Chapter 3 #2
I'm slowly making mental notes about all of them in case that information will serve me, and I can use it against my brother in any way. I will make sure that within time, I’ll worm myself into his life so spectacularly that when he tries to rip me out, it will only make him bleed instead.
When the meeting concludes, I'm the first to excuse myself, eagerly searching through the mansion for where my brother has most likely left his luggage. He and Lily are due to leave today, and in the spirit of pranking siblings, I plan on planting a fake bomb in my brother's suitcase. I don’t want my brother dead; if I wanted that, it’d already be done.
But I do want to leave a lasting impression, and I hope he shits himself when he sees it.
I admire the halls of the Armani mansion. I know Luca and Ara don’t live here; only his younger brother, Dario, who is rehabilitating from drug addiction, resides in the house.
Women’s voices quietly drift from a drawing room. Curiously, I move toward the room, listening in on what I recognize to be Ara's and Lily's voices.
“I feel bad leaving now, of all times. Romi just isn’t herself, and I’m really worried. But I need to put me and Lorenzo first,” Lily says.
“It’s about time you prioritize yourself,” Ara encourages.
I wonder how the two even became friends.
Ara, despite her current pregnant state, gives me the impression that she’s deadly, especially if she can bring someone like Luca Armani to his knees with nothing more than a glare.
Lily, however, seems sickly sweet. I don’t understand how she and my brother work, nor do I care.
I only need to know that she’s important to him.
“Sienna and I will watch over her while you’re gone. ”
“I don’t know why she won’t tell us what happened to Lorraine or what happened at the funeral. It might be easier if we knew, so we could help,” Lily says sympathetically.
“I considered trying to find out on my own,” Ara admits.
“But I’ve come to learn that I should respect the privacy of my friends, and wait until she’s ready to confide in us.
Whether we like it or not, this is her demon to face, like we faced ours.
It’s Romi’s turn, and when she’s ready for our support, we’ll be there. ”
Silence descends.
I look over my shoulder as I hear two of the hounds' voices carry down the hallway.
“I think the ad for a roommate will be good for her. If someone is living with her, maybe it’ll make her more conscious of her actions or at least give her companionship. She doesn’t want to be around us at the moment, so maybe someone new will be good for her,” Lily says.
A smile blossoms on my face.
Lorenzo would absolutely be against me living with one of his woman’s friends, and I can’t help but think about how much fun I could have with it.
Inch by inch, I want to weave myself into his world, and gaining this Romi woman’s trust to spite my brother seems like the first step.
Hell, who knows what fun I could have with it in the meantime.
Either way, I know my brother will explode, and if I play my cards right—which I always do—he’ll look like the unreasonable one.
I’ll be able to slowly unfurl the trust he’s created in this little domesticated group of his.
I could rent any place in Manhattan, but now I want a specific one.
“The boss will carve out your heart, knowing you’re eavesdropping on his wife’s conversation,” the yellow-gemmed hound says over my shoulder, surprising me that he was actually able to sneak up on me.
If memory serves correctly, and it always does because I’m always right, the yellow-gemmed one is Izak, and his expertise is in tech and devices.
Luck seems to be on my side today because he’s the perfect man I need for the job. The hounds might not yet trust me, and for good reason, but that doesn’t take away the fact that technically, I’m higher ranked than they are, and if there’s one language we can agree on, it’s cash and bartering.
“I need you to do a job for me.” I go to throw my arm over his shoulder, but he slips out of my reach.
“I have no interest in helping you, especially since you most likely won’t make it through the week,” Izak says as he walks away.
I follow him, my hands stuffed in my pockets. “Why? Are you planning on killing me?”
“I don’t care to bloody my hands unless necessary, but the others can’t wait. I do enjoy watching, however.”
“Name your price,” I say, and he stops in his tracks. He looks me over. “I just need you to make sure no one else applies for a roommate ad. That’s all.”
“One hundred thousand dollars,” he says, deadpan.
“Done.”
He doesn’t appear shocked but rocks back on his heels to look me up and down again. “That’s all you want? You don’t want a background check or anything on the person in question?”
“No. I like to discover these things on my own.”
“Whatever, I don’t give a shit. Transfer me the money now before you’re a dead man tomorrow.”
I hold out my hand. “I think we might just become friends after all.”
“There’s no way that will happen,” he responds dryly as he shakes my hand.