Page 33 of Ruin Me With Lies

“Language,” he rebukes.

Before I can respond, Lorenzo strolls onto the patio, holster vest strapped on, guns at both sides, flipping a snub-nose revolver around his finger.

For shit’s sake.

He does this sometimes.His way of reminding Vale he’s in the company of killers.They’ve never gotten along.Lorenzo thinks Vale is a sneaky hypocrite who shouldn’t be trusted.Vale thinks Lorenzo is a disrespectful hellion.

Without missing a beat, Lorenzo flicks the revolver again and quotes,“‘Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.’”

Used to Lorenzo’s baiting by now, Vale takes a drink of his iced-tea and eyes him.“You don’t realize that every time you pull this stunt, you’re not shaming me, butimpressingme.”He sets his glass down.“You quote a different Bible versefrom memoryevery single time.You somehow know the Bible inside out, all while avoiding church like the plague.”He gestures to me.“But I bet if you askthisone what book that verse is from, he wouldn’t have a clue.”

Now how the hell didIget dragged into this?

Not that he’s wrong.

Lorenzo might walk around with a threatening mean mug ninety-nine percent of the time, but what most people don’t know is that, compared to me, he’s well-read, an insanely fast learner, anda hell of a lot smarter than he lets on.Between the two of us, he’s all brains.

But where he falls short—people skills, finesse, forging relationships—I excel.He’s too blunt, too impatient to lead with smoke and mirrors.But that’s precisely what it takes to coax trust, to manipulate, to build an empire.Brains and bluntness will only get you so far.That’s why we lean on each other.Where one of us is weak, the other fills the gap.It’s why we work.We have complete confidence and trust in each other’s capabilities.

“We need to talk.”He arches a brow at Vale as he adds, “Guns and pussy shit.”

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.”Vale exhales and stands.“Are we still on for golf Thursday?”

“Yeah.”I knock over his queen with one of my knights.“I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

Lorenzo motions with exaggerated flair for Vale to go ahead of him.“Allow me to show you out,man of God.”

Such a pain in the ass sometimes.

When he returns, he drops into the chair Vale just vacated and places an ugly ass utility watch on the chessboard.“Aren’t you tired of him sweeping the floor with you?”

“There’s no glory in surrender.”I nod at the watch.“What’s this ugly thing?”

“Raya made me get them,” he says.“Built-in frequency jammers to keep us from being listened in on.Indestructible.Also has satellite communication in case we end up in a bad situation.”He lifts his wrist, tapping the device strapped there.“We’re synced.Yours, mine, Gio’s.If shit goes sideways, we can communicate under the radar.”

I tuck two fingers inside my collar and tug, loosening it for air.

Every time that damn girl’s name comes up, the air around me thickens, my skin burning from the inside out.An inexplicable reaction.One I’ve never experienced before.Has to be a warning, right?Something’s not right with her.

“You take orders from Raya now?”

“Not orders.Advice.”He shrugs.“She’s smart.Knows her shit.Has Red Cage-level knowledge.And since Red Cage can’t help us right now, we’re damn lucky to have her.”He lifts a brow.“Forfree.Not the hundreds of thousands they’d be charging us.We all know how much you lovespending money.”

A little too convenient for me.

What are the odds that this impressively knowledgeable woman showed up right whenTHE Oripped my pants down and left me with my ass out?

I might drag myself to mass every Sunday, but I have zero belief that the Big Guy gives a damn about my wretched soul, let alone enough to send me favors.

She’s no favor.She’s a slippery snake.Slithering her way around the villa, charming everyone with her calculated lies.The fact that she managed to win over Lorenzo Hate-The-World-And-Everything-In-It Castello and turn him into her personal champion?That alone proves how dangerous she is.

I left fortwodamn weeks and came back to “Raya this, Raya that,” shoved down my throat every goddamn day.

Fuck that girl.Seriously.Who else but aspawn of the devilcould make a man’s bodyburnlike he’s standing in the bowels of hell just by being in the same room?

I tug harder at my collar.“What’s the important thing you needed to talk about?”

Before Lorenzo can answer, Gio walks out holding an all-too-familiar monogrammed box.“This just arrived.”