I turn and give her a sly smile. “We should, shouldn’t we?”
“Soooo,” she says slyly. “What are we thinking?” she asks.
Instead of fighting to get the outfit off, I put the robe back on and head back to the bathroom with Piper hot on my heels.
“The Leone Room, of course,” I reply sweetly as I begin to do my makeup.
As I add a pinch of pink blush to create a shimmer, I can’t help singing the chorus of Barbie Girl. My laughter has an edge to it that would probably concern a therapist, but I don’t care. This is how I cope—turn bad decisions into a show tune, turn danger into a dance number.
I finish with a nudeish colored lipstick, sexy but not threatening. No red today. Red is power. Pink is plastic. Pink is perfect.
Piper whistles low when I do a last turn. “If this is the new Raven, I’m not sure the world is ready.”
“They’d better get ready.” I check my reflection one last time, barely recognizing myself with the pink hair and the confidence radiating from every invisible pore.
“So, the Leone Room,” Piper smirks evilly. “I’m in.”
“Good,” I nod. Then I head for the living room where I sit down on the couch while putting on the new boots that also arrived. “You should text that husband of yours and ask him to meet us there.”
Piper chokes on her wine. “I’m sorry, what? You want to… nope, you know what, I’m in.” She playfully slaps my ass. “I think I should get changed. Do you mind if we stop by our apartment?”
I forgot my bestie and her husband have an apartment here. Well, not just an apartment. He bought an entire building because she’s scared of heights or something. That’s romance goals.
“Absolutely.” I nod, already grabbing my purse. “I’m not hiding from him, Pipes. That’s what the old Raven would do. Pin it down, pretend it never happened.”
“And what does the new Raven do?”
I smile, the expression feeling dangerous on my lips. “She shows up looking like this, while flaunting her perfect ass.”
Piper stares at me for a long moment, then slowly raises her glass in a toast. “God help Matteo Russo,” she says solemnly. “He has no idea what’s coming for him.”
Before we leave, I make sure to grab the knife my dad gave me. With nowhere to put it, I hide it in my boot.
When we’re in the elevator, Piper’s face splits with the evilest smile I’ve ever seen. “Did you know Enzo knows a lot of the people working at the Leone Room?”
I just shake my head.
“Well, he’s asking how big of an entrance you want to make.”
That gets my attention. “Why would Lorenzo help me?” I ask, surprise coating my tone.
Piper just rolls her eyes. “I think he just wants to screw with Matteo. Apparently it’s his birthday tomorrow.”
I beam. “In that case, let’s make it a spectacle if one is available.”
Chapter 30
Matteo
The names on Tony’s list blur together, black ink swimming across cream paper as my focus drifts for the third time in ten minutes. I tap my lighter against the polished surface of my desk.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“Is that all of it?” Rafe asks, reading over my shoulder.
“Yes,” I growl, feeling royally pissed off. “Why are we here again?”
Enzo smirks at me. “Because I asked you nicely, cousin. I haven’t been here in ages.”
