Page 10 of Unspoken Promises

Enzo hands me the phone.

“Thank you.” I hold myself steady but I don’t suspect I’ll have as much luck with my next red flag. “I also don’t have a bank account yet. Is it possible to give me a money order?”

His eyes narrow a fraction, for a mere millisecond. He has to wonder why, at twenty-five, I don’t have a bank account. I’ll get one. Just as soon as I figure out how to change my birth documents and keep them a sealed record.

His eyes are trained on his monitor. “You’ll struggle to cash a money order with just a student ID.”

“I’m working on it.” Saying something vague is a much better idea than coming up with some excuse he can only use to piece together my puzzle.

Enzo gives very little away, and that he asks me for no explanations tells me he doesn’t take other people’s word for it. Maybe he has trust issues. Who wouldn’t, knowing what he knows about this world we live in? If it hadn’t been for Anton’s kindness, I might have had trust issues, too. Hell, I guess I do if I really think about it.

If I didn’t, I’d just tell Enzo right now who I am and where I came from.

I might have issues, but they certainly haven’t manifested as a perma-scowl.

He props his elbow on the table and runs a finger along his bottom lip pensively, likely still thinking about the money order. His smoldering gaze is trained on his computer as though it might provide an answer. Enzo certainly isn’t afraid to make a person sweat while he considers all his options. But silence can be much more powerful than words in a negotiation, so I, too, remain quiet.

Finally, his gaze flickers to mine. “I’ll pay you in cash until you sort your banking details. But you’ll have to sign for it.”

Tension washes out of me but returns almost instantly, like a second wave clawing at the shoreline. Why did he agree so freely? This is going too easily. ShouldIbe suspicious now?

He clicks a few more times and types something I try to see, but of course, he has a privacy screen on his monitor.

“Can we also talk about the relocation incentive?”

Without him coming good on that, I might be headed back to those bus station stalls in town.

He takes his glasses off and sets them on the desk. Wow. Talk about good genes.

“Your unexpected arrival hasn’t given us much time to consider options. You’ll stay on site.”

“On site? In GhostEye office buildings?”

Not comfy but secure. I’ll take it.

“Here. At the ranch.”

I stop just short of a dropped jaw.

“We have an empty house. We’ll furnish the bedroom today but will need to work out the rest as and when. I’m here most days, too, so we can work together if need be.”

Working one on one with Enzo feels like I just landed the mentorship of a lifetime. But to top it off, the walls around the perimeter, the guards out front, the likelihood of top-notch surveillance on every inch of the grounds… I shouldn’t have to worry about these things. I covered my tracks. I really did. But being in this secure environment? It’s just another sign I’m on the right road.

The life I’ve always wanted feels closer than ever.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful here.” I think back to the property we walked through and the various houses. “Who else lives here? I mean, they’re my neighbors and all.”

He types, clicks. Then types again, concentrating deeply. Maybe it’s Debbie writing back wondering why some girl without a bank account is working here. Or he’s taking grump to a whole new level.

“Not that it matters…” I say, “I get that I’m here to work.”

He doesn’t look at me, still typing. “My family.”

Enzo answers, but it’s in a way I take it he won’t be elaborating.

I rub my hands on my lap. “So what will I be working on?”

He prints another piece of paper and hands it to me.

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