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“Are we friends?” Luca purrs, leaning into her.
“Has anyone ever taught you about personal space, Luc?” Mera snidely asks. “This is my bubble.” She frantically waves her hands around her, stretching her arms out, wiggling her fingers through the air. “Stay out of it.”
“I’m gonna pop that personal bubble, Mera,” Luca vows, a smirk lining his face. “What’s your space, will become mine, roomie.”
Mera sputters, “Ex-excuse me?”
“We’re going to becomeverygood friends,” he exaggeratedly implies.
“Is he serious?” Shayne asks as we climb the back staircase.
“Deadly,” I remark before quickly adding, “Don’t worry, it’s not as nefarious as he’s making it out to be.”
“Suuureit isn’t,” she taunts, drawing out the word with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “And what did you mean by family suite, Julius?”
“Since you ladies had certain… requirements for staying with us, we thought it’d be easier and more lucrative for all involved to have y’all close by, instead of having a hostage type of environment,” I reply. “No reason to start things off with tension between the four of us. We're going to be a team in this endeavor. Yes, I get that trust between us won’t be instantaneous, but we need to at least try to have some sort of an even balance.”
“I couldn’t agree more. But having us in such close quarters may be… intense,” she settles on using.
“It may in the beginning,” I acquiesce. “But once we get to know one another better, that should all level out. We need to be a team, Shayne.”
“Even with those two butting heads at every turn?” she asks.
“Believe it or not, I think those two secretly like each other,” I confess, leaning into her so they don’t overhear us.
“You think?” she probes.
“Yeah, Shayne. I really do.”
* * *
“What the—” Shayne falters, her jaw dropping to where it nearly hits the ground, leaving her statement incomplete. “This is as big as our entire floor was.” I chuckle at her starry eyes.
“It’s meant to be a mini apartment of sorts,” I admit. “A place for our family to gather and relax without the housing staff or our men interrupting.”
“I’m going to need a map to navigate this monstrosity, aren’t I, Julius?”
“You’ll get used to it,” I say, opening my arms to usher her down the hallway that leads to my half of the suite. “You and I will be at this end, and Mera will stay on Luca’s, so she can have her wish.”
“Her wish?” she asks, quirking her brow.
“For a hostage. And a weapon. We’ll let those two work out their differences without it interfering with our tranquility.”
“Julius, are you saying that I’ll have my own room?”
“Yes?” I phrase it more as a question than an answer because I’m stumped. It’s elusive to me as to why this would be an issue for her, or if it even is.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had to read a woman’s words, emotions, and movements. I’m feeling inadequate, and that’s not something that I’m used to feeling. I knew Ma better than I knew myself, so I never had to solve any puzzles when it came to her. It seems like I’m going to have to learn Shayne’s little quirks and ticks so that I’m not confused when it comes to her.
“I’ve never had my own room before.” The raw sound releasing from her windpipe has me wanting to grab her up and comfort her, but we’re not at that stage in our friendship yet, so I hold myself back.
“Well, now you do,” I quip, smiling down at her. “Follow me. If there’s anything you need that you don’t see, or any changes you’d like to make, we’ll get that done for you.”
“I’m not going to change up your home, Julius. This is a temporary solution to a problem that is hopefully resolved soon.”
“Shayne, for now, act like this is your place. Whatever you need to make you feel more comfortable and welcome, do it. The room I’m giving you, nobody uses it. It’s been a while since it’s been updated. You actually would be doing me a favor. One day, my family will be able to come out of hiding and I’d like to have a room ready for them when that time comes.”
“A favor, hmm?” she protest, not believing me. That’s understandable considering this house was updated before Ma passed away.
