Page 88 of Tell Me All Your Lies

I pretend to blush into Grant’s shoulder like any ordinary wife would. Instead, I’m consumed by an unfamiliar possessiveness, and it takes everything inside me to remember that I’m a professional and our plans are working.

I can’t tell if Taby is interested in Grant for something other than cards. Jealousy comes through, and I have to smile to prevent saying something I’ll regret and ruin what advancements we’ve made.

“Thank you,” he answers.

“Sit out the next rounds. Wait in that room,” Taby starts as she gestures to a guarded door behind where they are.

“And we’ll be in when this ends.”

“What’s in there?” Grant asks.

“Your future,” Taby answers.

My eyes flash to Cordelia’s, and I realize that we got it all wrong.

Cordelia isn’t the Kingpin—it’s Taby.

THIRTEEN

Grant

I takeCara’s hand tightly in mine as we make our way through the boisterous crowd of gamblers and spectators to the back room.

Originally, I was under the impression that I would have to continue to compete all night to prove my worth, but it was clearly displayed during the two I played.

As I took Cara’s hand in mine, the flicker of realization dawned on me. Taby has been the main player this whole time. Cordelia works for her and has the over-the-top guards to distract from the truth.

What we’ve already uncovered here is beyond what we would have been able to without being in the field and ingrained with this crew.

Cara squeezes my hand as we approach the guarded door. She looks straight ahead, trying not to cause any potential issues. It’s hard to focus on anything now that I have her.

Is catching the Kingpin and the Marlin really worth the idea of losing her? I know she’s strong and capable, but I can’t letanything happen to this woman. Not when it seems like we are finally on the same page.

Earlier, she asked me if I could tell her all my lies, and I understood what wasn’t said. Cara and I have big conversations we need to have. It’s not just my lies but her truths that need to be told out loud.

When she asked me that, I knew at that moment that I was going to make her mine forever. Cara may be my wife on paper, but I want it to be real.

I’m done playing pretend with Cara.

How could I deny her when she clearly wanted more? That kiss was palpable, and it solidified things between us. We’ve come so far, and after this mission, I want to make her my wife in every sense of the word forever.

“Taby asked us to wait in here,” I say to a guard.

“You’re on the list…” His eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“Is everything okay?”

“Permanently,” he finishes.

Wow, that’s a shock to us as well.

The guard opens the door and lets us walk through.

Inside the room feels like another world—a darker one where I recognize so many people from the neighborhood and from all our preparations.

We take our seats on a set of empty barstools at the sleek all-black bar and settle in, trying to pretend this isn’t what we’ve been dying for.

There could be any number of cameras in this room, so Cara and I will have to talk to one another in code to confirm the plan is a go.

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