Page 53 of Tempting Little Thief

It doesn’t matter. Her response doesn’t answer the question, so I ask again. “Howdoes he not know?”

“Trust me, he doesn’t.”

“Boston.”

“Oh my god, fine! Because he’s gone, okay?!” she shouts. “You know how Dad dropped me off for this stupid ‘three-month get-to-know-each-other’ clause he put into the contract, with a midpoint ‘check-in’? Well, shocker, but Enzo Fikile didn’t hold up his end.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” She looks away. “My husband-to-be didn’t do what he said he would.”

My head tugs back, and I blink. “You were there for three months. Are you telling me you have spent no time with Enzo at all?”

“You can’t tell Dad!”

“Boston!”

“No, okay!” she shouts back. “Unless you count the three minutes he stood in my doorway the day of the ‘check-in.’ I was dolled up to the max, full-blown heiress mode, Coco, and he didn’t even blink. He looked me in the eye, told me Dad had just arrived, and then he said, and I quote, ‘I like it here. It’s nice, and Enzo’s people treat me well. This is a good choice, Dad. I’m sure.’” Boston frowns at her clothes as she pulls them on. “I didn’t realize until he said his own name those were the words he expected me to say to Dad when he asked for my final decision, so I did.” Her eyes find mine. “That’s the only time I saw Enzo outside of the day I arrived when he showed me to my room, which was on the complete opposite end of the estate than his, by the way.” She turns, picks her gym clothes up off the floor and sets them in the hamper for the staff. “He was gone the next morning and hasn’t been back since.”

Damn. I would go stir-crazy alone all that time, but really, her explanation only makes this worse.

She knows it, adding, “It would have been better if I said he beat me or let his team have their way with me, wouldn’t it?” She looks away, chewing on her lip. “God, this turned into a mess. I should have just …” She swallows, facing away from me.

I walk up behind her, laying my chin on her shoulder, and she reaches up, her palm flattening on my cheek as she leans her head against mine.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, tears thickening her tone.

“I know.”

She hangs her head and we both understand.

She’s sorry for what she did, but she’s also sorry for lying because she and I both know sheislying.

Why and about which part is yet to be seen.

Back in my room, I get ready for class, meeting Bronx and Delta at the car two minutes later than usual.

Sai narrows his eyes. “You’re never late.”

“And you never take days off.” I widen my eyes mockingly. “Guess it’s true what the mundane say, ‘some things do change.’”

I slide inside and the girls follow, their wide, entertaining eyes flicking from me to where Sai closes the door. I roll up the soundproof window and click the button for the privacy setting. A sheet of darkness slips over the glass and the girls’ gazes sharpen.

“What’s going on?” Delta asks.

“My sister is up to something and my dad won’t talk to me about what he knows. It’s been five days. The man knows something.” I look to Bronx, who is already waiting expectantly. “Think you can find out where Enzo Fikile is without alerting him someone’s looking for him?”

“Finally, you asked.” She grins, making some notes on her phone, before looking up again. “I have a lot of ideas for where to start, just waiting to be explored.”

I grin at my girl.

“Now that we covered one, how about the other? What’s going on with Sai?” Delta wonders.

“I don’t know. Ever since his random two-day leave, something has been off.”

“Yeah, he never used to linger on campus before,” Bronx agrees.

“Right? It’s odd. He’s following me through the training yard in the evenings now, and he shadowed me into The Enterprise this week like he’s refusing to let me out of his sight, but then he’ll turn around and disappear randomly and I won’t see him for an hour or more.”

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