“Is that what you do here? For the Kings? You’re in charge of technology?”
He nods.
Shit. That means he’s probably smart.Reallysmart.
Which meansoutsmartinghim just became more complicated.
And now, I’m even more confused. What was a tech specialist doing at Leo’s auction? There was nothing tech-related on the menu. Even if there was, the Kings are Leo’s biggest enemies. They wouldn’t have been included on the guest list.
“Okay, Mr. Technology.” I fold my arms. “Why did you crash Leo’s auction?”
Rory shrugs one shoulder. “For work.”
Meaning…the Kings assigned him to crash the event?
I fight the urge to gasp. Is it possible that Rory was there to kill Leo? Could he have snuck in for an assassination until I blew his cover and ruined his one shot?
For some reason, this question burns brightly in my mind. “Were you there to hurt Leo?”
His head tilts to one side and a brow quirks. “Why? Would you have tried to stop me?”
Ha! More like, I would have grabbed popcorn.
Stealing one of his tactics, I shrug a shoulder. “Maybe.” When his jaw flexes, I decide to give him a little more. If I piss him off too much with my evasions, there’s no telling what he might do. “But I wouldn’t have cried if you succeeded.” His eyebrows rise, and I shrug again. “What? Leo is a terrible person.”
Rory’s eyes flash. “And how would you know?”
“Guess you’re just going to have to trust me.”
The weird thing about this back and forth with Rory is that it’s the most alive I’ve felt in…well, ever. My days at the De Luca compound all bled together, even more so after Mom died. The same routine, day in, day out.
While these exchanges might infuriate me sometimes, at least I don’t feel half dead. Rory seems to ignite a spark within me that I never realized was missing.
Of course, that still won’t stop me from formulating an escape plan.
Once I’m free, I’ll simply need to find other things that bring me to life.
Anything besides the aggravating man who kept me from gaining my freedom.
Chapter 12
Rory
Whoever Kiara is, she’s nothing like I expected.
The woman is a complete contradiction. Sometimes she seems almost timid and fearful, while on other occasions, she kicks hardened mafiosos in the face.
She gives off an innocent vibe while simultaneously being the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.
I wonder how much of her personality she’s faking and how much is authentically her.
Over the past hour, the gloves have come off, so to speak.
We’re not facing each other head-to-head the way we did in the beginning. She’s seated again, cross-legged on the bed, and I’m back in my chair, tracing her face with my eyes. Analyzing every detail about her I possibly can.
Truthfully, I’m seeing a completely different side of this girl. Maybe it’s just because I’ve fooled her once, but she’s not giving me an inch worth of information now that she knows who I am and where she is.
I’ll need to put more effort into tricking her into giving up her identity. She seems dead set on hiding it from me, and as little as I want to admit it, she throws me off my game.
