“Said to keep your heart beating, or he’ll take mine.”
That didn’t surprise me.
“That’s a tough job. Are you sure you’re up to it?”
He leaned in slightly. “That depends,” he drawled. “Are you feeling particularly cooperative today?”
I smiled, shrugging my shoulders. “I plan on unpacking and exploring—will that be a problem?”
“Not a problem at all. Max would want you to settle in.”
“Okay, great. Did he also tell you to move everything else inside? I think I heard him say that ...” I tapped my finger against my lips.
“Right. Let me get right on that.”
“Perfect,” I replied. I strode toward the nearest doorway, casting a final look back at Dimitri, who forced a smile. “Well, in that case, I’ll take this moment to explore the house a bit, see where everything is.”
He gave me a nod as I turned on my heel.
The house was larger than I expected. For some reason, I’d thought Max would have a penthouse in the city, not a house on the beach—not that I was complaining. It just didn’t seem like his style. It was more like mine.
It was a two-story structure, with sunlight filtering through the heavy drapes. There were five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a creepy attic I told myself I’d find time to explore later.
Before I knew it, I’d spent most of my day exploring the massive house. Time seemed to slip away as I moved from room to room, my curiosity driving me to explore every nook and cranny.
The last room I wanted to check out was at the end of the hall on the first floor.
The library.
Through the window, there was a clear view of the pool. Sunlight glared off the surface of the water. The walls in here were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that held hundreds of leather-bound volumes. I stepped closer, reading a spine labeled “Romano.”
I pulled out a book and flipped through the pages. It looked like a record of every exchange Max’s family had made in thepast. The pages were filled with details about the meeting spot and who was involved. He had his entire back catalog of crimes lined up, ready for anyone to take.
Maybe he wasn’t hiding it at all.
With a heavy sigh, I put the book back and turned away from the shelves.
A massive oak desk dominated the center of the room, a single yellowed sheet of paper with spidery handwriting lying abandoned on its surface. It was addressed to “Bianca,” in the same writing. It was a simple list, but something caught my attention at the bottom: “Sleeping pills (extra strength).”
Who was Bianca, and why did she need sleeping pills? I suppose it was none of my business. What Max did in his free time had nothing to do with me.
Then my gaze landed on a familiar set of papers on Max’s desk—another copy of the rules he’d demanded I read.
With a heavy sigh mirroring the one that had escaped me moments before, I pulled the file closer and opened the first page.
1. No phone during meals.
2. No wine.
3. No kissing.
4. No sex.
5. No revealing clothing.
6. No late-night visitors.
Note: This list is subject to change.
