Page 78 of Grumpy Player

“Okay, get straight to the point,” he laughs.

“I’m waiting.”

“Maybe I just want to check in with my little sister, who I haven’t spoken to in a very long time,” he says.

“It’s been five years. Why now?” I ask. A part of me thinks that maybe with Nana dying he wants to reconnect.

“You seriously need to chill, Ellie,” he says.

“Is this about Nana?” I ask.

“No, why? Is she not okay?” he asks.

“Are you kidding me? She has cancer!” I scream into the phone, my irritation reaching soaring heights.

“No shit. Okay, chill the fuck out. The reason I’m calling is because a friend of mine asked me to do him a favor. Does the name Warren Carrington ring a bell?”

Fuck me sideways.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I sigh.

“Surprised you showed up to Antonella’s after all this time and you’re a fucking nanny. What is that all about?” Dante asks with his chiding judgmental tone.

“Get to the point, Dante,” I urge. “How exactly do you know Warren?”

“We spent a year in boarding school together in Switzerland when we were younger. He throws the best New Year’s Eve parties. I still see him every year. We were just in St. Martin on our yacht together last year,” he explains.

“Okay, I get it. What is the message?” I ask.

“Straight to business,” Dante says.

“There’s no other way,” I counter, feeling so on edge. Dante has a real nerve calling me after all this time and not because he wants to know how I am, but because his asshole friend sent him. It hurts, even though I should be used to these behaviors by now.

“You seem to be causing his fiancée some trouble. He asked if I could get you to back off as a favor,” Dante explains.

“Are you fucking with me right now?” I snap back.

“No, Warren is marrying Sybil because his family is pressuring him into it because of a collaborative business venture they will be embarking on. You have his fiancée causing a tizzy. Now she knows you’re an Albizzi and it’s causing tension. Can’t you just chill out? Let the woman have her kid?”

“Are you insane, Dante? Do you even know what you’re asking? I just can’t with you,” I shout.

“Let me guess. . . you’re going to hang up the phone and not talk to me for another five years,” he responds like the coldhearted asshole he is.

“Fuck you.” I hang up the phone. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t that.

I head back to the apartment on foot, walking at a fast pace. Connor should know about this call and notify the attorney. Only when I get back to the apartment, he isn’t there but he’s left a note on the dining room table.

Went back to the arena to be with the guys.

Okay, well, I’ll just wait for him to come home. It’s not like this information is going to change anything in this moment.

I go to the kitchen and start my dinner prepping. I chop up a bunch of vegetables and chicken to make a stir-fry. Then I steam some rice. I’m still reeling over the fact my brother had the nerve to reach out to me for his friend. He didn’t even ask me how I’ve been. Warren must have picked up on Tony calling me Ms. Albizzi. I’m not even surprised that the prick is friends with my brother. It makes perfect sense.

I get the rice steamed and leave it on the side. Then I go to my room to freshen up. I promised Syd we’d go do nails and so we are going to do nails.

I wait for her at the bus and she runs into my arms and hugs me.

“Thank you,” I laugh. “Why do I get one of your special hugs?”

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