“Where’s the nearest bathroom?” I may as well kill some time in a luxe bathroom, and besides, my bladder is fit to burst. Let’s hope Lorenzo hasn’t daubed the ceiling in there with naked cherubs sucking each other off - I might legit die if he has.
“Outside, second door on the right. I’ll come with you.” He grumbles when I push him back and roll my eyes.
“Jesus, I’ll be fine. Nobody will touch me. Not with Cujo out there chomping on human flesh as a deterrent.” An inappropriate giggle escapes.
Kane frowns but stands aside.
“You better watch Fina in case she faints from boredom.” I cock my head to one side and pretend to think. “Oh wait, that would be a good Plan B.”
“Dare I ask what Plan A is?” Kane looks worried, so I grin and pretend to zip my lips before sauntering off.
In truth, I don’t have a Plan A or any plan at all. But I’m nothing if not adaptable, and if I find a stray box of matches, I’ll happily resort to pyromania to end this party early.
To my intense relief, there is no pornographic ceiling in the bathroom, but I waste some time trying out the various hand lotions. Eventually, knowing Kane will wonder where I’ve got to, I step back out into the hallway.
A server passes carrying a tray of coffee cups, but otherwise, it’s empty. Conversation and soft music float out from the garden room nearby, and from somewhere to my left, I hear mens’ voices and laughter.
The thought of more boring small talk makes me yawn, so I turn right and head deeper into the house. If anyone asks, I’ll pretend I’m lost.
Thick carpet muffles my footsteps. The walls down here are painted a soft terracotta color, and there are vases and paintings at intervals. Everywhere I look, I see gold accents: the picture frames, the light fittings, and even the decorative molding along the ceiling.
The decor in this house is in sharp contrast to the beautiful atrium at the casino hotel, where butterflies fluttered among tropical plants and flowers. I know which one I prefer.
The deeper into the house I go, the quieter it becomes. There are doors on each side of the hallway, but most are closed. Eventually curiosity gets the better of me and I push one open.
It’s dark in here. Dust sheets cover lumps of furniture, and from the stale air, the room hasn’t been used in some time. The next room I peek into is the same.
It’s almost as if this ostentatious house is purely for show. I picture Lorenzo living somewhere else, in a swanky penthouse apartment overlooking the harbor, only bothering to come back to this residence when he wants to entertain guests.
I hum to myself as I explore. It could be a lovely family home if given an extensive makeover. And if the man-eating dogs were re-homed. And by re-homed, I mean sent to the nearest zoo for dangerous predators.
The next door I push open smells of cigars and booze. Tall bookshelves line the walls, and in the corner, a gray filing cabinet stands, topped with files. There’s a large teak desk in front of a window with a view of the gardens, and a leather armchair beside a cold fireplace.
Is this Lorenzo’s home office? It has to be.
I spot a photo of a beautiful, lush-figured, dark-haired woman. She’s smiling at the camera while holding a baby. A dark-eyed toddler clings to her tanned leg, his face half-hidden behind her billowing skirt.
Is this Angelo’s mother? I know nothing about her other than that she’s long dead and Lorenzo cheated on her with a member of his household staff, which produced Luka.
It’s hard to understand why any man would want to cheat on such a beautiful woman, but Lorenzo is a prick, so…
A cream envelope resting on the desk catches my eye. The gold crest seems familiar, and I wonder where I’ve seen it before. Then it clicks. Vivian was carrying an envelope with the same crest when we had our little chat in the bathroom at the hotel gala.
Is it an invitation to an exclusive event? I suppose it could be.
There’s something I’m missing, though. A connection I haven’t quite made.
It niggles at me as I take a step forward, intending to look more closely at the envelope.
But before I can move, a man chuckles lightly behind me, and I freeze.
Lorenzo pushes the door shut while I suck in a panicked breath when I realize he has me cornered. Will Kane be searching for me? I hope so, but then it occurs to me: even if he comes this way, he can’t go against Lorenzo.
Angelo is the only person who has a chance of talking his father down, and he might not care, seeing as how I’ve done exactly what he asked me not to do this evening.
Basically, I’m fucked.
“I got lost looking for the bathroom,” I babble while smiling prettily and fluttering my eyelashes. “Too much wine,” I add, throwing in a hiccup for good measure, even though the adrenaline flooding my system has burned away some of the alcohol.
