Fountain of Lies (Lindsey Aeon FBI Mystery Thriller Book 1) by J.R. Rain

Author:J.R. Rain [Rain, J.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rain Press
Published: 2025-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-four

“Good evening,” booms a male voice behind me. “I’m so glad all of you could make it.”

I turn in my chair, looking up. I recognize Marcus immediately, of course. The thing is, I’ve built him up so much in my mind that I’m practically fangirling over the broad-shouldered, silver-haired, dapper crime lord.

On either side of me, Isabel and Jacob rise from their seats as if the Pope himself had made an appearance. This is my first mafia case; admittedly, I’m not too hip on standard operating procedures when it comes to acknowledging a mob kingpin.

He leans in and kisses his daughter on both cheeks.

“Everything okay, Father?” she asks quietly, just loud enough for me to hear.

“Just dealing with your mother, Izzy. She couldn’t decide what to wear. You know how she can be about these dinners and meeting new people.”

Seemingly for the first time, the man’s eyes fall on me and, suddenly, I want to bolt. I’ve never felt so intimidated in my life and there’s an unhinged wildness to his eyes—as if the man is ready to take on a dangerous dare. Pretty sure he’d sniffed his drug of choice, probably copious amounts of cocaine.

Now, others appear around the table, smiling and laughing lightly, even if the energy feels off.

“You must be Lindsey?” he says to me, smiling warmly, the craziness behind his pupils gone in a blink. “I’m Marcus, Isabel’s father.”

“A pleasure to meet you, sir,” I say, accepting his kisses on my cheeks. “Thank you so much for having me over for dinner. Your home is very lovely.”

“Thank you,” he says. “The home belonged to my parents. I inherited it upon their passing and made some expansions and upgrades.”

The room is buzzing with low voices and the clink of expensive glassware. Marcus sits at the head of the table, his posture relaxed, though his presence commands attention. His eyes—sharp, assessing—land on me, and, in that moment, I feel exposed. Not just because of my cover, but something deeper, as if he can see through my every layer.

Crime bosses, I believe, possess a preternatural sixth sense to sniff out trouble. It’s one reason they survive in such dangerous environments.

His lips curl into a knowing smirk, and I have the unsettling feeling that my theory is about to be proven right.

“So, what brings you to our little town?” He gives me a crooked smile. The man is a bit of a flirt.

“Some family friends told me about how welcoming this town was,” I say, carefully keeping to my backstory. “From talking with them, I knew it would be just what I needed.”

He raises a dark, furry eyebrow. “Oh? Running away from something?”

“I guess you could say that,” I mumble.

“Do tell.”

“Dad...” Isabel says.

“No, it’s fine,” I say, looking at her before turning my attention back to her father, my target. “I had a bit of a situation with an ex. I needed to get away. A fresh start, you could say.”

His smile remains unwavering as he tilts his head.

“How long will you be in town?” he asks, holding my gaze.

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