Page 26 of Ruin Me With Lies

“Mr.Castello did.”

Oh.“Uh…” I take the tray.“Thanks.”

He nods and leaves.

I knee the door shut then carry the tray out to the balcony, setting it down on the round wicker table.When I lift the lid, a laugh flies out of me.

Mystery solved.

“How do you want to die, little girl?”

“Over a dish of sickly-sweet blueberry bread pudding.With a shot of Beluga vodka on the side.”

That’s exactly what’s on the tray.A dish of mouthwatering blueberry bread pudding, with a shot glass of clear liquor on the side.

I pick up the shot glass and pass it under my nose.

Clean.Crisp.Neat.A faint hint of sweetness.

Yep.Beluga.

I pick up my phone and snap a picture, then attach it to a text for Lorenzo.

Me:Is this my last supper?

Almost ten minutes pass before he responds.

Lorenzo:I left you alone for one day.What happened?

Me:I breathed your brother’s air, I guess.

A voice note comes through.I press play.

Lorenzo (voice note):“Look, just stay put for the rest of the night, yeah?We’ve been tied up with a situation all day, so keeping you alive is on the back burner right now.

Me:Anything I can help with?

Lorenzo (voice note):“No.Just stay out of Stefano’s way.Unless you want that to be your last meal.”

Me:*thumbs up emoji*

Laughing to myself, I knock back the vodka, then take my time savoring the bread pudding.My dad makesthe bestblueberry bread pudding, but this?Thisis so damn scrumptious, I want to meet the chef.

Once I’ve lapped up every last crumb, I snap a picture of the empty dish and scroll down to the number that came preprogrammed in my phone…

Stefano Castello (EMERGENCIES ONLY)

A blatant threat on my life qualifies as an emergency…right?

I attach the photo and type out a text.

Me:It was delicious.Thanks.

Five minutes pass.No response.

Me:When is the main event?

Wishful thinking to believe he would actually entertain me.