Page 160 of Unorthodox
“He claims it was Dante.”
My blood runs colds.
I close my eyes, think about the last time Luca was at my house. When he invited Addison to his party. I see Dante closing my office door as Luca walked out with him. Walked him to the fucking door.
“He uh…I don’t think he meant to betray you, boss. Luca just said Dante mentioned the girl wasn’t tied up or anything.”
I clench my jaw, open my eyes. Addison keeps staring at me, her own eyes heavy with exhaustion. But she doesn’t close them, looking at me as if she doesn’t want me to disappear.
“And did he also happen to tell Luca how to disarm my alarm system while he wasnot betrayingme?”
Bryce clears his throat. And again, he hesitates. Unease makes my jaw clench. Finally, he says, “I don’t know but I tapped a phone from your house. On an unsecured line. Nothing to do with Luca. Or Dante.”
I grit my teeth, hold my breath.
“Mamieis going to get the girl out, Max.”
I don’t so much as blink, betraying nothing to Addison.
There might be a lot more blood on these sheets before she leaves this room. If she knew…if she fucking knew…
“And the girl…” Bryce laughs, but it’s bitter. “She knows.”
Addison didn’t hear, because her expression is blank, and she might be a conniving fucking bitch, but she’s not that good at hiding her emotions, and I imagine that weakness is intensified when she’s a little drunk.
She’s about to wish she was fucking wasted.
“Is that so?” I ask Bryce, keeping the rage out of my voice as I hold Addison’s gaze.
“Yeah, but I just think you should know, boss. Mamie wasn’t going to turn you into the feds. She was…dealing with Danik. He never mentioned anything about snitching. If he’s working for the feds, she doesn’t know.”
Mamie is already a dead woman walking, but it’s sweet Bryce thinks I give a fuck about what he just said. If Addison had left, if I’d let her get away, betrayed by my own fucking help…Oliver would pay for it.
It takes effort not to slam Addison’s head against the wall.
“Thank you, Bryce,” I speak into the phone, forcing calm into my voice. “Is Luca still alive?”
Addison’s eyes widen marginally, but she doesn’t otherwise move.
Bryce laughs. “Barely. You want me to finish it?”
“No. If his house is secure, get rid of the rest of his men. But leave him alive.”
“You got it, boss.”
I end the call, toss the phone on the nightstand, my hand still on Addison’s hip.
Addison frowns. “Is everything okay?” she asks me quietly.
For a long moment, I study her green eyes. I can see the gap between her teeth, the way her swollen lips are parted. I’m at once gripped with the urge to hold her and hurt her.
The same way I’ve felt about her since the moment she stepped inside my house and started fighting me like a wild animal.
She betrayed me.
She doesn’t have a phone. Should never have had access to one. But then again, as Luca reminded me just last night,I let her roam the house freely. With fucking Mamie.
I try not to stare at her, not wanting her to run just yet.
