“Um. What are you still doing here? Don’t you have to talk to Darren?” Then I start singing, “Birds of a feather, flock together…”
Roderick turns redder. Finally, he storms out, and Bianca and Julio return to their desks.
I turn my attention back to my phone.
–Jason: That should be fine.
–Me: You’re amazing. Love you!
–Jason: LOL. Love you back.
I pull out my laptop and boot it. There are three knocks on the doorframe. I lift my head and see Bianca. Her face is white, except for the red, blotchy spots on her cheeks. Tears are falling from her red-rimmed eyes.
What the hell?“What’s wrong?” She’s too tough to crumble like this.
“It’s my uncle.”
Oh no.She’s close to him. I rise from my seat.
“He was in Budapest with my aunt,” she continues, her voice teary. “For their anniversary. And there was an…an accident, and I… I…” She sniffles.
I hug her, hating that she’s devastated and there’s nothing I can do to help.
She cries harder. “I need to go to… They’re trying to find his body, and…”
“Then go. Take all the time you need.” I reach into my purse and pull out my black AmEx. “Take this with you.”
“I can’t—”
“Just in case. Otherwise, I’ll be worried sick.” I can’t give her the private jet because Karl—of course—is using it. That bastard. As soon as Sebastian and I are married, my parasitical family’s going to get completely cut off. “Fly first class,” I tell her. “And do whatever you need to do, okay?”
“But… You need me here, too.”
“Not as much as your aunt, Bianca.” I pluck Kleenex for her, then pat her shoulder. “I can handle things with Julio. Trust me.”
Chapter 9
Sebastian
As I walk into the office after my brunch meeting with our regional retail manager, Otto gives me a sympathetic look in the elevator. Penny glances at me like she doesn’t know what to say as I step out.
And Christoph clears his throat as he follows me into my office. “I’m not sure if you saw the news articles…”
“Is that what we’re calling groundless gossip these days?”
“Er…” His eyes shift like he can’t figure out how he should respond. “No…?”
It isn’t his fault he’s nervous. I’ve never been the subject of lurid gossip before, and he probably has no clue how to react. “I saw them,” I say.
It was impossible not to, even though I don’t do social media or read gossip-rag junk. Noah’s addicted to every social media app there is, and he reads every word like the salvation of his soul depends on it. When he sees something about the brothers or somebody we know, he group-texts so we can be in the know as well.
This morning I woke up to over thirty texts from my brothers, all of whom were acting like a bunch of high school girls. On the other hand, maybe they were worried because it’s my first time in this particular type of spotlight.
–Noah: Whoa, I didn’t know you were dating Gabriella Ricci.
–Emmett: You broke up with her, right?
–Griffin: Of course he did. Seb wouldn’t be seen with Lucienne if he were still dating Gabriella.
