Page 111 of Toxic Revenge: Part Two

“That’s not what I heard.” She crossed her arms over her chest, lifting one of her perfectly-outlined eyebrows. “Is this a prison break?”

Conrad snickered, pulling us out of the bedroom and closing the door behind us. “Absolutely. She convinced me to do it.”

“Are you going to tattle? Because that would make you a hypocrite,” I complained.

Odetta laughed and her demeanour softened. “I guess this confirms that you’re alright. I won’t tell.”

She was coming to check on me.I got some warm and fuzzy feelings when I realized that. Odetta wasn’t cold, exactly. She just also wouldn’t be listed as ‘most likely to bring you soup and a box of tissues when you’re sad.’

“Thank you.” I gave her a hug, and she hesitantly patted me on the back. “What about Rylan? Is he going to tell?”

I caught the eye of her bodyguard, and he looked at Odetta. She stepped back until she was by his side and placed a hand on his forearm. He stiffened, his cheeks going a faint pink colour.

“Rylan knows how to pick his battles,” she said sweetly. “Don’t you?”

He cleared his throat loudly. “As far as I’m concerned, Talia is safe and sound in her bedroom.”

“Thanks, Rylan,” I said.

It wassoobvious that man was under Odetta’s thumb. Everyone knew it. Our fathers had to know too, but I was pretty sure they were just happy Odetta tolerated him following her around constantly. It didn’t keep her completely out of trouble, but she was somewhat safer while causing it.

“Of course, Miss Talia.”

“You could just call me Talia, you know. Drop the Miss.”

“Always better to keep things proper.”

I’d overheard him calling Odetta ‘Ettie’ at least once. Funny how the rules of propriety didn’t apply to his own charge.

I dropped it without pushing further. Linking my arm with Conrad’s, I started tugging him down the hall. “We’ll be late to pick up our ice cream at this rate. See you later, Odetta.”

She waved. As we rounded the corner, Rylan leaned down to say something into her ear. They were out of sight before I saw how she responded.

“Is it just me, or does that bodyguard act like Odetta pegs him on the regular?” Conrad asked way too loudly.

I snorted a laugh. “Geez, you don’t have to shout it.”

“Am I wrong?” he demanded. “No shade if that’s what he’s into, obviously.”

“I’ve never put it like that, but it’s always seemed like there’s something there. His job is to be with her constantly, no breaks. Their bedrooms are attached. She can’t go anywhere without him.”

“It’s the plot of a romance novel.”

“Read a lot of romance novels?”

He chuckled. “Nope. But those games I was playing on the tablet—they have these ads. Show you a snippet of the novel or a short movie or whatever. ‘Bodyguard falls for mafia heiress’ would fit right in.”

A set of approaching footsteps stopped me from responding, along with Nico’s voice.

Fuck.

Running into the staff was one thing. Most wouldn’t know about my confinement.

But my fathers? They wouldn’t be pleased to see me out and about when they hadn’t caught the rat yet.

Conrad’s face paled when he realized the same thing, and he looked around frantically for an escape. This hallway was mostly empty, full of locked bedrooms, but one door just ahead could be our saving grace.

I grabbed his hand and rushed forward, trying to keep my footfalls quiet as I tore open the door and huddled us both inside. Conrad closed it with a soft click behind us, leaving us crushed together in a linen closet.