Page 177 of Ruin Me With Lies
“You need to let it go, Stefano,” he calls after me.“It won’t end well.”
Hand on the knob, I pause.“I can’t, Guy.No part of me will let me.I don’t know why but I…Ineedher.”
He nods slowly, as if he understands.Maybe he does.“Then good luck.”
CHAPTER THIRTY–NINE
Stefano
TAZI’S IN MYFACEthe second I walk through the front door of the Pink House.“Uh, hey, boss.Do you...need help with something?”
“If I needed your help, I’d have called you, wouldn’t I?”
“Yes.Yes, of course.”She falls in step behind me as I head for the stairs.“It’s just that you, um, never really come here?”
“I’ve been here enough to know my way around.Get back to whatever you were doing.”
“Ah.Sure.Of course, boss.”
Halfway up the staircase, I stop and look down at her.“Wait.Did Louisa receive any packages while I was away?”
Tazi thinks for a second, then shakes her head.“No, nothing.I would have updated you right away, like you asked, boss.”
I nod and continue to the second floor, down the hallway that leads to Raya’s room.
Two girls walking up the hall stop the second they see me.One lets out a squeak, turns, and scurries off.
“Louisa.Stop.”
She halts, shoulders tight as she slowly turns.“I have not heard from her.She has not contacted me, I swear it,señor.”
“Then why are you running?”
“Because you are s-s-scary.And you hate me b-because of Raya.”
No, I resent her because Rayatrustedher.Because she gave her loyalty to Raya instead of me.As if I’m not the one giving her protection, housing her, feeding her.She was on no one’s radar, and somehow Raya knew she could leave something that sensitive with her and it wouldn’t see the light of day before its time.
Truth is, that kind of loyalty is rare.It’s why she’s still here.Someone this trustworthy, who’d keep a secret even to their own detriment, is worth having around.But she’s not getting any medals for it.I’m still bitter.Still resentful of whatever connection she formed with Raya.
“Get the fuck out of my sight.”
As Louisa hurries off, I continue down the hall to Raya’s room and fish the key from my pocket.
During her confinement, I ordered that this room be kept locked and untouched.Off-limits.After her disappearance, I’d sneak in some nights and sleep in her bed because the pillows still smelled like her.This room will always be hers.
I unlock the door and head straight to the nightstand.
There it is, a small frame with a black-and-white photo of the clock tower.It’s always been there, hiding in plain sight.Posing as a generic store-bought decor.
I pick it up, flip it over, and slide the backing off.Written on the back of the photo:444.
Where have I seen this before?
Louisa…
I jog out into the hall, and head down to the room on the right at the end.When the first knock goes unanswered, I pound harder.
Louisa cracks the door open, eyes wide, face pale.
