Julian's laugh is rich and satisfied and it makes my toes curl up in my shoes. "I've never made any secret of my desire to kill AJ Bernardi. It was inevitable. And deeply,deeplysatisfying." His eyes light up with cruel delight. "Would you like to hear how I did it?"
Images flicker through my mind in a gruesome slideshow. "No," I say firmly. "Did you plant the lighter on the ground in front of the Retreat for Raffi and me to find?"
Julian yawns.
"Mr. Castellani," I ask, "did you or did you not attack me in the grove the night of the housewarming party?"
"My dear Darian, it seems your imagination is running wild. No one attacked you. You got a bit of a scare, that's all." But thenthat smug mask slips, revealing a faint suggestion of something I've never seen him show before.
Shame? Regret?
It leaves me feeling even more off-balance.
"So it's true," I say. "You staged the whole thing, just so Raffi and I could find the lighter and bring it to Don Castellani, giving Sandro an excuse to move against AJ."
"I do what isnecessary," he says, uncharacteristically somber. "That's my gift to the Family, Darian. But no harm came to you that night, did it? Believe me, while you are at Redwood, no harm shall ever come to you. You have my word on that."
"Your word?" Raffi scoffs, shaking his head. "YouusedDarian, you son of a bitch. And you usedme. Treated us like puppets from the start."
Julian quirks an eyebrow, his moment of regret—if that's what it was—gone as swiftly as it came. "I do admire your courage, Raffaello," he says. "If I were a different man, I might be inclined to take offence. But there's no need to be rude. I understand you're concerned for Darian's wellbeing, but your hostility is unnecessary—and unwise. Perhaps you should remember that your protective instincts can cloud your judgment, just like all that sleep deprivation you had during the parley."
I blink at that, remembering how little sleep Raffi really did get. And Raffi looks taken aback, too.
"Besides, Darian is more than capable of looking out for himself," Julian goes on. "He has strong survival instincts—something you'd do well to remember."
Raffi's face darkens at Julian's words. "Let me make one thing clear, Castellani," Raffi growls, taking a step towards Julian. "If you ever involve Darian in one of your schemes again, I will make you regret it. Do you understand me?"
"Raffi," I say in warning, but he cuts me off with a wave of his hand.
"Save it, D. I said what I said, and I meant every word."
Julian regards Raffi with a mix of surprise and amusement. "Are you always this hotheaded about Darian?" He grins wickedly. "Or is it just me who brings out the flirt in you?"
The dangerous crest of Raffi's anger seems to drain away. Julian's ability to maintain his composure under pressure—even when faced with threats—is almost unnerving.
And then Julian turns to me. "Iamsorry, Darian, if recent events have upset you."
I pull myself up to my full height. "Mr. Castellani, I think your behavior has been quite outrageous, and the terms of my employment do not require me to remain here any longer."
With a groan, Julian pushes off the tree. "Not this again.Anotherresignation?"
"No. I want a raise."
Julian stares at me a moment—and Raffi does, too. The moment is broken by Julian's chuckle. "You see, Raffaello? Not so incapable as you like to think. Alright, Darian. You'll get your raise. You've certainly earned it. I'll have the employment contract reworked. Fifty percent extra?"
"Sixty," I say firmly. "And I want six weeks' leave with pay every year, on top of sick leave and—and mental health days." Because God knows, I will need those.
As we head out of the redwoods, Julian's delighted laughter floating behind us, I catch Raffi's hand. "Thank you," I tell him. "Julian might think I don't need your protection, Raffi—but I know better. I wouldn't have been brave enough to do that without you."
He pulls me close. "I meant it," he murmurs in my ear. "If that asshole tries something like this again?—"
"He won't." Raffi raises an eyebrow at my confidence. "He got what he wanted," I point out. "And next time, he knows we'll be more wary."
Raffi looks unconvinced, but as the manor comes back into view, he just sighs. "Thank you for taking me there," he says slowly. "Showing me the truth. All of it."
A slightly unpleasant twisting of my stomach makes me suck in a breath. "Raffi…what are you going to do, now that you know?"
He says nothing for a moment, staring at the Manor, and at Sandro's car as it pulls up, and the man himself gets out and enters the house. "I don't know," he says finally. "I just don't know."
