Page 116 of Ruin Me With Lies

As I turn and sprint out of Soul of Mirabella, he breaks into full-on laughter.Rich and deep on the night air.It tumbles down from the top of the Ferris wheel and rolls over me in waves, following me out.

Covered in goosebumps, heart thrumming, fire in my belly, I grin headily all the way back to the Pink House.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Raya

“THE WEATHER’S SUPPOSEDTOget pretty gnarly this weekend,” I remind Lorenzo, glancing at the report on my screen.“Do you really need to go to L.A.today?”

“Yep.”He grabs his jacket from the back of his chair and shrugs it on like the conversation’s already over.“You’ve got enough on your plate to keep you busy.The surveillance team’s under instruction to defer to you if they can’t reach me, so keep your phone charged and on you at all times, yeah?”He adjusts his cufflinks with quick, precise movements.“In the meantime, stay away from Lions House while I’m gone.If you see Stefano or Gio, turn around and walk the other way.”

“You want me toshunthe boss?”I hike a brow at him.“How would that work, exactly?”

“I’myour boss,” he returns, rounding his desk.“You answer to me, not him.Tell him exactly that.”

“Sure,” I mutter behind a snort.“That will go over well.”

He pauses his movements and pins me with a stern glare.“I’m serious, Raya.Stay the fuck away from them.”

Something’s changed.I don’t know what, but his attitude toward me lately, regarding how I spend my free time and who I speak to, has gotten unreasonably controlling.It’s a sharp contrast to how things used to be between us, putting a tight strain on what was once an easy relationship.Before, he didn’t care what I did as long as I got results.Now it’s like he wants to monitor every breath I take.

We’ve gotten into a handful of mini arguments since the whole Brioso Hubb fiasco, but I’m not in the mood to butt heads with him again today.So I bite my tongue.

Being at odds with Stefano is fun.Like fighting fire with a blade dipped in gasoline.Being at odds with Lorenzo?It’s like slamming into a brick wall over and over until you’re left concussed and questioning your life choices.The man is like a stubborn rock monster wrapped in barbed wire.

Where there’s finesse, fire, and poetry in Stefano’s anger, Lorenzo’s as blunt as a guillotine’s edge.

“Once you’re wrapped up here, have Benny Nine take you back to the villa,” he says.“Benny Nine.No one else.And check in with me every hour.On the hour.”He grabs his phone and keys.“See you Monday.”

Overbearing tyrant, much?

Childishly, I stick my tongue out at him as he walks out the door.

He claims he’s going to L.A.to help his cousin with some emergency, but I’m not buying it.I think he’s off to stalk that woman.I’ll have proof soon enough.

And something tells me Stefano manipulated him into it.

The question is…why?

~

DONE FOR THEday, I shut up Lorenzo’s office and take the elevator down.As the doors glide open on the ground floor, I pull out my phone and dial Benny Nine.It goes straight to voicemail.

I head down the corridor and push through the double doors onto the casino floor, buzzing with motion and chatter.My eyes sweep the perimeter, searching for Benny, when a familiar weight falls in step beside me, and an arm drapes casually over my shoulders.

No need to look up to know it’s Luca.His scent’s always the same—mint and tobacco.

“Who’re you looking for?”he asks, giving my ear a playful tug.

“Benny Nine.He’s supposed to take me to the villa.”

“Yeah...you’re gonna be waiting a while,” he says.“Him and Gallio just snuck off upstairs with a cocktail waitress.”

“Threesome trumps chauffeur duty.Classic.”

Luca laughs.“I’d give you a lift, but Lorenzo’s been in a mood lately and I don’t wanna be on his bad side, so I’ve gotta clock in my time.”

“Trust me, I know,” I snort out.