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“I think we need to talk before we can even consider working together.” I hope he agrees with me; otherwise, this alliance is going to be built on deceit and betrayal. Noa picks on the grass beneath him, and without even looking at me, he gives me his answer.

“You’re right.”

Huh, okay.

“If you didn’t kill my father, where were you that night?” I’ve been dreading asking him that question. Not because he might lie; no, it’s because he will be honest, and all of this will have been for nothing.

“Nowhere.” His answer is the same as the last time that I asked.

“You keep telling me you didn’t kill my father.” I start.

“That’s right. But can you even trust what I’m saying? Maybe I did kill him.” He’s audacious, I’ll give him that.

To my surprise, I’m not angry.

I’m relieved.

That relief is rooted in the fact that I can keep my feelings cold and distant towards him.

Coldness is an emotion you can control; love isn’t.

“So you won’t deny that all the evidence is pointing at you?”

“Nope.” What a fucking asshole. But it’s fine, I have something else to focus on.

Murdering a misogynistic and deadly man.

Dario.

I stand up, get into my pants again and start walking—he immediately follows me.

We come up to his door, and I stop him before we can enter.

“We’ll talk business only once we are inside. You’re dead to me, and I’m dead to you,” I tell him.

“You honestly believed that I would have behaved sweetly towards you after what just happened?” He brushes one finger against my cheek and gives me a patronizing smile. “Then you are more delusional than I thought you were.”

He goes inside, and one thought pops into my mind as he saunters away.

Noa’s the biggest dick with the nicest ass.

Chapter twenty-nine

Noa

Life keeps on throwing me curveballs, and the biggest one right now is my murderous ex is sitting at the table with my team.

They are ready to kill her if she breathes the wrong way.

Sara is sitting on Adam’s lap, Oliver, Hana, and Josh are seated on the couch, and I’m sitting next to Lana.

“So, does anybody want coffee?” Oliver asks us, hoping to break the tension. We all stare at him, and Josh rubs his temple.

“You don’t even know how to boil water, dickhead.” Josh counters. Oliver squeezes his arm as he stands up. Before he leaves for the kitchen, he bends down and kisses Josh on his forehead.

We all laugh, but when I look at Hana, she’s not laughing. My cousin’s watching them intently.

Huh. Weird.