Page 141 of Fall Before Her Throne

Chiara pursed her lips and stared at her phone, still sitting on top of the covers. “I don’t talk to her very often, and I don’t know her that well.”

“What’s it like when you talk to her?”

“I text her sometimes. We’ve only talked on the phone a few times. She doesn’t really like her family, so we bonded a little about that, but she wouldn’t tell me much else. I think she’s usually pretty bored, and that’s why she didn’t mind helping me. She seems bothered by her grandfather and the fact that he’s here. She ends up having a weird attitude after him.”

“If she doesn’t like what her grandfather is doing, then maybe she’ll stop helping him, and we can get the upper hand.”

“That would help you a lot?”

I nodded. “No matter what we do, he seems at least two or three steps ahead. Even when we’re winning on the streets, it’s not making a dent or scaring him off.”

“Okay,” she said, reaching for the phone. “I’ll try.”

I swallowed when she pressed in the numbers and held the phone to her ear. After about thirty seconds, she pulled it down and stared at the screen. “No answer.”

“Try again?”

She nodded. The phone rang and rang, but there was no answer. Chiara shrugged. “I’ll keep trying. If I’m able to get in touch with her and ask, I’ll let you know.”

If Lucia kept covering Greco’s tracks, or if our virus failed to persuade her to help us, we’d have to figure something else out. But there was hope in the news that Lucia might not like her family. We might be able to use that.

I wouldn’t let this go on forever.

44

CASPIAN

Leona and Chiara were safely tucked away in her room, and I had just gotten out of the shower in “my” room when there was a knock at the door. I wrapped a towel around my waist before opening it.

A cocky grin met me. He tilted his head against the door frame while his eyes dragged all the way from my legs, over my bare chest, and up to my eyes.

“Ryuji.”

“Bodyguard.”

I gripped the towel around my waist tighter and tried to ignore the pulse of desire in my gut. He’d been fucking teasing me, and it had been driving me crazy. I had come to terms with the fact that I wanted to try things with him, but I didn’t have to like how vulnerable it made me feel.

I wasn’t afraid of liking it. I was nervous I’d like it too much, and if I did, Ryuji would somehow use it against me. Because he was an asshole, and that’s what he did.

“Are you going to let me in?”

I could turn him away. Get a good night’s sleep by myself. But I sighed. I’d never know if I didn’t just try. With a swallow, I opened the door wider. He sauntered inside, pushing past me and letting his fingers brush my bare abdomen.

“Hey,” I choked out.

“What?” he asked innocently. He had taken his own shower, and the edges of his hair were still a little wet. He was wearing a fresh black t-shirt and the athletic shorts he worked out in. His muscles pulled against the fabric of the shirt as he looked around the room. He looked casual, but this moment felt anything but. “Kind of empty in here.”

“All my stuff is in Leona’s room.” That’s where I had been sleeping, even when she was in someone else’s room. We’d been together for so long at the penthouse, it was going to take a little bit of time to get used to some extra space.

“You should come to my room then.”

I let one shoulder rise, then fall. I had nothing else in here except for the change of clothes I was about to put on. “Sure.”

“Really?” His voice turned up in surprise.

I smirked. If he were going to tease me, then I’d tease him right back. I walked closer, one hand still on my towel, even though I could feel the blood rushing beneath it. His throat bobbed when I got close. “Why not, Ryu? You’ve practically been begging me to.”

“I don’t beg.”