Page 77 of Tell Me All Your Lies

I hang my head as I grip the edge of the couch.

“You gotta give me more than that.”

“The Marlin.”

My head shoots up to find Brad’s weary expression on mine.

“Are you sure?”

“This tournament is one of many. Cordelia is auditioning you for more than you know. The Marlin trades in drugs, diamonds, everything but people and kids. Says everyone needs a code.”

“A code?”

“A moral one, if you can believe that,” he says in disbelief.

“At least we know that much about the Marlin.”

Brad’s expression turns more serious.

“No one knows anything real about the Marlin. Remember that before tonight.”

“I will. Have you met the Marlin before?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Why?”

“I’m not telling you more than I can to feel safe. You want in this mess? Then you need to figure it out as you go. But Ace?”

I wait for him to continue.

“Nothing is what it seems. Don’t come to this game unless you really understand that.”

“I do. Thank you for coming here.”

Brad gets up and leaves without another word.

If what he’s saying is true, then tonight is the night that Cara and I have to try and figure out who the Marlin is and how everyone is connected.

We need to know from Cordelia what the big play is and when it’s happening to put an end to this once and for all. The sooner that we catch the Marlin, the sooner I can retreat back to California and figure out my life.

It’s pathetic.

I’m the closest I’ve ever been to meeting the Marlin, and all I can think about is the way Cara glances at me. If this isn’t a sign that I have to figure out my life after this, then I don’t know what is.

What we thought was going to take months still could, but less than two weeks in, and we’re already heading to the casino as friends of Cordelia’s. That’ll show all the players we don’t know are involved that we can be trusted or, at the very least, are important enough.

I head up the stairs, finding Cara’s door slightly ajar. She’s examining herself in the mirror. With long cascading locks rolling down her back and a different black sequin dress on, she looks every bit the part that we need her to play.

That’s the problem.

The more I see her like this, the more I want her for my own.

I don’t just want the happy housewife; I want the vixen I know is underneath those clothes. The one who puts me in my place when necessary and softens when I need that too.

And most importantly, I want to be that person for Cara in return. The one her father, Luke, described would be best for Cara. I could be her partner in every way imaginable if only things were different between us.

Cara glances over her shoulder, and our eyes meet. She tries to turn around to face me, but I’m gone before she can ask me what I was doing or how the conversation with Brad turned out.

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