Page 57 of The Sound in Silence

And now’s as good of a time as any. Rolling to my stomach, I paddle to the pool’s stairs to exit, just as a shadow encompasses the cement.

I pause, halfway out of the water, and glance up at the stranger. A soldier, I presume, based on the similar clothing to Sebastian’s, and even that I’ve witnessed the Corsetti soldiers wearing. His beard is speckled with white, as is his dark hair. He stands poised, arms behind his back, his expression flat, almost scary.

“Apologies for intruding, Mrs. Rossi, but Mr. Rossi mentioned you’re out here and I wanted to introduce myself before we begin our travels tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? What’s happening tomorrow?

“My name is Jack Scuttle. I’ve been assigned as your bodyguard in place of Sebastian.”

Sebastian’s absence became obvious after day one. I texted him, only for him to ignore me. I did the same on day two and was ignored again. It wasn’t hard to piece together who’s at fault, and when I demanded an answer from Erico one supper, he skipped over answering.

It’s pissed me off because speaking with Sebastian had been fun. Natural not to have to use my phone to communicate. Easier, and just someone to help break up my monotonous days. After the drama with Aurora, I understand the boundaries between soldiers and us, but all I wanted was a friend in this new world and he was an easy contender.

I look up at the man, at Jack, as I finish climbing out of the pool. His eyes remain on my face, respectfully, and even retrieves my towel. If I hadn’t already guessed it, Jack’s avoidance indicates the precise reason Erico sent Sebastian away, his response the day he found Sebastian and I talking also being further evidence.

Answers. I need fucking answers. Becauseifhe took a mistress and I can’t even havea fucking male friend…

With a final forced smile toward Jack, in which I aim to be polite because my sudden rage isn’t at him, I ignore the offered towel and walk right into the house. Carlotta’s vacuuming, and for a second, I feel bad to be making a mess, but at this point, I’m committed. Besides, she can blame Erico for my actions.

My wet feet slapping against the marble flooring echoes through the mansion, so perhaps he’ll hear me coming. If not, he’s certainly about tohearme in other ways.

I don’t knock, don’t wait for permission. Just throw open his office door, while cursing the fact my phone is outside and I have no actual way to yell at him.

By instinct, my mouth opens and—

Crash!

Metal scraping against metal.

Tires squealing.

Fucking Christ, not now.

My mouth snaps shut, my mutism a fucking curse. How can I act how I used to without speech?

“Ariella. A pleasant surprise.” Erico shuts his laptop and pushes his chair back as though about to stand, completely ignoring the obvious rage I dredged in with me. His eyes flick down my body, pausing first on my breasts, and then between my legs. Lustful looks won’t halt this conversation, even though they do make my core clench. “You’re dripping water everywhere. Where’s your towel?”

His phone is beside his laptop, so I gesture toward it, basically demanding him to unlock and hand it over. He opens a note app and slides the phone over his desk, toward me.

Where do you go at night?

He reads upside down before I get the chance to spin the phone, and his mouth presses together. He shifts in his desk chair, and that’s when the darkness returns. When my stomach sinks and any progress I feel wemighthave had evaporates.

“I didn’t want to tell you.”

I’m fucking correct…

Tell me right now.

His dark eyes flick from the phone to me, unusually stormy. Likehe’supset withme. “You asked for this. No one, besides Caladin, is aware, so keep this between us. It’s a hobby theFamiglia’sleader shouldn’t be participating in, given it’s not exactly what the organization would deem as a noble death in their name.”

Dangers…something he shouldn’t be doing. I think I assumed wrong.

“I street race.”

Street race.I repeat the words in my head twice until they make more sense. He races…cars?

“You’re confused.”

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