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“Since the day he bought this penthouse.”
I turn on my heels, angling my head to her. “And when was that?”
“Some years ago. I used to work for the former owner. He was heavily in debt, you see, and bad people were after him. Young master Zayne paid for this place and what he owed to his staff.” She brings her hands together, crossing them over an apron that blends in seamlessly with the rest of her black uniform and white collar.
“Wonderful person, your young master Zayne,” I say with a smile, then decide to probe carefully. “And the lady who stayed here, did she stay long?”
“A couple of weeks. The first time at least, the second time it was just a couple of days.”
A pang shoots through my heart, sweat breaking out on my palms. Why do I keep asking? Why am I doing this to myself?
“And why didn’t she share Zayne’s bedroom?” I try to keep my tone casual, sitting down on the queenly bed and bouncing a little to test the mattress.
Mariana starts wringing her hands uncomfortably. “The bosses don’t usually share these things with the staff. Now, shall I bring you anything? Cookies, or fruit if you prefer, like Ms. Kelly?”
“Kelly? Is that her name?”
“Yes,” she says, clearly uncomfortable and sorry that the name slipped.
Or maybe her intentions aren’t as friendly as they seem, and she’s trying to make a point of who is lady of the house in her eyes. Putting me in my place.
Fuck, I need to stop this.
“Thank you so much, Mariana, and no, I don’t need anything else except maybe some sleep.” I get back up to my feet. Mariana seems relieved, and she all but swipes a hand over her forehead.
“I’ll be in the kitchen if you do need me,” she says. “Go through the living area to the left, behind the fireplace, there’s a corridor–”
“Yes, I saw it,” I interrupt with a smile, already ushering her toward the door. I itch to know more about that Kelly woman, but I’m starting to think Mariana isn’t the best source of information.
Not to mention that I shouldn’t even fucking care. I should focus on calling Mia again, and making a plan to learn more about the orphanage and the evil genius’ experiments on humans.
Mariana turns around one last time. “If you need extra pillows, they are–”
“I’ll find them. Thank you so much.” I wait for her to leave with a broad smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. As soon as Mariana has strolled down the hall towards the stairs, I close the door and hurry over to my phone.
Mia picks up after the first ring.
“That bastard fucking kidnapped you?” she shrieks into my ear.
Well, at least that’s out of the way.
“Who told you?”
“Vernon did, your concierge. And then Marco, your bartender, gave me the juicy-ass details. He now believes you’re the hottest thing in town. Said fucking Adonis looked at you like you were something to eat last night, all while fingering you on a barstool. And then Marco’s little brother, Augustino, couldn’t stop talking about said Adonis’ mighty erection at breakfast, and the towel that hung over it. And how he looked ready to bite his head off for as much as glancing at you.”
“So you interrogated all of them already. When did we hang up, like ten minutes ago?”
“Declan and I were already almost at The Gala. Both the bartender and his brother practically ran to us, with Vernon trailing them. Besides, I’m a journalist, Sirenna, remember? So tell me where you are. We’re coming to get you.”
I stroll towards the window, trying to pinpoint the exact location.
“I’m not sure. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come anyway. It might start some shit between Zayne and Declan, and trust me, you don’t want that kind of heat for your man.”
Mia lets loose a long exhale. She loves Declan Santori with every fiber of her being, and I have no doubt she’d die for him, but she’s also a fiercely loyal friend. This is one hell of a predicament for her.
“He took you to his place, right? Maybe Declan knows where that is exactly–”
“No need to come and get me, Mia. He’s not going to hurt me, that’s for sure.” I straighten my back, choosing to look at the bright side of things. “Actually, this is a great opportunity. I might be able to get important info about his dealings. You could say I infiltrated the devil’s den. I could try to earn myself the trust of people who are close to him. Still, I’m gonna need time to gain their trust, and that won’t be easy at Rose Tower.”
