Page 20 of Savage Empire

Apollo grunts and nods in confirmation. “Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, bulletproof windows, the works. Everything is furnished, including your bedrooms. The wifi is secure and should already be on your new phones, Remo made sure of it.”

My brother whips out his device to check. “You fucking rock.”

“Language, Yordan!”

He doesn’t even roll his eyes at me, too happy to let me bring his mood down.

“I helped as well,” Elio tells him, chuckling.

“You barely helped.”

“I talked to Remo for you.”

“You both fucking rock,” Yordan says, attempting to appease them.

Before I can chastise him, Apollo changes the topic. “If you’re hungry, there’s food in the refridg?—”

My patience cracks, and I jump in, interrupting. “Why is there already food in the fridge? Did you kick someone out of here to put us up?”

Apollo lifts a brow. “No one has lived in this particular apartment for years. The fridge has food in it, because I made sure of it. The pantry is full as well, I had it stocked.”

“And what if you got a bunch of food we won’t eat?”

Elio laughs. “There’s food a sixteen-year-old boy won’t eat?”

Traitor.

“Sixteen-year-oldman,” Yordan corrects. “And no, I’ll eat anything. Especially if it’s free.”

Apollo nods his head to their interaction as if to saysee.“On the off chance there’s food you won’t eat, it can be donated.”

Scowling at his smug attitude, I fold my arms over my chest. “If you’re expecting a thank you, you can shove it. I didn’t ask for any of this. You kidnapped us.”

Yordan snorts, scrolling through his new phone. He’s made himself right at home, sitting on the couch with Elio without a care in the world. “Thank you for kidnapping us and stocking our fridge, Apollo.”

He doesn’t catch the glare I send him, or the smirk that paints Apollo’s face in response. “You’re welcome, Yordan.”

My eye twitches. “Yordan, give us a minute.”

He groans, head falling back. “We just got here and you’re already kicking me out?”

“Elio, take Yordan downstairs to get a drink.”

My neck flushes red.Angryred. “You’re sending him to a bar?”

“It’s a café,” Apollo replies dully.

“I don’t exactly have café money, bro,” Yordan tells Elio, standing up to follow him.

Right before the pair passes us, Apollo pulls something from his pocket. Between two fingers he holds up a black card, extending it to Yordan. “Buy whatever you want.”

“Those are dangerous words,” my brother tells him, hesitantly accepting the offering.

“I doubt it,” Apollo tells him, tilting his head.

Elio leads Yordan back to the elevator and as soon as the doors in the hallway ding shut, I start in on Apollo.

“Cut the shit,” I demand, distrust and discomfort fuming in my chest. “Why are you doing this? What the hell do you want from us?”