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“It’s deeper than the arena, and I’ve never seen him jump this high,” Eli says. “But we’re building a wire cage over the top, just in case.”
I want to say that I’m not sure this is much better than living in Nero’s basement, but that’s unfair. Their stay at Malloy Manor will be temporary – as soon as we find them homes at properly-resourced animal sanctuaries, these animals will be on their way to living their best lives.
But the noise…
Roars and scritches and warbles and shrieks echo through the house. The walls tremble every time the lion opens his mouth. I lay a hand across my throbbing temples as I follow Eli back inside. How is a crime lord supposed to think? I retreat inside to my ballroom, but even my most private sanctuary isn’t free of interlopers. Queen Boudica glares at Casper from the top of her tower as Eli sets up a run for the white tiger outside the ballroom window. Her tail bristles. I collect her into my arms and bury my face in her fur.
“I’m sorry, girl,” I whisper. “I don’t like change, either. But this is the right thing to do.”
Queen Boudica hisses at Casper. She disagrees.
I take Queen Boudica into the kitchen and open a can of tuna for her. I call Gizmo, but she doesn’t appear. She’s probably hiding from the chaos. Smart cat. I stroke Queen Boudica’s fur and watch as the second truck pulls up the drive. A girl slides out of the passenger side of the cab, looking fierce in designer overalls, stiletto heels, and wavy hair that must’ve taken hours in a salon to perfect. A large python coils around her shoulders, its head resting on her breast. It looks asleep, but I know better than to underestimate it.
This must be Livvie Lucian.
I lock Queen Boudica in the kitchen so she doesn’t decide to play bat-the-string with the python’s tail, and open the French doors for Livvie. She steps inside, extending a hand to me. The snake lifts its head, flicking a forked tongue as it regards me with cool indifference.
At least, I hope that’s indifference.
“We meet at last.” I shake Livvie’s hand, squeezing a little tighter than I normally would. She doesn’t bat an eyelash as I crush her tiny, perfect fingers.
“Thank you for doing this.” She strokes the snake’s head. “I don’t say this lightly, because I know what it means in our world. But I owe you a favor.”
I nod. “You do. And I’d like to cash in as soon as possible. Would you care to step into my office? It’s far away from this madness.”
“Lead the way.”
I show Livvie into Howard’s office and motion for her to sit. She steps gingerly around the pile of broken drawers and torn file folders. The snake raises its head and surveys the room with a lazy reptilian glare, then settles back down on her breast.
“I’ll get right to business. Your father expects me to marry the two Imperators at Lupercalia.” I sit on the edge of the desk, right in the spot where Noah fucked me last night. I shove my hands under my ass so Livvie can’t see them trembling. I pretend I can still feel the warmth of Noah’s body rising through the wood. That knowledge gives me strength. I try not to watch the snake as I continue. “Marriage to two men won’t be legal, but that doesn’t matter if it’s done in front of our people. Nero designed this move to cripple my family, to make me subservient to the other two Imperators. Obviously, I don’t want to go through with it. I’m looking for leverage. Or a loophole. Something I can use to get out of the bargain I made. If you’ve got something, I’ll consider us even.”
“That’s a big favor to ask of Nero’s daughter.” Livvie rubs the snake under its chin, like it’s a fucking cat. “What makes you think I’d be willing to help you pull one over on my father?”
I smile. “A white tiger is crapping in my ballroom.”
A cruel silence falls over the room. My implication is clear. Either she helps me, or I’m under no obligation to keep these animals safe. I’d never actually do anything to hurt them, but Livvie doesn’t know that.
Eli may be the bleeding heart, but I have to be all business.
“That’s fair.” Livvie crosses and uncrosses her long, shapely legs. She gives nothing away in her face, but I sense she’s having an internal debate with herself about something. I wonder if I’ve overplayed my hand. Can she somehow read that I’m not simply interested in avoiding Nero’s marriage? Does she sense that I want to take him out? That I plan to make his empire mine?
“I’m not asking you to hold a gun to his head. You’ll have deniability. I think you know what I’m up against as the only woman at the table – all I need is something to even the playing field.”
Livvie leans forward. “Okay, I have something. It’s not a secret about Nero, but it’s something I’ve been saving for a rainy day. I’ll give it to you, but I want something more in return.”
Claudia
Cleo doesn’t show up at school.
It’s probably for the best, because after we finished dealing with her, I snapped a couple of pics, which I’ve circulated to my soldiers. The spoiled social media influencer wearing my sacer has quickly spread through the underground. Cleo’s helping my street cred – if people know I’m willing to condemn someone that famous and well-connected, they won’t want to cross me. And it helps breed loyalty – whoever eventually kills her will earn major respect from me.
If Cleo shows her face in the wrong part of Emerald Beach again, she’s a dead woman walking.
So I’m surprised when George hands me her phone in History class, a concerned look on her face. The screen shows a photograph posted to Cleo’s social media. Our favorite spoiled princess has her forehead covered with a baseball cap so no one can see my mark. She wears a trendy cropped hoodie and leans against a crumbling stone wall. A very familiar crumbling stone wall, complete with battlements and Romanesque folly peeking through the trees beyond.
She’s returned to Blackwich Castle.
The caption reads:
