Page 119 of Tell Me All Your Lies

“New people are dangerous in the games we play. I’m surprised, that’s all.”

“Well, I hope you can trust me.”

“Don’t worry about me,” she answers.

I give her a nod as I stand tall with my hands behind my back and feet spread apart.

“Here you go. All the diamonds that Taby is expecting as part of the transaction.”

“As part of my winnings.”

“Precisely. All clean. Now it’s in your hands if there are issues as to where the diamonds came from, not Taby’s.”

“Or yours.”

Aria laughs darkly as she stands and walks toward me.

“You’re such a good boy. Very clever. Taby couldn’t risk losing me or having my hands dirty.”

She pauses and then opens the door wider.

“Well, not with this, at least.”

Aria stands next to the fully open door and raises her eyebrows.

“Better get those to Taby. She doesn’t like to wait.”

“I was planning on going tomorrow.”

Aria laughs again.

“I’d get them to her tonight. But what do I know? I’ve just lived to tell the tale for years.”

I take the box and head out through the door. As I go toward the main poker space, Roberts comes out from a different door and grins.

He works for Aria. He was a plant to try and make me lose. I don’t fully understand what’s at play here, but one thing is for sure—we’re in deep.

Back in the car,Cara screeches out of the parking lot as soon as I hop in. As she takes a corner, she looks down to see the box I’m holding.

“You won.” She beams.

“I did. Barely.”

“Barely?”

She shifts gears and zooms past a set of cars.

“The owner is Aria.”

“What?” she asks, shocked.

“And Aria planted someone there. Someone good. To beat me.”

“Wow,” she answers in disbelief.

“Tell me about it. He was a professional. Now I know at least that I’ve seen him before."

"You recognized him?”

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