Page 310 of Filthy Truth

It seemed nuts to think I’d warned him about becoming the next Stalin, and here he was, already crazy enough that he thought he could… Hell, I didn’t even know what he intended to do.

Fuck with Britain, and Northern Ireland, then wage a war against them on the European Union’s behalf?

Maybe Aidan was right and he was trying to shore up the ‘motherland’s’ powers?

All it took was a spark in the right place to fuck with the delicate nature of the world stage… Why not start a war while he was in full despot mode?

I had no way of knowing his game plan, but whatever his logic, I was an American soldier to my core. I fought for freedom, not goddamn dictators.

As every instinct in my body pinged to life, outright screaming that I’d been dumb to trust him, a fucking fool, a helicopter landed in the Sinners’ backyard.

That was when my grandfather answered my message.

Me: Remember you told me that Belyaev died of a heart attack in his hotel room in Cincinnati? Who gave you the bad intel?

Anton: Why do you ask me now?

Me: It just occurred to me that you never told me who was behind it.

Anton: Yes, well, it’s an uncomfortable situation.

Me: Why?

Anton: You are friendly with her.

Me: Who?

Anton: Temperance Black.

Me: That goddamn bitch. Why is she still alive?

Anton: Because she’s your friend.

If I hadn’t already smelled the bullshit from a mile away, I did now.

Still, he’d walked into the trap I’d set, a trap that might not have worked but did, and which meant I could handle Temper without causing any raised eyebrows in the Brotherhood.

Me: I’ll deal with her for you.

Anton: I’d appreciate that.

With the go-ahead, I sent D a message.

Me: Temper’s a traitor.

Cin: What kind of traitor?

Me: The worst kind.

Cin: She’s too self-righteous to be a traitor.

Me: Trust me, she fucking isn’t.

Me: I’m about to pick her up. You want in?

Cin: Sure. But… I need to know what she’s done, Star.

Me: Remember Kembesh?

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