Page 77 of The Defender

Vincent’s villa rental was located in what our driver assured us was one of the best neighborhoods in the city. It was a gorgeous, sprawling affair that encompassed four floors and multiple balconies, but it was so late that Carina and I didn’t bother exploring. We said hi to Scarlett and Asher, who told us where our room was, and promptly passed out. We didn’t even get a chance to see Vincent, who was apparently out with the other guys.

We woke up the next morning to laughter and chatter from downstairs. We got dressed and went into the living room, where everyone was eating breakfast and playing…Jenga?

“B! C! You’re here!” Adil said happily. “You’re just missing A!” He paused. “Wait. I can be your A! We’re like the alphabet trio.”

Carina eyed him. “Are you drunk?”

“Nah. He just feels left out because he doesn’t drink alcohol, so heactsdrunk all the time to make up for it.” Samson was sprawled on the sofa with his arm around a beautiful brunette. “The other possibility is his parents dropped him on his head when he was young.”

Laughter scattered through the group. Adil threw a Jenga tile at the grinning winger, who looked unfazed when it bounced off his forehead.

I took a quick inventory of who was here. Besides me, Carina, Adil, Samson, and Samson’s date, there was Scarlett, Asher, Seth, and Noah. I was surprised by the presence of the latter two, but it made sense. Vincent was the only player who could include the newest staff member on a group tripandsomehow convince Noah to come along.

Vincent himself wasn’t here, but I held off on asking about his whereabouts. I was a little worried Scarlett would see right through me if I talked about him in front of her.

“Have you guys explored the villa yet?” she asked when we took a seat next to her. “It’s wild.”

“Not yet. I need breakfast first.” Carina yawned. “I’m starving.”

“I’ll get you something from the kitchen,” Seth said, bright and eager as a puppy. “You’ll have plenty of time to explore later. We don’t have scheduled plans until dinner.”

We stayed in the living room through breakfast, and I tried my best to engage in conversations with everyone. However, my mind kept wandering back to Vincent’s absence.

It was his birthday, and he never slept this late. Where was he?

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to ask. “Where’s the birthday boy?” I popped a strawberry in my mouth, feigning nonchalance.

“Probably in his room,” Asher said over Adil’s groan. They’d moved on to poker from Jenga, and Adil had just lost. “Don’t know what he’s doing in there. Don’t want to know.”

“Oh, really? Where’s his room?” I asked casually. I ignored Carina’s knowing smirk. “Ours is huge, so his must be, um, huger.”

Nice job, Brooklyn. Not suspicious at all.

I glanced at Scarlett, who was busy writing a birthday card.

“Fourth floor, last door on the left,” Seth piped up. He’d been running around all morning, fetching drinks and cleaning up spills like he was the maid instead of a guest. “I can show you, if you’d like.”

“No, that’s okay,” I said quickly. “But Carina and I should go take a look around. Shouldn’t we?”

“Sure.” She rose to her feet and stretched, the shit-eating grin still on her face. “Let’s take a look around.”

When we were out of the group’s earshot, she added, “Want to start on the fourth floor?”

“Oh, shut up.” I picked up my pace, my face burning.

“What?” She ran after me, laughing. “It makes sense. Start from the top, make your way to the bottom. Unless you like being on the bottom.”

“You aresoimmature.” But I couldn’t help laughing with her. It was impossible to be mad at her; she was too good-natured, if also too observant for my liking.

Although I’d used the tour as an excuse to break off from the group, I was genuinely awed by the villa. It was grand enough for royalty. Besides two heated pools, one indoor and one outdoor, it boasted a twenty-person screening room, a bowling alley, anda wine cellar stocked with bottles that probably cost more than my monthly rent.

The bedrooms were spread across the third and fourth floors. Carina stopped when we reached the top landing. “I need to use the toilet,” she said. “You go ahead. I don’t need to see another bedroom anyway. Bye! Have fun!”

“Wait! Carina, get back?—”

She disappeared down the stairs, her laughter trailing up from the bowels of the house.

I glanced down the hall and held back a groan. I couldn’t knock on Vincent’s door for no reason. I’d look like I was obsessed with him.