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The three dots appear and disappear and reappear. It’s cute to imagine her scowling down at the phone, debating what to say to me.
LAILA:Tell me where the trunk is and I’ll come.
ARSEN:You’ll come tonight regardless,roza.
I take a sip of my drink, enjoying this far too much.
LAILA:You’re so clever. Is that what you want to hear?
ARSEN: ‘You’re so clever, Master,’ would be better, but we can workshop that tonight. At the gala.
LAILA:What makes you so sure I’ll obey?
ARSEN:Because I believe you’re a smart woman, Laila. One who knows when to pick her battles.
My thumbs are poised over the keypad, waiting for her reply, when Alessandro Calcagno arrives with his entourage in tow.
“Arsen.” Alessandro’s arms are raised like we might embrace. “How wonderful to?—”
I hold up a single finger, keeping my eyes fixed on my text thread with Laila.
ARSEN:If I don’t make it on time, go in without me. But stay close to Dominik.
I pressSend. Only then do I stand and offer him my hand. “Apologies about that, my friend. Had some business to attend to. You understand.”
Alessandro tries to rearrange his scowl but doesn’t quite manage to hide his irritation. “Of course.” He gestures to the younger man at his shoulder. Yet another heir happy to hide behind his father. My enemies breed like rabbits. Someone ought to teach them the value of a condom. “You remember my son, Enzo.”
“Nice to see you again, Enzo.” We all know I’m lying, so I skip to the main event. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen one another that I came with a gift for the two of you.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“My wife’s death.”
Enzo steps forward immediately. “I don’t know what you’ve heard?—”
“I don’t listen to idle gossip, Enzo,” I interrupt. “But facts are stubborn things.”
Alessandro feigns surprise. “Coming to my club and accusing me of murdering your lovely wife is bold even for you, Arsen.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Have you always been such a bad liar, or are you losing practice in your old age?”
All at once, the pretense falls away. His face twists into a hideous sneer. “What was my tell?”
“No one who knew her would ever describe her as ‘lovely.’”
He laughs viciously. “You’re not wrong. As far as I can see, I did you a favor.”
“You tried to make me look weak.”
Enzo bends over to whisper something, his voice low in his father’s ear, but not low enough that I don’t hear almost every word. “… don’t think this is the appropriate place to have this conversation, Papa.”
“What are you afraid of, Enzo?” Alessandro scoffs. “Arsen is here to thank me, aren’t you, my friend?”
“That’s exactly what I’m here to do. Hence the gift. It’s right outside the club. In the body bags.”
Alessandro’s eyebrows arch in surprise.
“Did you really think there would be no retribution for the men who killed my wife?”
