Fraud (Antihero Inferno #2) - Lily White Page 0,101

how hard they dug, they couldn’t find the source of the rumors ruining my life.

As we approached the day of his official commemoration, the rumors got worse, but one floated above the rest that if I were to destroy what my father built, I would be accepted into the fold again, and the rumors would end.

It was stupid of me to go through with it.

I know that.

But I was young and still trapped in the belief that my social life was my entire world.

Plus, I’d been challenged, practically called a coward for not following through.

I burned the place down eight hours after my father’s commemoration ceremony.

It was the following morning that I received the video proof of what I’d done.

Worried that it would leak before I had the chance to make the next step, I’d run to Tanner. I begged him to have Taylor trace the source of that video and make it disappear. Nothing ever came of it, and I’d left for college without worry of my father discovering what I’d done.

The only issue remaining was the price I owed Tanner for the favor he did for me.

I knew I was set up. And now the person who did it is smiling at me from across the small room, his green eyes glimmering with triumph for setting that trap.

Smiling back at him, I refuse to let it affect me.

Shifting my posture to relax as much as possible with the position I’m in, I let out a sigh.

“That was a lot of effort on your part to trap me, Gabe. Did I really mean so much that you did all that just to get me to owe the Inferno something?”

He looks so proud of himself. And he should. As far as games go, that was expert level. I might have sunk his car afterward on the last day I saw him, but the Inferno had me under thumb, and he knew it.

And judging by the look on his face now, he has every intention of playing this until the bitter end.

“Like I said before, this is just the beginning.”

I rattle my chains. “Is that so?”

He pushes away from the wall to march toward me, his powerful swagger so insanely sexy that it strips me of the ability to be angry with him.

But then, I’ve never been angry.

Only challenged.

Only bold.

Only alive.

Just like he is when I strike back.

We’re two opposing forces, strong enough when we’re together that lightning cracks the pristine skies, and the earth shakes beneath our feet.

We’re destructive.

Disastrous.

The blinding chaos of a tempest storm.

And we face each other now. Him with his signature smirk and me with my eyes narrowed in promise that this may be the beginning, but I’ll be the one who ends it.

Gabe stands within a hair’s breadth of me, his eyes tipped down to remind me who stands taller.

“I’ll get you for that, too,” I promise him.

He clasps my chin between his fingers, his eyes locking to mine with challenge.

“Would you like to discuss the new rules of the game we’re playing?”

I lick my lips, and his gaze drops down to them, hunger burning behind the green.

“Sure. It’s not like I can run away.” I rattle the chains again.

Gabriel’s fingers tighten on my chin, his head lowering so that his mouth brushes against mine when he speaks.

“You’re going to behave. For me and everybody else. No more pranks. No more talking back. No more starting wars. You truly will surrender.”

Our eyes dance together, confusion flooding me. Why would he want that? The only thing that has kept us going is the battles we’ve fought.

“Why?”

“Because that’s the way I want you from now on.”

Muted, I thought. My colors fading.

My heart shatters a little more.

“Is that all?” I snap, the razor edge of the question tugging his mouth up at the corners.

“Not quite. I also want you to talk to your father about his relationship with Jerry Thornton.”

Brows tugging together, I tilt my chin. “I’ve already agreed to do that.”

“Yes,” he says, his thumb sweeping across my bottom lip, “but I also need you to get me inside your father’s office, so I can dig through his records to make sure he’s honest.”

My heart thumps painfully, tension driving through the muscles of my shoulders and neck. “I never agreed to that.”

I won’t give him proof. Not to use against my dad. Words are one thing, just secrets whispered. But physical proof? No. It would only hurt my father.

How dare he? After everything that’s happened. How fucking dare