Step Bride: A Bad Boy Mob Roman(32)
“Me neither,” I said, smiling. “I’m an only child.”
“Must be nice.”
“Lonely sometimes, but yeah, it’s okay.”
“Must be hard too, since your mother and all.”
I laughed. “Yeah. You’ve heard of her, I guess.”
“Camille Taylor. Hard not to hear about her.” She paused, looking at her nails. “How much of that crap is true?”
“The shows?”
“All of it.”
I shrugged. “Not much, but I honestly try to keep my distance.”
“Not into the family business?”
“No, not really.”
“Good for you.” She looked at me seriously. “Why did my brother steal a dress for you?”
I turned beet red. I hadn’t realized she knew about that. “Uh, he was just trying to be nice, I guess,” I said quickly.
She laughed. “That doesn’t sound like Lucas.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I muttered.
“I don’t care what you’re doing,” she said, shrugging. “I really don’t.
“We’re not doing anything,” I said.
She smiled. “Sure you’re not.” She stretched her legs out, putting them in my lap. I was surprised but didn’t move away. “Sorry I’m being weird. I’m just exhausted.”
“I can come back later if you want.”
“No. Stay for a bit. I want to get to know my new stepsister.”
And so began the weirdest conversation of my life.
She began by asking about life at college. Evidently, Louisa didn’t go to school and had opted to drop out of high school pretty young. I told her about class, about friends, and about partying, but she seemed most interested in asking about the computer lab.
Next, she wanted to know about past boyfriends. I was vague on this, and when I questioned her back, she completely ignored me. It was more like an interrogation than a conversation.
But she fascinated me. The way she jumped from topic to topic, her infectious laugh, her strange smile, it all drew me into her. I wanted to be her friend.
Finally, I decided to ask more about her.
“So, how come we haven’t met yet?” I asked.
She cocked her head. “You haven’t come here before now.”
“Sure, but you missed that dinner.”
She smiled. “I don’t leave my room.”
“I mean, I wouldn’t want to leave my room for that either.”
“No,” she said, interrupting me. “I don’t leave my room.”
I stared at her. “Ever?”
“Well, no. I leave sometimes. I go for walks outside. But mostly, I’m in here.”
I blinked at her. “Why?”
She shrugged, looking away. “You can ask my dad about that one day, if you want.”
“I doubt I will.”
She looked back at me, that smile returning. “He’s not such a scary man, you know.”
“I didn’t think he was.”
“Sure you did. Because we’re mobsters.”
I gaped at her, surprised. “Uh,” I said, “what?”
She cackled at me. “Don’t act dumb, Natalie. You’re part of the Barone Crime Family now.” She leaned closer to me. “We’re all violent criminals here.”
“You don’t seem violent,” I said.
“Not right now.” She leaned back and yawned. “Okay, sister, I think bonding time is over.” She moved her feet and I stood up.
“Well, uh, it was nice talking to you.” I felt completely off balance.
“You too. If you see Rosita, tell her to stay away. I have more shoes.”
I laughed, nodding. “Okay. I will.”
She rolled over, pulling a blanket on top of her. I watched for a second and then turned and left.
Out in the hall, I shook my head. What a totally strange and surreal experience. As if my life weren’t weird enough, now I had a stepsister that might have been totally nuts. Beautiful and very interesting, but nutty, without a doubt.
I headed back toward my room, shaking my head, wondering when the weirdness would ever end.
Chapter Sixteen: Lucas
I poured myself a whisky and stretched out on the couch, ready to try to think of a plan to deal with the Russians, when someone began banging on my door.
“Shut the fuck up,” I yelled.
The banging did not stop.
“I’m going to rip off your balls,” I growled, getting up, “if you do not stop.”
I yanked open the door.
“Hi, big brother.”
Louisa smiled in at me.
“What are you doing here?”
She moved into my room. I frowned at her but shut the door.
“Thought I’d pay you a little visit.”