Page 111 of Brutal Legacy

“Because of you. The boss doesn’t share his space with people. He doesn’t trust anyone.” She caught my eye, and I could see her curiosity. “Except you, apparently.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t read too much into it. He just knows how powerless I am.”

Toni let out a little chuckle. “You might be inexperienced and untrained, but in this house, I wouldn’t call you powerless. Far from it.”

I sighed and lay back as Toni draped the IV over the back of the headboard.

“You’re going to be disappointed when you find out… your beloved colonel married a woman he hates.”

Toni bustled around, tidying up. “The boss doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do, that much I know for sure. On that note, some things came for you.”

“Really?” I sat up straighter. “Clothes?”

“Clothes, I think, but something more than that. We can go and see, if you want.”

Toni riggedme up a portable stand for the IV bag, and I wheeled it after her down the hall, past the huge living room to a room on the other side. She opened the door, and I stepped inside.

At first sight, I flinched, seeing several tall figures standing against the windows.

No, not figures. Dressmaking dummies.

There were four in total, and on the opposite wall, there were about ten rolls of fabric. On the large desk in the middle of the room were bags. In disbelief, I peered inside.

There were shimmering spools of thread in every shade imaginable, and a sleek pair of tailor shears with polished silver blades. A pincushion bristled with needles, and a tape measure sat on top of rolls of tightly packed ribbons, lace edging, and tailor’s chalk.

Everything I needed for my own dressmaking studio, right here, in these bags, and my own room to do it in.

I sat at the desk, incredulous.

“What is all of this? Why would he do this?” I looked at Toni, who just shrugged.

“I don’t know, but like I said, the boss doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. Which reminds me.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a sleek black cell phone. “This is for you.”

I took it and turned it over in my hand. Honestly, I hadn’t missed mine much in the last few days. The only person I might have missed checking on me was Erica. God only knew where she thought I’d gone. Was the LAPD looking for me because of the massacre in the dress shop? Elio didn’t seem concerned. If anyone was experienced here with getting away with murder, it was him, it seemed.

“He’s letting me have a phone?” I pressed my finger to the screen, and it unlocked. I just wasn’t going to think about how he programmed my fingerprint to unlock it. Probably last night when I’d been out of it.

“To an extent. It can only call one number.”

I opened the phone book, and there it was, the only number in the phone. Added under:

My Mercenary.

I jabbed it, more out of curiosity than anything else. It rang three times, then someone picked up.

“You’re still alive.” Elio’s deep voice came over the line and shocked me like a live wire.

I threw the phone across the room in fright.

Toni bent and picked the phone up from the chair it had landed on.

She put it to her ear. “Yes, sir. She is. She does. Very well.”

She hung up.

“Here,” she said and handed me back the phone.

I stared at it. “How come it can only call one number? Can it call 911?”

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