Page 15 of Ruling Scar
She smacks my arm, admonishing me. “Lennie! Do you have any idea how badly Mom would freak if she found out.”
As if I hadn’t thought about it a time or two.
“And what about Dad? What do you think it’s going to look like if Boris Akatov’s daughter is just hanging out at Fujimori’s. What do you even do there?”
I shrug weakly. “Eat.”
My sister stares at me like she’s trying to understand if I’m serious.
“Abe is a really great cook,” I explain. “And his parents are adorable.”
The biggest smile appears on his mom’s face when I step inside now. And I’m no longer alarmed by all the fires andbanging pots coming from the kitchen. That’s just how Abe and his dad communicate.
“And you know,” I keep going, “Ren has a lot of work, but she doesn’t like to book it during the dinner rush so I’m not getting pulled into anything weird.”
“Ren?” Adeline breathes out. “You’re on a first name basis with Aunt Macy’s niece now?”
I eye up my phone, giving myself away.
Adeline snatches it. “That’s who texts you?”
“Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal.”
“What if they’re using you?”
I pause, my hand outstretched for my phone. My sister is theatric but this voice is new. I’m almost touched by her worry, if not a little alarmed.
But I’ve also thought about it.
Janis kept suggesting I go to Fujimori’s. She knew how much making friends meant to me and was thrilled when I told her it was going somewhat okay.
But it wasn’t like I could explain that Ren wasn’t exactly going to turn me down. She’s too clever and my name always attracts a certain ambitious albeit morally gray type.
For the first two months, I thought Ren and Isolde were placating me. That I appeared weird to Abe and Bennie.
But Isolde asked for my number first and I gave it out because Janis kept challenging me to get closer to them. Isolde sent me a music playlist and now I’m in a group chat with her and Ren.
At first, I thought I came across as annoying, because every time I texted, Ren never responded. Isolde explained that’s just how she is and Ren assured me she reads everything, she’s just crap at knowing how to respond.
That one simple sentence made me understand that for all her confidence, Ren’s also a bit shy. She’s hyper at times,annoying Abe for fun, but her laughter is genuine and I’d like to think I’m one of the few people who see her outside of work mode.
“They’re really nice,” I tell Adeline. It sounds like a weak excuse, but I don’t know how to explain it all. She’s diving through the thread of texts. “Ren doesn’t talk a lot except this one time she wanted our help convincing Abe to get a jukebox for the restaurant. Isolde just texts about everything.”
Literally. She’ll send sixteen long messages in a row about whatever’s on her mind. Yet, somehow I only know she’s from the north of England and likes watching movies.
“That’s the British triggerman everyone talks about?”
“Yeah,” I confirm.
Adeline gasps when an idea comes to her. “Wait, so does that mean you know about Ren’s meeting with Russet?”
Ren and Isolde talk about the darker side of our lives but there’s a firm boundary regarding business. I think that’s why it felt easy to get comfortable around them. They knew who I was, but they didn’t pressure me to spill information.
I shake my head. “I don’t know anything. I saw her there, but I wasn’t a part of it.”
A couple of months ago, Russet went after Marissa on her own. Isolde showed me the footage and goosebumps flushed my skin as I watched her keep her aim steady as she faced gun after gun.
“You can’t seriously think hanging out at Fujimori’s is a good idea?” Adeline asks.
