Page 41 of One of Them

Through a clenched jaw, Enzo muttered, “Always, if it affects my business.”

Yeah,business.

“Just remember, she’s getting married. Soon,” I emphasized. Like, literally the day after tomorrow.

Enzo lowered his sunglasses. “What exactly are you implying?”

“I’m not. Just looking out for you. She’s great, but she has a lot going on,” I reasoned. “Also, she knows all about your housewarmings.” I giggled at the hard swallow on his part. “She was very interested in the details.”

“Jesus. Are we being exploited for information?” Enzo grumbled. “First her brother, now her.”

“Runs in the family.”

Settled on our sun beds, we soaked in the rays, passing a glass of red wine back and forth.

An hour passed before Enzo’s voice broke the silence with a curse.

“Cazzo.”

In his presence, I might have let go, dozing off in the sun. The grogginess cleared as I sat up in a frenzy, catching the informality. “What is it?”

“The rest of the family just arrived,” he pointed out.

“Lucky us. I got it.”

I walked to the front door, fixing the straps of my bikini, my bare feet leaving a trail of prints on the concrete tiles.

The drive wouldn’t be half bad if Luka would stop insisting on being the DJ. It’s safe to say his taste in music didn’t match mine, but that didn’t stop him from bobbing his head to the rhythm of some R&B song.

He also had the nerve to beg me to stop at every gas station we passed, in case they had better snacks.

When I told him Alisa was expecting us, he just shook his head. “Taya’s on it.” He shoved his phone in my face as proof: a text chain with Taya, reassuring him everything was fine.

Nice of her to keep him in the loop, but since when did they text?

Jealous of my younger brother. That was a first.

At least they were closer in age. Given the same traits we shared, he was basically a younger version of me with longer hair.

Wait, what was I even thinking?

The door to the mansion opened, and there she was, the woman occupying my thoughts for all the wrong reasons. It was as if she crawled out of my mind and materialized right in front of us.

To top it off, she wore a blue bikini that matched her eyes, her skin glowing in this environment.

Even a saint would take a peek. I never pretended to be anything less than the devil, so I took the opportunity to memorize the image of her perfect body until I’d had my fill or until she walked away. The confidence with which she carried herself pulled you in every time. Even Luka, standing beside me, had trouble staying on track.

I knew she was younger than me by what some might consider a lot, yet she was the first woman to hold my mind hostage. And in record time, might I add.

I had a feeling my control wouldn’t last much longer. Eventually, I’d make another move. That moment of possession she allowed me in the club had left me with a taste for more. More of her moans, more of her back arching against me. Hours spent teaching her everything I knew, showing her what could consume a person, making her forget the weight we both carried.

The trust she gave me, the control she handed over, filled my head like no kill ever had.

“What a welcome,” I retorted, taking her in.

She rolled her eyes. “Hello to you too. Your sister is by the pool.” Taya spun around and walked away, leaving the door open. “Rooms are to the right. I’m sure you can figure out which ones are unoccupied.”

“No house tour?” I teased, my eyes glued to her behind.

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