Page 30 of The Lies We Tell

The offer caught Tessa off guard. It seemed genuine enough, but even if it wasn’t, she wasn’t really in a position to be turning down opportunities to get out of this fucking house.

“Lunch sounds great.”

“Good. There’s this little place not far from here that has the best tiramisu. I was working the last time I was there, so I didn’t get to enjoy myself. I’ve wanted to go back.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Luca and I are leaving tomorrow to visit some friends in Spain,” Sienna said, and Tessa’s brows shot up.

So Matteo was using her intel, just not sticking to his side of the bargain. The asshole.

“We shouldn’t be gone too long. I’ll come find you when we’re back.”

“I’ll be here,” Tessa said, watching Sienna push to her feet and cross to the door.

Genuine or not, having lunch with Sienna was an opportunity to gather information. If Matteo wasn’t going to keep up his end, then she needed something good for her father, and Matteo wasn’t the only one in this house who knew things. His brothers knew what they had planned just the same, and Tessa would bet money Luca told Sienna everything.

Getting details out of Sienna would be a different beast entirely, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to cultivate another source of information. Guilt surfaced in the pit of her stomach, and she immediately smothered it.

No doubt Sienna had her own motives for inviting Tessa out to lunch. Tessa refused to believe they were as altruistic as wanting to get to know each other. These people were not her friends. She couldn’t forget that.

They were trying to destroy her father in the same way she was trying to destroy them. Although for entirely different reasons. None of them were innocent here.

So what if they were feeding her and housing her and not treating her like garbage? It didn’t mean anything other than they were humane enemies. Much more humane than her father would be if he found himself in the same situation.

At the end of the day, she only cared about getting what she wanted. As long as she had her mother back at the end of all of this, she didn’t care who got hurt along the way. She’d suffered enough these last eight years without her mother as a buffer between her and her father’s wrath.

If this was what she had to do to have the freedom and peace she deserved, she’d do it a thousand times over and not feel bad about it for a second.

Chapter Twelve

“Alexei called when he landed in Moscow. He said everything’s a go for him there.”

“And Carina?”

“She’s meeting him in Sochi once his work is finished. They’re only planning on staying a few days.”

Matteo frowned. He didn’t like the idea of Carina in Russia right after Alexei did his part to stir up trouble. But she would have gone whether he approved or not. At least this way, he was able to get her on a private flight with people who would keep her safe until she met up with Alexei.

“And Spain?”

“We’re on track there too.”

“Our flight leaves early tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to practicing my Spanish,” Sienna said, leaning into Luca when he squeezed her elbow.

“The meeting is set for tomorrow night over dinner,” Luca added. “I’ll update you after.”

Matteo nodded. “Good.”

“What?” Luca raised a brow. “No lecture about how we need to be on our best behavior and not embarrass the family?”

Tossing his notepad and pen on the table in front of him, Matteo hung his head between his shoulders with a huff. “Why do you always expect the worst from me?”

“Because that’s what I always get from you. Don’t start,” Luca snapped when Matteo opened his mouth to speak. “If you say you’re doing what’s best for the family one more time, I’m going to hurl.”

“Maybe if I say it enough, you’ll start to believe me,” Matteo bit off. “How much longer are you going to make me pay for the past, little brother?”

“Get the fuck over yourself, Matteo.”

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