Page 17 of Fierce Lies
"Except what?" Ivy pounced.
"There's this IT security guy. Jackson. He's... I don't know. Intense."
"Intense how? Like serial killer intense or fuck-me-against-the-wall intense?"
"Ivy!" I laughed despite myself, although the instant image had me biting my lip. "Neither. Both? I don't know. He's just... he watches me. Like he's trying to figure me out."
"Is he hot?"
I thought of Jackson's broad shoulders, the tattoos peeking from beneath his rolled-up sleeves at one point, those dark eyes that seemed to see right through me.
"Unfairly so," I admitted.
"Oooh," Ivy cooed. "You should tap that."
"Absolutely not. I'm there to work, not hook up with the IT guy."
"Why not both? You deserve some fun amidst all this shit, Elena. You've earned it. If he's in security too, he'll be fine, I bet."
I shook my head, though she couldn't see me. "I can't. And definitely not with him. That's too complicated, could get messy."
"Fine, be boring. What about me? Don't you want to know how my first night's going?"
I settled deeper into the chair. "Of course I do. How is it?"
"Better than I expected. The other girls are nice enough—there's this one called Diamond who's been showing me the ropes. The boss is a bit of a creep, but nothing I didn't expect." She lowered her voice. "And the money is good, Elena. Really good. Maybe we can pull this off without having to deal with your half-siblings at all."
"That would be ideal," I agreed, though I wasn't convinced. Maybe I should've taken up the same line of work. Then again, I didn't have Ivy's wit or fiery personality. "Just be careful, okay?"
"Always am. Oh, and get this—I had a client mention the Donati name during a lap dance."
I frowned, finding that rather odd. "What? Who?"
"Some drunk asshole bragging about his connections and how they're a trash family. The other girls say he's a regular, comes in with some of his buddies. I might be able to do some digging."
"Ivy, no. I'll figure it out, no need to do that."
"Relax, mama bear. I can take care of myself." A voice called in the background. "Shit, I gotta go. My break's over. I'll try to catch you before you leave for work tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay. Be safe."
"Always. Love you."
"Love you too."
The call ended, and I drained the last of my wine, unease settling in my stomach. Ivy was fearless to a fault. It was what I loved about her, but also what terrified me. Why would the Donati name come up in her workplace anyway? What was the deal with them?
I pushed the thought away. One problem at a time.
My neck ached from hunching over my laptop all evening. I rolled my shoulders, wincing at the knots of tension. I'd wanted to research the Cassaros and Donatis more tonight, but exhaustion was winning. Whatever secrets they were hiding would have to wait until tomorrow.
I dragged myself to the shower, letting the hot water…well, lukewarm, the water heater in this place was a joke, soothe my tired muscles. As I toweled off, I caught my reflection in the steamy mirror. Dark circles under my eyes, hair limp from the long day.
"You can do this," I told my reflection. "For Mom."
I crawled into bed, setting my alarm for 5:30 AM. As I drifted off, Jackson's face floated through my mind—those watchful eyes, the way his presence seemed to fill the room. There was something about him that unsettled me.
Or maybe what unsettled me was how much I'd noticed him, despite everything else I had to focus on.
