Fraud (Antihero Inferno #2) - Lily White Page 0,85

Luca, and at the time, we didn’t know that what her father had would be important to us.

We only knew our fathers wanted her under control.

I made a judgment call because I didn’t want someone like Luca hurt by our families’ bullshit. Unfortunately, Tanner found a way to get her under thumb again, and when he used that to help the twins, I couldn’t blame him or do anything about it.

Tanner clears his throat and ignores the fact that Jase’s head is about to explode.

“What was so bad about that for you to worry about telling us?”

Ivy sighs. “I haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

“Great,” Jase growls. “Any fucking day now would be helpful.”

Ivy shoots her gaze to Jase.

“Shouldn’t you be off getting your herpes treated or something, Lust? Shut the hell up, and let me get to it.”

I struggle to contain my grin, my eyes locking to Jase’s when he moves as if he’s going to rush at her again. Thankfully, he reconsiders it when he sees just how serious I am about protecting her.

Her eyes return to Tanner.

“Anyway, after they finished that part of the conversation, my dad told Jerry he needed to destroy the business. Dad said he didn’t care if his wife was dying or that it would leave John with nothing. He also said, ‘John Bailey cannot know why this happened.’ I’m not sure what that means, but that’s why his name is familiar. I didn’t want to tell anyone because I think it’s wrong my dad ordered that. I thought he was using his position as Governor to hurt people.”

Luca’s expression twists with grief, and she turns to bury her face against Tanner’s chest. His hand softly brushes down her hair as he curses beneath his breath and shoots his gaze to me.

“What do you make of this? Has Warbucks said anything more about what information he wants on Governor Callahan?”

“Not a word.”

Although now that I know this much, I have every intention of digging deeper.

Ivy turns to me.

“What information did you all think my father had? And why would your father want it?”

Thankfully everyone who grew up with us knows Warbucks is what we call my father, and I don’t have to take the time to explain it to Ivy.

“He said it had something to do with a new financial law your dad is pushing.”

She smiles.

“Oh, that. Yeah, he’s pushing it because of your fathers. I can’t blame him for wanting to hurt them. The men who raised you are monsters.”

My gaze lifts over her head to look at Tanner.

With one arm still wrapped around Luca, he stabs a hand through his hair, openly aggravated with this new twist.

“From what I can tell, we need two things. One, we need to know exactly what Warbucks is looking for. After hearing this, I think it has nothing to do with the law being pushed, and he’s just using that as an excuse. And two, we need to know why Ivy’s dad was involved with Jerry Thornton.”

“Three things, asshole.”

We all turn to look at Jase.

“We need to know where the hell Everly is, and now I’m a hell of a lot more interested to know what it means that she was at Yale for a specific reason.”

As usual, Jase is only focusing on the Everly thing, but in this instance, I can’t claim his concern is trivial. Hearing that there may have been more to Everly’s presence has me wondering as well.

“I need a drink,” I announce, the events of the night draining me.

My gaze seeks out Emily where she’s seated between the twins.

“Is there alcohol anywhere in this cabin?”

It’s just like Emily to sneer in my direction. Ivy and I might be on better terms, but her red-headed sidekick and I never got along.

I half expect her to tell me to go fuck myself, but instead she points to the rooms beyond the stairwell.

“There’s a liquor cabinet in the den.”

“Thank you,” I say, meeting her eyes.

Although Emily and I will never be best buddies, she’s still important to Ivy. If there is ever a chance that what’s going on with Ivy and me can be something more, a war with her best friend wouldn’t make it easy.

Emily’s eyes flick to Ivy and back to me before she grumbles, “You’re welcome.”

It’s as civil a conversation as can be expected at the moment.

Stepping away from Ivy, I leave the living room and head into the den.

Thankful for the brief silence, I find the liquor cabinet, and