moretti, approving the hit on Katrina Stryker. The date is two days before my mother was raped and killed. My skin goes all prickly, and I have to take hold of my desk so I don’t go over. What the actual fuck. Romeo’s papa was the one who ordered the hit on my mother? This is fucking awful, but it’s also exactly what I need to have something over him. I have no idea how Alex got his hands on this contract, but I’m thankful. I hit print and wait, feeling like steam is ready to pour from my ears.

As soon as the document prints, I delete the email from Alex so there is no paper trail. Then I march out into the bar and find the table where Romeo is sitting typing away at his laptop. “Did you fucking know?” I snap, my voice filled with venom. How could he have known and still come to my party, charming me? Spending the night with me? His papa ordered my mom dead.

He raises a curious brow, looking way too pleased to see me. “Know what, doll face?”

With shaky hands, I forcefully place the piece of paper in front of him.

He picks it up and runs his eyes over it. I see the creases form at the corner of his eyes as he takes in what is in front of him. “Where did you get this?” he demands, his voice hardening as his expression darkens. And I know I did good, he’s furious.

“Answer me,” I seethe, not giving anything away.

He pushes out of his seat, towering above me all powerful and domineering. Taking my hand in his, he forcefully pulls me along with him in the direction of my office. I try to snap my hand back, I don’t want him to touch me, but I can’t. He’s so damn strong when he’s pissed. And right now, I may have just pushed him too far. Well, good,because I have reached my limit, and this shit needs to end tonight. Hopefully with him leaving with his tail between his legs.

Onyx appears at my side. “Take your hands off her.”

“It’s okay, Onyx,” I say, not needing him to step in. I’m not scared of Romeo, not one little bit. He should be scared of me, right now.

“Swipe us in,” Romeo demands. “Don’t push me, Sloane. You and I both know we can’t discuss this out here.”

I know he’s right, the club is starting to fill up with the regulars. With a flick of my free hand, I swipe us in, with Onyx following closely behind. This time, though, I don’t let him in my office with us. I give him a look, and he knows he has to stay outside, as much as I know it will kill him when he’s already feeling overprotective of me around Romeo. But right now, I need to have it out with Romeo alone.

As soon as the door is closed, Romeo pounces on me. “What the fuck are you playing at shoving this in my face?”

I point to my chest, my eyes going wide. “Me? What the fuck areyouplaying at? You came in here the night of my party with one thing on your mind only, fucking me over. After you fucked me. You knew everything about me.” My voice trembles, I’m so fucking fuming. “Including what happened to me that night, what I lost. You tried to act all fucking sweet and caring, when really you were just manipulating me into spending the night with you, all along knowing the damage your fucking papa had caused my family. What he did to my mom.” Tears choke up my throat, but I won’t let them free. I don’t fucking cry over anyone, and I won’t cry over this asshole.

He meets my intensity. “The only one to blame for what happened to your mom is your father.”

“I don’t have a fucking father,” I screech back at him, knowing how crazy I sound, but right now, I don’t give a fuck.

He moves toward me, caging me in so my back is up against the door and his large frame is everywhere. My heart races out of control. “Syd Stryker fucked over the Morettis; your mother lost her life because of what he did.” His voice is harsher now, a bitterness that carries pain and hate with it.

I glare daggers up at him, not letting him have any power over me, even if he’s so much bigger. “If what he had done was so terrible, why kill an innocent woman? Why not kill the piece of shit who did it?” That question has been in my head for nine years. Why did she have to pay for his sins? She was a beautiful, innocent woman who never would have hurt a fly.

“He needed to pay off his fucking debt. Trust me when I tell you this, what happened to your mother that night is nothing compared to what would have happened if my papa took her back home with him. Your father might have been a slimy piece of shit, but my papa is pure evil.”

I stare back at him, my heart racing out of control, my breathing ragged. I can’t believe I ever had a thing for him. I can’t believe I let him spend the night with me. “Either you back the fuck off and let me run my business as I see fit or I will expose you and your family for the criminals they are,” I bite back, having no idea how I will really do it, but I’m sure I can work it out. If Alex could come up with this in just a few hours, imagine what else they are hiding.

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