He’d killed his own guard, catching him snooping. But it didn’t make Andre seem like the villain. Yusef just had that negative, malicious air about him. Andre had acted swiftly, sure, but I wasn’t scared of him.
Of course he doesn’t scare me.I rolled my eyes as I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. I’d grown up around Giovanni men and soldiers, and I was not some naïve, sheltered moron to how those ruthless mobsters operated.
Replaying the memories of helping Andre infused me with heat. Each time I thought back to how taut and smooth his skin was, how hard and rigid his muscles were, bunching up and tensing when I tended to his injuries… That sobering and sinister stare he leveled on me, as if he had to figure me out.
Stop it, Sof.
Andre Orlov hadn’t earned the right to this much brain space or interest from me.
He was the means to an end. Uncle Roberto charged me with spying on Andre and obtaining copies of his paperwork about the drug deals. And since Esmeralda was the only person who mattered to me anymore and her life was contingent on my pulling that feat off, I had to keep Andre Orlov where he belonged.
As a target.
As someone who wouldn’t carry significance on my life or my actions.
I closed my eyes tighter and willed myself to fall asleep so things wouldn’t seem as challenging tomorrow.
With my luck, Andre wouldn’t be here and I would have another chance to spy.
Luck wasn’t on my side, though, because as I came downstairs to the main floor, where the kitchen was, I saw him seated at the dining room table, just finishing a very early breakfast.
“Morning, Sofia.” He lifted his gaze to me, and I hated how I mentally swooned.
“Sofia?” Renee paused in bustling by with a small stack of towels. Volleying her gaze between me and Andre, she narrowed her eyes with suspicion. “Since when do you know the names of any staff here?”
“Since I want to,Renee,” he replied curtly with a familiarity that suggested he’d never let her forget he was in charge.
Renee scowled, looking me over.
“Excuse us,” he ordered her.
My heart raced. He was dismissing her? Why? Was I expected to stay? As Renee walked away, I moved to follow her.
“Sofia.”
I closed my eyes and cringed with my back to him. Dammit. He was still curious about me, wasn’t he?
“Come sit with me. Have a coffee.”
I blinked, turning to face him. “Sir?—”
“No. None of thatsirbullshit.” He huffed a wry laugh. “You helped me with my wounds last night. I think that moves you past only being a member of the household staff here.”
Walking toward him, I debated how to play this. “But Iamonly a member of the household staff.”
He shook his head, watching me take a seat. “There’s something different about you.”
Oh, shit.So much for escaping his notice at all. Coming here to spy implied blending in, and his comment was the opposite of that.
“Because I’m not scared of a little blood? Because I’m unafraid to help someone when they’re clearly wounded?” I shrugged. “I guess I have a big heart.”
He shifted in his seat, peering at me. “I’m more hung up on how you’re not afraid of having to witness me killing someone in my office.”
I gulped. “I’m… sorry. I didn’t realize that room was off-limits and that I shouldn’t have been in there or?—”
He held up his hand, preventing me from panicking and spewing out any more verbal diarrhea of a lie.
“It is usually off-limits. But in terms of last night…” He rubbed his cheek, pensive. “I’m glad you happened to be there.”
