Page 176 of Embriagado

“Mon poussin?” I asked.

“My chicken.”

“Noted.”

“So, as we were saying, still doing their dirty work?”

He leaned a bit too close for my liking, yet I stayed focused on the party, hands crossed behind my back.

“What I do or do not do for my employer is none of your business, Mr. Bianchi.”

“Our sweet hotelier is as cold as always,” he chuckled, and I heard the sound of a lighter a second before the reek of cigarettes reached my nostrils. “I’m still waiting for the day you’ll come to work for me, you know.”

Amused by the premise of his offer, I finally turned to look at him. Blessed with the rare privilege of looking young and charming despite this line of work, Dion smiled at me. And while his smile was beautiful, same as the rest of him, it was nothing but a well-calculated mask, hiding the monster lurking within. Therefore, I was never swayed by this smile, nor by his striking blue eyes, which gave the impression that he’d missed a few hours of sleep. If I didn’t know better, I’d actually believe it, but knowing him for quite some time, I knew the French bastard never lost sleep, as he lacked the mere conscience to keep him up at night.

Deciding to play along for a change, I asked, “And why would I ever come and work for you?”

“Because I’ll make you into a king.”

“If I’m the king, what would that make you? God?”

“I’m already a god.”

“Grandiose complex much?”

He inhaled deeply, the cigarette glowing at the tip.

“Oh, honey.” He blew out the smoke. “I have so many complexes I’ve long since stopped counting.”

At least he doesn’t lack self-awareness.

“Back to your offer,” I said, eyes once again scanning the party. “I’d rather lose all of my limbs than live in a reality where you play God.”

“Be careful of what you wish for, sweetheart.”

He was always such a flirt, which was supposed to make me dislike him, and yet, I found his presence to be oddly amusing.

“I’ve met your boxer,” he said, probably hoping to achieve something.

“I know. I saw you two speak.”

“Did you?”

“I see everything,” I said, searching through the crowd.

“How scary.”

“Hardly.” I narrowed my eyes at Mr. Rivas’s younger brother, currently making a joke out of himself in front of his alleged girlfriend. There I was, thinking that inviting her would help cut ties between the young pair as their connection seemed to trouble Santiago deeply. Who knew it would come back to haunt me?

“So is this why you begged me to invite you here, so that you could recruit us both?” I asked, still watching the brother. While I easily tracked him down, the bigger one was still nowhere to be found.

“Maybe I just missed your pretty face?”

I turned to glare at him. “Please. As if you’d risk coming into enemy territory for such a reason.”

His grin turned into a pout. “Enemy?” He took a step closer, tracing the hem of my suit with his finger. “Here I thought we were quite close.”

I eyed him, one brow raised, until he cracked and burst out laughing.