Treachery

“I don’t know where she is. Nobody ever told me.”

Ta

“But you do admit your family helped her hide?”

They have to know. If they don’t, they wouldn’t have gone through all of this to get me here.

Damn Clayton and his fucked-up decision to run to Ta

“My father is dead, Ta

Jase laughs from across the room, his head shaking as he tsks his tongue.

It’s Ta

“Except he left his files behind, didn’t he? All that information just sitting around, waiting for somebody to go through it.”

Stilling in place, my mouth goes dry, my mind racing so fast I can’t keep up with one thought before another comes slamming down.

Before I can respond, Ta

“That is your price, Luca. Hand over your father’s files, and I’ll help you take what is owed to you from Clayton. Protect your friend and refuse my offer, and you’ll walk away a pe

My eyes slam shut at the realization that I have nowhere to turn, my heart beating the same erratic rhythm it always has since the day I first met and got to know Ta

He laughs softly, his chest brushing against my back. Whispering so that only I can hear him, Ta

“Do you believe me now that this has nothing to do with sex?”

It seems the years have changed nothing between us.

Just when I allowed myself to relax in his presence, Ta

...that I can never let down my guard when faced by a man whose entire life has been built on deceiving others.

“I need something to drink,” I croak, skirting around Ta

He’s fast on my heels as I run downstairs and to the bar set up along a far wall in the main room.

After grabbing two glasses of champagne, I down one. I’m about to slam the other when Ta

Our eyes meet, the glass of champagne still locked in my hand as a smile breaks out at the corners of his mouth.

“Are you sure you want to drink that?”

Laughter bubbles up my throat.

“If I don’t, I might just end up killing you.”

Ta

His voice is a deep croon when he says, “Do what you want, Luca, but before getting wasted, just remember what happened last time you got drunk around me.”

Drinking the champagne regardless of his warning, I not only think about what happened that night back at Yale, I try not to remember how it had been the begi