Page 227 of Ruin Me With Lies

It’s quiet.Too quiet.The chirping nocturnal critters are the only sounds of life.I’m being watched, that’s for sure, but I keep moving, taking it all in.

Minutes pass.And then I hear voices.Laughter and jeering.I follow the sounds around the side of a building.And find several familiar faces gathered around a table, playing cards.

“Oh shit, look who finally showed up!”one of them shouts.

They all swing their attention in my direction.All unsurprised.

“All hail the Nine Lives King!”another jokes.“Said it before and I’ll say it again, Castello, I wanna be you when I grow up.”

Biting back a laugh, I shake my head.“Nice to see you all, too, ballbusters.”

We bump fists, sliding into easy shit-talk and sarcastic jabs.

It’s been a year and a half since Switzerland, but sitting here, running my mouth with them, it feels like no time has passed.Like just another night coming down the hill to shoot the shit with them.

And it’s not until this moment that I realize I missed this, too.This is something I don’t have with my own men, because everyone’s afraid of the boss.Butthesemen aren’t, and that removes the barriers, allows them to be themselves with me, blunt and honest.Refreshing.

After a few minutes, the chatter fades.The jabs stop.And they all just stare at me with knowing smirks.

“For fuck’s sake, are you really going to make me ask?”I say.“You thick-necks are cool and all, but you know damn well I didn’t come here to look at your ugly mugs.”

“Ese, fuck you,” Eduardo fires back.“You think just ‘cause you look like a GQ model you’re better than us?”

I run a hand through my hair.“Yes.Yes, I do.”

He flips me off.

“Head back to the main stretch and keep following the paved path,” White offers, grinning around his beer bottle.“When you see it...you’ll know.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Don’t fuck it up again, Nine!”he calls after me.“Those lives will run out eventually.”

A few more minutes of walking, and the house comes into view.Three stories tall, towering above the rest.Built to impress with sharp lines and smooth curves, designed to boast wealth and power.A warm golden glow spills from the windows, casting a soft halo around the structure.Royalty.

And…

There she is.

Standing at the center of the third-floor balcony, hands on the railing, looking down like a queen surveying her kingdom.

It’s too dark, too much distance between us to read her face, to catch what’s flashing through those beautiful, calculating eyes.

But I don’t need to.

She was waiting.She knew I’d come.

Fingers itching to touch her, I pick up the pace, needing to close the distance.

When I reach the house, I take the curved stairs on the left two at a time.Just as I reach for the handle, the front door swings open.

Soraya’s assistant, Hannah, walks out hugging a cardboard box.Caught off guard by me, she stumbles, pitching forward.I catch her upper arms before she face-plants into the tile.

Her plump cheeks flush deep.“Oh, Mr.Castello!I didn’t know you were—um, do you—”

“Good to see you, Hannah.Talk later.”

I move around her to get inside.Take a quick scan of the layout, then head for the curved staircase on the right, making my way up.New territory, but I move like I’ve been here before.The chip in my arm is like a magnet pulling me to her.Guiding me past rooms and through hallways…straight to her.