Page 19 of Mabilia

“Since I found someone worth dating,” I tell him.

“You know who she is, right? Is it worth your life?”

“I know who she is,” I say as my lips tip up into a smirk. “Are you worried about me, Denny?”

“Nope. Just make sure I’m your sole beneficiary and I’m good.” He laughs. Then Denny pulls down two whiskey glasses and fills them with ice before pouring a healthy serving of Cinque Dolore over top. “Here. This might be our last drink together,” he says, sliding one of the glasses in front of me.

I roll my eyes at his antics and take the glass, sipping at the contents while making a mental note to contact my lawyer. I haven’t updated my will since I inherited this place.

Chapter Thirteen

Ibarely got any sleep last night. I waited until Neo went to bed, because there was no way I was going to let that little punk get away with hitting Tommy the way he did. Once I was sure my brother was asleep, I sneaked into his bathroom, poured a shit-ton of bleach into his shampoo bottle, and then squirted some hair removal cream into his bodywash.

It’s petty and might seem small, but to someone as vain as my brother, it’s hitting him where it hurts. When I hear his scream followed by the stomping of heavy footsteps rushing my way, I know it worked. It sounds like a herd of elephants stampeding through the house. All the soldiers rush upstairs to see what happened. I have no doubt guns are drawn too.

I smile to myself as I apply a shiny red gloss to my lips.Serves the idiot right.Maybe next time he’ll think twice before punching someone I like. I walk out of my room, calm as a cucumber. At the same time my father’s men exit my brother’s bedroom, laughing and shaking their heads.

“What happened?” I ask Neo.

“You happened,” he grunts.

I try and fail to not laugh at him. His hair is bleached blonde, but it’s patchy. Some spots are bright yellow while others are a dark brown. His arms are bald, which means the rest of his body is too.

Have fun with that in the showers after gym class.

“I’m going to kill you,” Neo seethes at me.

“You’re not touching your sister. Don’t ever threaten her like that,” Papa says, slapping the back of Neo’s head.

“Morning, Papa.” I walk up to my father and hug him before placing a kiss on his cheek.

“Morning, printessa.” Papa kisses the top of my head, then quickly turns back to my brother. “What the fuck did you do to your hair?”

“Your little princess did this.” Neo points in my direction.

“Why would you do that to your brother?” Papa asks me.

“No idea what he’s talking about,” I say and start making my way down the steps.

“This isn’t over, Mabilia,” Neo calls after me.

“Bring it, little brother,” I tell him, not bothering to look back.

“What’d you do?” my mom questions the moment my feet reach the bottom of the stairs.

“Why does everyone think it was me?” I throw my hands in the air dramatically.

She raises one perfectly manicured eyebrow at me.

“Fine,” I whisper. “But he deserved it. He punched someone I really like.”

“He’s your brother,” Mom says. “No one is more important than your brothers.”

“I didn’t shoot him. I just… made him less pretty.” I shrug.

The front door swings open and Aurora walks in. “Morning all,” she says cheerfully.

“Aurora, morning, sweetheart.” Mom hugs her. “Have you eaten?”

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