Series: Penny Dee
Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“Of course, but you can bring your princess.”
“And my mom?” Larissa asks him.
He turns to her and nods his head.
“Yes, and your mother.”
“I am not going,” I inform him and turn to leave.
“I’ll see you at six. The address is on the invitation.”
His gaze drags over me before he says anything else, slow, unhurried, taking his time from top to bottom as if he’s not in a rush to hide it.
“Oh,” he adds, like it’s an afterthought. “It’s a princess party. Maybe wear something other than black.”
Something in my jaw tightens, but I don’t let it show on my face.
“You should stick to the business you know, Mr. Vescari,” I say, already turning away. I glance back just enough to land the point. “Not telling a woman what to wear.”
It goes without saying that it’s easier to wear black. The bloodstains won’t scare as many people.
And by the tilt of his lips, I’m certain he hears my thoughts and understands since he wears mostly black for the same reason.
On the way back, I pull into a drive-through to get Nessa a coffee since I left the diner without getting her one. When we pull up to the apartment, Larissa runs inside, and I hear her talking to her mother as I walk in with her coffee.
“We are going to a princess party,” she announces.
Oh shit.
Nessa looks at me, raising a brow as I hand her the coffee.
“We aren’t,” I inform her. Larissa looks back at me, and a look of sadness crosses her face. “A client who I told I do not mix business with pleasure invited me,” I tell her.
“Oh, yes. Sorry, baby, but Auntie Leo can’t go if she works with him.”
“But they were having a princess party,” Larissa says dejectedly.
“How about when I come over next, I bring a new princess dress and cake, and we can watch a princess movie together.” Nessa looks at me in surprise. “What? I like the villains in them,” I say with a casual shrug.
She looks me over once and says, “I can see it.”
“A pink cake?” Larissa is quick to negotiate, and honestly, I couldn’t be more proud.
“Pink cake it is.”
8
SILAS
“Idon’t think she’s coming, boss,” Valen says next to me. I already guessed as fucking much. She has a set of balls on her, that’s for fucking sure. No one tells me no, let alone rejects my invite. Yet she has done it more than once. My niece Alexis runs around my sister’s house with all her friends, while I stay seated in the dining room, watching.
I was serious when I said there aren’t many around her age, though the older ones know better than not to play with her. She’s just turned six, going on thirteen as my sister likes to joke. Admittedly, today’s meeting with Grim’s goddaughter reminded me of Alexis, with her carefree but demanding attitude. I think the two would be thick as thieves if Leonore weren’t such a stubborn woman. Though it’s obvious she’s protective, which makes this woman only more interesting to me.
It’s been three hours, and the party is finally starting to end, apart from the few family members and their kids still here. My sister, Gia, comes to take a seat beside Valen and me. She sighs, evidently defeated by the party as she takes a sip of her wine. She runs a hand through her shoulder-length, almost-black hair, similar to my own. Her blue eyes are slightly lighter than mine, but when they slice toward me, they are just as cunning. Though we do differ; my sister has empathy and kindness.
I extend such privileges only to family. Anyone outside of that is a threat.
“The party is exceptional,” I say to her, and she gives me a menacing grin.
“Because you’ve been to so many six-year-old birthday parties. Besides, none of this would’ve been possible without Lotti,” she says with deep appreciation for our family housekeeper.
As the family head, she usually maintains my home, but for such events, she’s always in charge, mostly because she enjoys it. In her words, she enjoys creating our celebrations, and is more than elated to do it for the next generation as well.
Lotti is busy chasing Alexis and watching both of them, I silently appreciate the moment.
My sister’s gaze is staring down at her glass of wine before she looks up at me and Valen. “Any update?”
My jaw tightens, and I adjust my shirt, uncomfortable with the thought of disappointing her. My lack of response is enough of an answer as she silently leans in. “Who would do this? Pietro deserves a funeral, for fuck’s sake.”
“I know,” I say just as clipped, my blood starting to boil.
“What if … the body has just been dumped? What if—”
“I will find out who did this,” I grit through a clenched jaw, and her expression softens. She reaches over the table and grabs my hand. “I just miss him, you know? Alexis has started asking where he is. I haven’t had the courage to tell her.”