Treachery Prequel

His dating Luca counted for the first of his repayments. What I’d ask for the other two, I had no idea, but plenty of time to think it over.

My eyes fell to the tick in his jaw, my teeth hurting for how hard he ground his together. I almost laughed.

“Awe, it looks like your tripped and fell into some feelings for her.”

His eyes narrowed on me like he actually thought about doing something in retaliation. But then, his expression lost its red sheen, logic filtering in to wipe away any ideas he had about challenging me.

I had him by the balls and he knew it.

“Fine. I’ll go to her dorm tomorrow and explain that we can’t see each other anymore.”

Cocking my head to the side, I wasn’t exactly on board with that idea.

“A text will do. As few sentences as possible. Women just love to find out they’re valued so little as to have their hearts broken in fifty words or less.”

Clayton’s hand fisted at his sides, my gaze sliding to the movement.

“What do you plan to do with that?”

His fingers relaxed and I gri

“Run along, Clayton, while I’m still feeling generous. You reneged on our deal by showing up here tonight. Yet, I’m still willing to call this favor done.”

The knowledge he was defeated sat heavily on his shoulders, but he turned and left without argument. Before he could disappear down the stairs, I called out to him.

“Oh, and make sure that text goes through bright and fucking early. No later than eight.”

He shot a look over his shoulder and nodded.

There wasn’t much that could be done with Luca tonight, but I’d deal with her in the morning while she was good and heartbroken.

I told myself I needed her away from Clayton so that she was on her own, making her easier prey, but there was another thought in my head, an a

I wanted Luca for myself.

The only problem was that it could never happen. Not with my father breathing down my neck.

I was going to check on her again when Gabriel’s voice caught my attention.

Strolling toward me from the other end of the hall, he gripped his phone in his hand and wore an expression that was about as shitastic as they come.

“You need to go pick up the twins.”

I ran my tongue over my teeth, counted to three to keep from punching a wall. Our fathers had done something to fuck them up again and couldn’t be bothered to deal with the problem and bring them home. Fucking typical.

“What did they do to them this time?”

Gabriel shot me a look, refused to answer. “I’d go myself, but I’m too drunk to drive. I don’t know what’s going on, but their dad just called me and said they’ve become a problem.”

The twins were currently back in our old neighborhood.

“That’s a four hour drive one way. It’ll take me all night.”

“It’s bad,” was all he answered, his voice as calm as ever.

Gabriel wasn’t the type to get heated, not outwardly anyway. It made him dangerous. But then, he was a king of lies. That’s why we called him Fraud. He could sell a drowning man a glass of water. And he probably would. Money talked to Gabriel like a sated lover.

Fucking hell.

My finger was in his face. “Watch Luca. She’s passed out on my bed.”

“She’s handled.”

Nodding my head, I exhaled and turned to leave the house.

I didn’t know why everything was falling apart tonight, but I was determined to find a way to pull it all back together.