Page 69 of Great White
As soon as we’re alone, I repeat,“Authorized?”
“Dove—” Tate lifts his hands off the table in a defensive way, and I immediately know.
“You’re a fucking narc?” I explode, yanking at the restraints that have my wrists taut to the tabletop. No wonder they detained me. If I could fly across this table, I would use the metal chains to strangle him to death.
“Let me explain. I knew you were going to react like this,” Tate chatters quickly.
“Really? Am I that fucking transparent? How else should I react when I find out the man I’ve been fucking is aUC?”
He winces at the wordfucking.
“It wasn’t just that for me.”
“Oh, I’m supposed to believe that bullshit? I’m supposed to believe you care about me? Is that why you’re here? To appeal to my emotions?” I feel all the sensation drain out of my body. I go numb. Hate filling my veins and vengeance wetting my tongue. Betrayal is the worst fucking pill to swallow. My mother didn’t teach me much in life, but she did tell me one thing I will never forget.Dovey, it’s not the knife that kills you, it’s the person holding it.
And I can’t tell you how many times that statement came true. Came to fruition. Over and over again I was abused in my life. All by the people I cared for the most. All by the people I let in. And over and over I keep choosing the wrong people. I thought for the first time Tate was different. But I was wrong. So, so wrong.
“I’m here to offer you a way out, if you’ll listen.”
“A way out?” I sneer.
“A deal.”
I turn my head, not even wanting to entertain the thought from him. My heart has turned cold and black. A rock-solid piece of unmined coal.
“Give Stefania up.”
I whip my face toward him in disgust.
“Hear me out,” Tate treads fast. “Give up the operation. Tell us your routes and your supplier. Where you stash the coke, everything, and I can get you immunity. You’ll see no jail time.”
My eyes narrow of their own accord. “I will never flip on Stefania. I’m not a rat.”
“You’d really rather rot in prison while she’s walking around scot-free?”
“I always knew the consequences of this life.”
“You deserve more than those fucking consequences.” Tate thrusts his upper body over the table.
“My lawyers will get me off. They’re the best in the country.”
“The evidence against you is stacked. They would have to break the fucking law to get you off.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working.”
“I’m not trying to scare you. I’m being real with you.”
I scoff. “Real? That’s rich. You’ve been lying to me since the moment we met. Why should I believe a fucking thing you say?”
“Because you know me.” He tries to appeal to my softer side. Too bad it’s turned to stone.
“I don’t know you. I don’t even know if Tate is your real name.”
“It is. And you do know me. You know when I look you in the eye and tell you something, I mean it.”
“Maybe forty-eight hours ago that was true. Not anymore. I’m not flipping. Stefania is family.” I clench my fists defiantly.
“Spend a few more days in here and we’ll see if you still feel that way.”
