Page 26 of Ruin Me With Lies
“Mr.Castello did.”
Oh.“Uh…” I take the tray.“Thanks.”
He nods and leaves.
I knee the door shut then carry the tray out to the balcony, setting it down on the round wicker table.When I lift the lid, a laugh flies out of me.
Mystery solved.
“How do you want to die, little girl?”
“Over a dish of sickly-sweet blueberry bread pudding.With a shot of Beluga vodka on the side.”
That’s exactly what’s on the tray.A dish of mouthwatering blueberry bread pudding, with a shot glass of clear liquor on the side.
I pick up the shot glass and pass it under my nose.
Clean.Crisp.Neat.A faint hint of sweetness.
Yep.Beluga.
I pick up my phone and snap a picture, then attach it to a text for Lorenzo.
Me:Is this my last supper?
Almost ten minutes pass before he responds.
Lorenzo:I left you alone for one day.What happened?
Me:I breathed your brother’s air, I guess.
A voice note comes through.I press play.
Lorenzo (voice note):“Look, just stay put for the rest of the night, yeah?We’ve been tied up with a situation all day, so keeping you alive is on the back burner right now.
Me:Anything I can help with?
Lorenzo (voice note):“No.Just stay out of Stefano’s way.Unless you want that to be your last meal.”
Me:*thumbs up emoji*
Laughing to myself, I knock back the vodka, then take my time savoring the bread pudding.My dad makesthe bestblueberry bread pudding, but this?Thisis so damn scrumptious, I want to meet the chef.
Once I’ve lapped up every last crumb, I snap a picture of the empty dish and scroll down to the number that came preprogrammed in my phone…
Stefano Castello (EMERGENCIES ONLY)
A blatant threat on my life qualifies as an emergency…right?
I attach the photo and type out a text.
Me:It was delicious.Thanks.
Five minutes pass.No response.
Me:When is the main event?
Wishful thinking to believe he would actually entertain me.
