“Tennis tomorrow?”
I give him a look.“Hell no.You’re the absolute worst.”
Laughing, he ruffles my hair.“Nah, you’re just too competitive.We can’t all be good at everything, smart girl.”He pulls me into a side hug and heads off.“Catch you later.”
There’s no chance I’m waiting around for Benny Nine to finish getting his rocks off, so I turn and head toward the back entrance instead.The guards at the heavy metal door let me through without question.Theyshouldn’t.But I’m not going to be the one to remind them of that.An afternoon out in the city unchaperoned?Sounds delightful.I’m already salivating at the thought of some Caribbean cuisine.
“Enjoy your weekend!”I chirp, giving them a chipper wave.
Outside, the sky is a broody stretch of gray, the clouds swollen with the promise of a downpour.Honestly, I’m looking forward to it.After weeks of relentless bone-dry heat, a storm sounds like the perfect reset.
Desert life takes some…acclimating.
A familiar black SUV turns off the main road into the alley.
Dammit.The guards probably tattled on me.No wonder they let me leave without question.
Keeping my head straight, I scoot to the side, but don’t break my steps as I continue toward the main.
But the Lincoln honks obnoxiously and pulls up beside me, the window sliding down to reveal Oscar’s perpetually stoic face.“Get in.”
“Why?”
“Boss’s orders.”
“Which one?”I ask, just to be a pain.“It’s been a little unclear whose orders I’m supposed to be following lately.”
Stolid as ever, he repeats, “Get in.”
Reluctantly, I open the door and climb into the backseat.“Always such a ray of sunshine, aren’t you, Oscar?”
He throws the vehicle in reverse, pulls out of the alley, and merges into traffic.
I lean forward.“Any chance I can convince you to make a quick stop by that Trinidadian place for some spicy Doubles?”
He doesn’t answer.Of course he doesn’t.He’s Oscar.
“No?Cool.Love this convo for us,” I mutter, leaning back.“Nice talk, old man.”
About twenty minutes later, when he veers off from the route that would take us to the villa, I sit up and lean forward again.“Where are you taking me, Oscar?”
“Boss’s orders.”
“Again...whichone?”
Oscar’s tone doesn’t change, but it doesn’t have to.“You’re smart.You know.”
My heart spikes, and I pull in a slow, measured breath.
Rubbing behind my ear, I whisper, “Yeah.I know.”
See, Lorenzo’s warning to avoid Stefano wasn’t needed, because I’ve already been doing that since our encounter on the Ferris wheel a few nights ago.Tryingto, anyway.Every room, every path, every chance of proximity.Not because I’m afraid of him, but because I know myself.
Every ounce of restraint I had to resist him...is gone.Drained.Depleted.
Being near him again will be a disaster.
I’ll break.I’ll cave.
