Jareth’s smirking face flashed through my mind, and I scowled.
Vincenzo raised an eyebrow. “Camilla isn’t here to be a babysitter. She’s a professional.”
“I don’t care what she is,” I said. “If she’s going to stay here, she’s not working for you anymore. She’ll work for me.”
The muscles in Camilla’s jaw twitched, but she didn’t protest. Vincenzo, however, looked less than pleased. “You’re stealing my enforcer now?” he asked, his tone deceptively light.
“Call it an exchange,” I said coldly. “If she’s staying on my territory, she’s under my command. End of discussion.”
Vincenzo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. But you’d better use her wisely and treat her well. She’s one of my best.”
I smirked, leaning forward. “I have a specific assignment in mind.” I turned to Camilla. “There’s an artifact I need you to find. My enforcers are tied up with other assignments, and this can’t wait.”
That piqued her curiosity. “What kind of artifact?”
“That’s on a need-to-know basis. And you don’t need to fucking know yet. I’ll fill you in later.”
Camilla didn’t need the details of the artifact that would, hopefully, kill my father once and for all. She just needed to find the thing.
She narrowed her eyes but nodded. “Fine.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Alessandro shift his weight, clearly uncomfortable. He looked like he wanted to saysomething, but Vincenzo spoke first. “Alessandro here has a proposition.”
I glanced at the younger man, who stood awkwardly at Vincenzo’s side. “What is it?”
Alessandro hesitated, then stepped forward. “I’d like to join your team,” he said, his voice steady despite the nerves I could see in his posture. “I’m skilled in reconnaissance and tactical planning. I think I could be an asset.”
Camilla shot him a look, and I saw a trace of concern flicker across her face. Ah, so that’s what this was about. He didn’t want to join my team; he wanted to stay close to her.
I let the silence stretch, watching as Alessandro’s confidence wavered. Finally, I leaned back in my chair. “Absolutely not.”
Alessandro’s face fell, but before he could argue, I continued. “I’m not taking in two orphans from Vincenzo’s territory. One is enough.”
“Orphans?” Camilla asked, her tone sharp.
“You’re going to be here without your master, aren’t you?”
She glared at me, but Vincenzo stepped in before the situation could escalate. “If that’s your decision, I’ll respect it,” he said, though his tone suggested otherwise. He turned to Alessandro, his expression softening. “You still have a place on my team.”
Alessandro nodded reluctantly, and Camilla reached out to hug him. They exchanged a few quiet words, their bond evident in the way they clung to each other. It would be touching if I cared about such things.
When they pulled away, Camilla turned back to me, her expression guarded. “When do I start?”
“Now,” I said as I stood. “You’ll be briefed on your assignment tonight. Until then, stay out of my way.”
She nodded once, her eyes narrowing slightly. She wasn’t afraid of me, and I couldn’t decide if that was admirable or irritating.
Vincenzo gave me a long look before turning to leave, Alessandro trailing behind him. “Don’t waste her talents,” Vincenzo said over his shoulder. “She’s worth more than you know.”
I didn’t respond as they disappeared through the door. When it closed, I turned back to Camilla. “If you think you’re here to make friends or play nice, let me disabuse you of that notion right now. You work for me. You answer to me. And you follow my orders without question. Understood?”
“Crystal clear, boss.”
“Good. Welcome to hell.”
The soft clackingof keys filled the space as I walked into Vivian’s room. She didn’t look up, too engrossed in whatever she was doing on her computer. The glow from the screen lit her face, her features drawn in focus, her lips pressed into a thin line.
“You are always on that fucking thing,” I said.
