Page 24 of Ruin Me With Lies
Noticing a scar above his left pec, I lean in and brush my thumb over it.“What happened here?”
“Stab wound.A deal went bad.”He lifts his left arm, revealing another raised scar woven into his ink.“Got clipped here, too.”
“Battle scars.A proven survivor.”I run my fingers over that one as well.“But I’mstillgoing to be the last one standing after the apocalypse.”
He laughs.
“Gio!”Stefano barks from across the gym.“Come spot me.”
I glance over to see him glaring.
“Is itmehe hates?”I whisper to Gio.“Or does he just not like sharing his friends?”
Gio chuckles and gives me the universalso-sohand gesture.“Hey, I’m going to be without a workout partner next week while he’s traveling, so hit me up if you need a spotter...or just company.”
“I’m not always lifting,” I say.“What if I want us to go running?Or play tennis?”
He spreads his arms, walking backward.“Call me.I’ll bemorethan happy to be active with you.”
I flash him a smile.Breast men are so easy.
With a wink, he turns and heads toward his moody boss.
But said moody boss continues glaring at me.
Throwing my hands up in surrender, I grab my things, and leave.
~
BACK AT THEPink House, I’m ambling down the long hallway to my room, Stefano’s rejection still a dull sting under my skin, when someone calls, “Raya?Is that you?”
I stop and glance over my shoulder to see a dolled-up woman hurrying toward me.Only as she gets closer do I recognize her.Louisa.The gabby Latina I roomed with back at Vivienne’s.
“Dios mio, itisyou!”She throws her arms around me like we’re longtime friends.“They went back for you?When did you get in?”
Although I’ve been here for over two weeks now, this is the first time we’ve crossed paths.Most of the girls work nights, well into dawn, which means they sleep through the day.When they’re up and about, I’m usually at Black Gold with Lorenzo.By the time I get back, they’re already gone.
“It’s so good to see you, Louisa!I was wondering when I’d run into you.”I return her hug, slipping effortlessly into the heavily accented, girly-girl persona she met back at Vivienne’s.“You look amazing.Magnifique!”
Louisa is so glowed-up she’s almost unrecognizable.Heavy make-up.Fresh blowout and extensions.Long manicured nails.Designer clothes.Most importantly, she lookshappy.A far cry from the hopeless girl who spent her nights bawling her eyes out.
“Si, dios mio, it’ssogood here!Everything.Muy bien.They take good care of us.”She hooks her arm through mine.“But tell me.What happened?I didn’t even know you were here!Where are you assigned?”
Despite my protests that I’m sweaty and need a shower, she drags me down the opposite hall to her room, gabbing nonstop.Barely giving me a chance to answer all the questions she’s firing off.
Eventually, I give up trying to escape and just let her.She’sdeliriouslyhappy, and that’s all that matters.
I’ll never fully understand the sense of reprieve these women feel being here.Or what this place truly means to them.Because I’m not one of them.Not here for anything even remotely the same reason.
Louisa prattles on until a chime echoes throughout the house, followed by an intercom announcement:
All on schedule for tonight’s shift, be downstairs in fifteen minutes for the shuttle.
She bolts up from the bed.“Oh, mierda, I have to get ready!”
We agree to hang out again soon, and I head to my room.Luca is still MIA, so I take the opportunity to fish out my waterproof packet from its hiding place inside the toilet tank and pull out my burner phone.
Luca’s constant babysitting has kept me from checking in with my team all week.
