Page 28 of Ruling Scar
Ren hesitates, though. “The Stuarts might be new to town, but they come with a powerful name. If the daughter of Boris Akatov is the one putting out hits, it won’t matter if it’s personal.”
The bratva gets involved and then we’ve got war.
“Keep Ferdinand around at all times,” Ren advises. “Up the security.”
I shake my head. My muscles release, but not because I’m relaxing. All that bickering with Mom about guards and now it turns out I’ll lose the little bit of freedom I have.
I hate Leopold even more.
“I shouldn’t have to change everything just to feel safe.”
“No,” Ren agrees. “But most women don’t have access to armed guards at all times.”
She’s right of course.
Isolde sees my inner thoughts. “You want your freedom.”
“Gia’s not putting you under lock and key,” Ren notes. I didn’t realize she and my mom would get along so well.
If I tell Mom what he threatened, Leopold might just end up in a river somewhere. That could just as easily lead to a war.
“Take your freedom back,” the British expat recommends. I frown not understanding. “You don’t want to tell your parents about what happened.”
“You should tell them,” Abe calls from the kitchen among the clatter of cutlery.
Isolde speaks over him. “And you can’t hire me to make a hit.”
Ren sighs already knowing where she’s going with this. “So make another play that shows him you’re not on the marriage market.”
I stare between the two. “Uh, how?”
They contemplate a moment.
“You gotta call his bluff somehow,” Ren says.
“Become just as much of a psycho as he is,” Isolde suggests, tipping her beer back.
“But I’m not a psycho.” At least I hope not. I mean, then again I did just consider putting a hit out on someone.
“No,” Isolde agrees, blue eyes staring into my soul. “But you know what you could be? The motherfucking devil. Make this prick’s life a living hell.”
I’ve never witnessed this fiery side of Isolde and I have some questions.
I place a hand over my heart. “It’s like you’ve never met me.”
She wants little old introverted me to become the devil?
Ren carefully considers. “You could do it.”
Her button-down shirt is crooked and she’s lost the blazer. When she first showed up to take over from Aunt Macy she wore jeans and a hoodie most days. Then one day she reinvented herself. She said she had to and she’s never regretted it.
There are two sides to Ren. The one who argues with Abe and doesn’t eat enough vegetables. And the cold-hearted, calculating businesswoman everyone respects.
I don’t know how to reinvent myself like Ren. How to say ‘checkmate, motherfucker’ to Leopold.
Every part of me wants that, though. I want to see the look on his face when he gets dragged to hell.
But I’m at a loss as to how I can make that happen. Ren could do it. Isolde too, because she’s craftier than people give her credit for. I bet Abe would know how to poison someone’s food and of course, Ben’s there to legally advise everyone.
