Page 25 of House of Ruin
“I’ll have the seafood pasta with mulberry wine sauce, please.” She folded the menu. “Thanks.”
“That’s all? Come on.” Andro rubbed his palms. “We didn’t come all the way here just to have a small taste of Raul’s cooking.”
A heat wave spiked at the bottom of her spine, travelling all the way up her neck, her hands. But Alecto only smirked, lifting a glass to her lips.
“I’ll have that rosemary pasta you mentioned and then some cheese bites. Also, Raul’s special sandwich. Oh, and bring in that cheese board with jams and olives and all that. You know which one I’m talking about, right?”
Andro smiled, and Alecto was surprised the waiter didn’t melt right then and there at that smile.
“Sure thing.”
Before the waiter left, Andro put a hand on his forearm, stopping him. “And bring the sharing platters for us, handsome. Thanks.”
Andro winked. The waiter blushed and hurried away.
“You’re a smooth motherfucker,” Alecto said, laughing.
With a shrug, Andro leaned back in his chair, the glass of wine resting in his palm as he glanced around the restaurant. “This part comes naturally.”
It was no surprise. Knowing how charming and smooth Rufus was, it was only fair that his son would have the same qualities. And if the way Rufus cared for Octavia also carried over to Andro’s behavior, then every guy was lucky to be with—
“What’s the matter?” Alecto asked when the amusement vanished from Andro’s face. She followed his gaze to the other end of the restaurant, where four witches occupied a private booth. “Is that—?”
“My mother,” Andro murmured, “with Galliermo.”
Alecto frowned, hardly believing what she was seeing. Galliermo didn’t look as cold as he’d always appeared when they met at university events or other gatherings. His sharp features were relaxed, and there was even a faint smile curving his lips as he listened to Octavia tell two other people something.
“Who’s sitting at the booth with them?” Alecto asked.
There were two women, that much was clear from their silhouettes, even if they sat with their backs facing Andro and Alecto.
A moment later, one of the witches waved an arm in the air at something Galliermo said, and Alecto immediately recognized that hand.
“Madame Raquel,” she whispered.
“What the fuck?” Andro stared at them, the glass frozen midway to his mouth. “I’ve never seen my mother in a room with Galliermo without my father, let alone having lunch with him.”
Alecto narrowed her eyes, trying to see who the other witch was. A waiter walked over to their table then, to refill their empty water glasses. The second witch turned her head to thank the waiter.
“Miss Bellthrove,” Alecto and Andro both said at the same time as they recognized the side profile and those large glasses that always seemed too big for her petite face.
Alecto turned her back to their table, looking at Andro. “Why would your mother and Galliermo have lunch with Miss Bellthrove and Madame Raquel?”
Andro shook his head, completely at a loss.
“Okay, I can understand Madame Raquel,” Alecto said. “She is a House of Snakes alumni. But Miss Bellthrove?”
“Do you think they’re trying to smooth out the situation with the Dean and the murder?” Andro asked.
Their food arrived then, and they fell silent as they watched the waiter set up the sharing platters for the cheese board Andro had ordered.
“Something doesn’t feel right,” Alecto said when the waiter left them. “Our parents showed up rather quickly when we were questioned by Detective Vin.”
Andro’s eyes widened. “Right? Dean said he’d contact them later. And they knew about the questioning as it happened.”
“It’s weird.”
Of course, alumni had to be aware of what happened within their House and with their kids. But it seemed as if their parents were a little bit more involved than they should have been.
