Chapter 5 – Rae
Aheadache and forcing myself to vomit didn’t spare me from the honor and privilege of waiting on the Grimaldi family. Mrs. Sanderson gave me a breath mint and told me to retreat if I felt sick again but to come back immediately when the nausea passed.
The housekeeper was merciless.
The only thing it did was spare me from having to stand in the front parlor next to the witch.
I got to be the lucky minion bringing fresh trays to and from the kitchen.
Normally, I would have used the opportunity to snatch some treats under the blessing of Franky but fingering my throat and the subsequent hurling turned me off to the buttery, flakey appetizers.
Between running my tail off, taking the bags and wraps of the family arriving, and staying to the edge of the rooms, I formed a half-baked plan. It was better than nothing. But it was far from great.
“Okay, dinner’s started.” I sailed into the kitchen after depositing the first course in the butler’s pantry, which Uncle Theo would serve with Maddie. “Can I please, please run to my room and grab a Dramamine?”
Mrs. Sanderson let out an exasperated snarl. With her head thrown back like that, it was an invitation to jab her voice box.
I resisted the urge.
“If you must!” she pouted. “But be quick, girl. We need to turn the parlor and make sure the lounge is set for the gentlemen.”
“They won’t be done eating for at least an hour, if not longer,” Franky pointed out, jumping to my defense. “Plus, Cathy can help run dishes to the pantry.”
Mrs. Sanderson gave me a look of pure disgust. “Hurry!”
I shot Franky a grateful smile and took off.
The side yard was unlit, because heaven forbid lights take away from the ambience of the carefully manicured Tuscan night of the backyard. My eyes quickly adjusted, and I hiked up the ridiculous uniform to give my legs their full stretch across the gravel path that wound back to the staff housing.
The numbers of the keypad lit under my touch. I gulped down air, promising myself to be more active when I had time to train. I hated running, but it was never a bad thing for a girl like me to be fast. Johnny Law, gross men, or even rivals needed to have a second think if they decided to chase me.
Dashing to my room, I pulled my suitcase from the closet, peeled back the secret lining, and snatched the stolen watch. Then it was back outside and running full speed to the garage.
AJ was nowhere around.
The sporty little European speedster was mercifully unlocked, and I slid onto the cool leather seat of the Aston Martin. My fingers danced over the wheel.
Just a moment to catch my breath.
I leaned back, imagining the car thrumming under my touch. Damn. Someday I was going to own something like this. It would be difficult to keep the raging black stallion under the speed limit. I could just see it, driving up and down the west coast without a care in the world.
With a long sigh, I tucked the watch into the nook at the front of the center console.
It wasn’t visible back there. Dominico wouldn’t immediately find it—if he found it at all.
Either way, it didn’t matter. The stolen goods were out of my possession, and I could claim ignorance as to the watch’s whereabouts.
I was safe.
I took one more delicious inhale of cool leather and bid the fine interior goodbye. The moment I was back in the kitchen, the housekeeper’s voice snapped like the crack of a whip.
“Go freshen up the beige powder room, Magnolia.”
I wanted to snap right back that it was Rae. But since my uncle took to calling me by my Christened name, it was a logical leap that she would too.
Taking a slotted bucket filled with supplies, I trudged down the hall, around the corner, and three doors down.
The space was immaculate. The incense stick perfumed the air with spicy eastern scents, and despite the lack of color, the space was luxurious enough to create the illusion of exotic grandeur.
I looked around, double checking the trash and fluffing the towels. No cleaning necessary. There weren’t even spots in the toilet.
Since Sanderson wasn’t expecting me back for a few minutes, I made faces in the mirror.
I stretched my mouth into a horrific grin, trying to replicate a clown from a Haunted House.
Without my signature palette of makeup, I looked…
plain. There were already lines creasing beside my eyes.
A deeper indent ran parallel to my left brow, which just so happened to be the one I arched.
To a girl who liked to play with face paints, bare skin was nothing short of spooktacular.
A fist rapped lightly on the door.
Gasping, I surged backward. “Just a minute!”
“Oh, sorry. Take your time.”
It was him.
I bit the side of my gloved finger and began to hyperventilate. He might not have noticed such a low born peasant standing with a bowed head amongst her peers. But even if I kept my face down, there was no way he wouldn’t look at me this time.
I shifted back and forth.
We couldn’t meet. Not like this.
Not…ever.
It became painfully obvious that we were going to run into one another at some point.
I immediately resolved to delay the inevitable for as long as humanly possible.
But there was no way to hide from him for good.
Dominico was going to find out I worked for his grandpappy.
Then I was screwed. He’d mock me. Tease me about being at the bar.
At least he won’t pin the theft on you.
“Dominico?” I changed my voice to a more nasally tone.
A beat of silence passed. “Yes?”
“Could you be a dear and run to the kitchen? Fetch me a glass of water?” I croaked, imitating the snooty Eastern accent.
Please work. Please, merciful heaven let him leave.
I crossed my fingers, then made the sign of the cross. Whatever fortune was out there, I needed it on my side right now.
“Aunt Eleonora? Is that you?” He tapped a finger against the door.
“Quick, boy!” I snorted. “Water!”
Dominico let out a strangled growl, and I crept to the door, pressing my ear against the wood. Footsteps sounded down the hall.
Heart hammering in my throat, I dashed from the sanctuary, dragging my bucket with me. I slid down one hall and around the next. Bursting into a service entry point, I slammed my back against the door.
“I just need some water, Franky.” Dominico’s voice carried from the kitchen. “My damn aunt has had too much wine and is going to hurl.”
A grin split my face despite my best effort. I successfully avoided detection and tricked the little mafia prince.
Not that he was little.
I forcefully held myself back, keeping to the shadows and resisting the urge to peek into the kitchen until he left, presumably with the water.