He looked at the coffee pointedly, and I took it.
I sniffed at the cup. Hints of cinnamon and cloves wafted from the mug.
“Did you put something in the coffee?” I asked.
“Milk, cinnamon, and cardamon.”Hisattention was directed atthe door to the garage.
I rolled my eyes.“I meant, did you spike the drink?”
His eyes swiveled back to me and hardened.“No.”
I took a small sip of the coffee. Once again he’d nailed mixing me another drink. If being a gangster didn’t work out, he should be a barista.
“Who’s going to be here in fifteen minutes?” I repeated.
He glanced down at his platinum Rolex.“12 minutes now. Luc and Antonio.”
Antonio. Sebastian was likely referring to Luca’sConsigliere. For the last twenty years Antonio had acted as Luca’s father’s right-hand man, and a thorn in the Regan family’s side. To my understanding when Vincenzo Amato had died, Antonio had resumed his role as an advisor to Luca. With that combination of men I doubted this was a casual happy hour.
I adjusted my grip on my coffee cup, and the radiating heat threatened to singe my skin.
“Why are they coming here?” I asked.
“To talk to me. You need to stay inyourroom and not come out.”
Sebastian pointed at the door to my room. Based on his tense expression, this definitelywasn’t a casual happy hour.
For once, I didn’t fight back. While continuing to sip on my coffee, I walked towards my room. I had no interest in being in the same room as all of them. Once I closed the bedroom door, I heard a grunt then a heavy clattering in front of my door.
“Did you trip?” I asked.
“I wedged the chair against the door handle. Don’t come out.”
“I think you’re overestimating how much I want to see your brother.”
Footsteps faded away, and I turned back to my task at hand. Despite the barricaded door and gruffinsistencethat I not come out of the room, I didn’t trust Luca to not drag me out there.
I rifled through the glossy whitedrawers. I refused to be dragged into the streets of the cityin fuzzy flannel pajamas.Ignoringa tight red lace dress, and a willowy silken romper,I pulled on black yoga pants, and a long sleeve workout top without even a hint of cleavage. If today was the day I left this world, it wouldn’t happen without a fight.
I crept towards the door and pressed my ear against it.
A few minutes later I heard heavy footsteps move in my direction. I wished there was a peephole I could look through. The footsteps continued past my door. On second thought, I was glad there wasn’t. I was not in the mood to be looking ateitherof those men today.
“Whiskey?” a voice called in the hallway. I immediately recognized Sebastian’s voice, but the tone was different from what I was used to. None of the teasing humorremained.An angry undertone had replaced it.
I presumed they nodded yes, as I heard the soft click of the cabinet door opening and closing.Moments later, heavy iron chairs scraped against the wood floor, and I tried to guess where they’d all be sitting in the dining room.
Presumably, Luca grabbed the head of the table in order to remind everyone of the hierarchy of power. Antonio wouldpick the right side, and Sebastian would sit at Luca’sleftafter he finished handing out the drinks.
“Is she here?” Luca spoke for the first time.
“Yes,” Sebastiansaid.
“Has she attacked you since I last saw you?”Luca asked.
“No.”
“And the information?”
