Page 10 of Throne of Secrets

“Enjoy!” she said cheerfully, continuing on her way, completely oblivious to the curb ahead. She tripped and wobbled dramatically before catching herself on the light post. “I’m okay! Everything’s good!”

He could only shake his head and give a rue chuckle. Lycos, ever observant, raised an eyebrow as they climbed into the SUV.

Ethan let out a long breath and told his dad about his neighbor, “She moved in about six months ago. Her name’s Star and she’s a walking disaster.”

Lycos turned the ignition. “That so?”

“Yeah, her background’s not all that exciting—except for the part where her great-uncle left her the house. That’s where it gets interesting. Turns out, the guy was a bookkeeper for two mob families.”

Lycos lifted an eyebrow again, this time in genuine interest.

Ethan nodded. “Yep. He was an interesting old fart. Lived to a ripe old age, too, so he must’ve had some serious dirt on those families. But get this—she didn’t even know the guy. Probate court had to track her down. The house sat empty for a long time before they found her.”

Later, Lycos leaned back in his chair as they settled into the restaurant. The wine steward approached, presenting a deep, rich Cabernet. Lycos went through the ritual—swirling the liquid, watching the slow, rich legs of the wine streak the glass, inhaling the aroma before taking a measured sip. Satisfied, he nodded, and the waiter poured them both a glass.

Setting the glass down, Lycos fixed his sharp gaze on Ethan. “Explain what you meant by ‘walking disaster.’”

Ethan exhaled, shaking his head. “Frankly? Everything she touches … erupts.”

Lycos cocked his head. “Erupts?”

“Yeah. There’s really no other way to explain what happens when she’s around. Whatever the scenario, if you put Star into it, the situation explodes into the worst possible outcome.”

Lycos frowned, clearly intrigued. “Such as?”

Ethan took a sip of wine and set his glass down. “Once, she called me over to the house because she was stuck behind the dryer. Upside down.”

Lycos scowled. “How the hell did she manage that?”

“She was trying to get a sock that had fallen behind the machine. Somehow, she slipped—whileholding her phone—and wedged herself between the dryer and the wall.”

Lycos let out a long breath, scanning the restaurant briefly to ensure they weren’t being overheard, before leaning in slightly. “You realize people havediedfrom hanging upside down for extended periods of time.”

“Oh, I know.Youdefinitely know.” He smirked at his father.

Lycos had a unique skill set—one that had ensured he was damn good in his previous line of work. If anyone knew the bizarre ways someone could die in an “accident,” it was Lycos.

“And, well, youdidsee the incident today,” Ethan added.

Lycos inclined his head. “I did.”

“And to top all that off? She’s renovating that Victorian.”

Lycos blinked. His mouth opened slightly before he snapped it shut. “Repeat that.”

Ethan laughed outright. “You heard me right. She’s renovating the house. Byherself.” He held up a finger. “With the exception of the electrical system—which, by the way, is apparently faulty as fuck.”

Lycos took another long sip of wine before exhaling sharply. “You have a good fire suppression system in your house, right?”

Ethan chuckled. “The best. And you know why.” He shook his head. “I’m not afraid of her house burning and taking mine with it. Iamafraid ofhergoing downwiththe house.”

“And you have a thing for her.” Lycos sat back in his chair, swirling his wine with his knowing, shit-eating grin.

“Yeah, I do,” Ethan sighed.

“Your mother will be glad to hear that.”

“Yeah, no.” He shook his head quickly. “Don’t tell Mom. Every time I get close to making a move, Star has this uncanny ability to do somethingsoridiculous it absolutely wrecks the moment. I asked her to dinner today. She’s going to cook for me. I hope she can cook and doesn’t poison me.” He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I swear, getting close to her could kill me.”

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