Page 13 of Sapphires and Snakes
“Send a reply.” I slip the envelope into my robe pocket. “But don’t mention it. Not yet.”
Darius purses his lips. “She should know.”
“She will, just later.” I glance over my shoulder as if I can see Zarina through the door. “Last night... She deserves today.”
Darius studies my face with eyes that know me too well. “Okay.”
“Thanks.” I clap him on the shoulder and lower my voice to just above a whisper. “One more thing—David mentioned the new property in Gachico last night. I want to know howheknows about it.” The shell company that bought the building and the land it sits on is under one of my fallen capo’s names. The only way David Capone could have known they were tied to the Tamayo family is if he has a roster of my people. Something every family would kill to prevent, myself included.
I lower my voice. “We can’t have any hiccups, not with this deadline so close.” The deadline being the end of my fake engagement to the daughter of the family I’m a few deals away from cutting off at the knees completely.
“Understood.” He rubs a finger over his full bottom lips. “Do you plan to tell Zarina?”
“I’m not suicidal, so no.” If Zarina knew what I’m doing, what I’ve done, how it may have been a catalyst that brought us together, she’d have every right to hate me. And knowing her the way I do now, I have no doubt that hatred would turn to calculated violence.
“It’ll be worse if you don’t,” Darius warns.
“I don’t recall asking.”
He rolls his eyes. “I don’t recall ever caring if you had.”
“Go away.” I shoo my hand at him, grabbing the knob with a scowl.
“Okay,boss. Remember this conversation when I say I told you so,” he sing-songs as he strides down the hall.
I make a face at his back and push into my bedroom. Pat is sitting on the bed, munching on a strawberry, while Zarina half-hides under the bunched up duvet. They both look to me as I step into the room, door hanging open behind me.
“I’ll leave you two… alone.” Pat waggles their brows with a wide grin.
Zarina kicks them. “You can’t talk shit until you text Angela back.”
Pat smacks their hand over Zarina’s mouth. “Shutup.” They yank their hand back, clutching it to their chest. “Ouch!”
Zarina blows them a sardonic kiss. “You know you like it, masochist.”
“Not from you.” They mime a gag.
“A good match for Angela, though.” I pull back the covers and slide into bed, back against the headboard, while Zarina laughs behind the blanket.
“You two are so much worse together.” Pat wipes their hands clean on their thighs and stands, stretching above their head. They grab the tray of food and set it up on the bed before they head for the door. “By the way,” they say with their hand on the handle, “Zarina has a fantasy about you in the training room!”
“Traitor!” Zarina throws a slice of pineapple at them, but they shut the door before it can find its mark. It smacks against the wood and plops to the floor.
I pop a strawberry dipped in yogurt into my mouth, chewing as I arch a lecherous brow at Zarina. “Training room, huh?”
“Shut up,” she grumbles and slides further down under the covers, her face fully hidden.
I grin and cut a slice of waffle, stacking it with blueberries and dipping it in yogurt. “Come on, let’s eat.”
She whines and turns over.
“I promise not to tease you.”
“Pinky promise,” she demands, voice muffled under the blankets. Her arm stretches out to offer her pinky for the most unbreakable of deals.
“Pinky promise.” I loop mine around hers and kiss her knuckles.
She yanks down the covers, her hair a cloud of static around her head and her face a pouty frown. The sight squeezes my chest until warmth spreads outward into my extremities.
