“You haven’t been here in a while.”
She walked over to my liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink.
“Things are different now.”
I frowned at her. “Aren’t you too young to drink?”
She knocked it back. “Probably.”
“What’s up, Louisa? I’m busy.” I sat back down, stretching my legs out.
She poured herself another drink and then perched on top of the coffee table. I refused to take her bait; she was constantly doing strange things just to get a rise out of anyone. Usually it was the staff that had to deal with it, but every once in a while Louisa decided to make me the target of her games.
“I had a visitor earlier.”
I raised an eyebrow. “People know not to bother you.”
“She was very interesting. I can see why you like her.”
I took a quick breath. “Natalie.”
“My new sister. I like her.”
I frowned. What the heck was she doing visiting Louisa? Not that there was any real rule against it, but I was willing to bet that my father would have preferred she didn’t. Louisa could poke plenty of holes in the little illusion of power and control that my father had worked so tirelessly to build.
“What did she want?”
“I think she was just exploring, stumbled into the spider’s lair.”
“Well, I guess it’s good that you two met.”
Louisa nodded, sipping her drink. “She likes computers too.”
“So you have something in common.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Be nice to her, Lucas.”
I clenched my jaw. “I am being nice.”
“No, you’re not. You think you are, but you’re not.”
“What do you know? You’re too busy hiding in your room, throwing your little temper tantrum.”
“Three years isn’t a temper tantrum.”
I stared at her, not responding. It was an argument we’d had many times since she had decided to lock herself away, and I wasn’t about to have it again.
“Do you like her?” Louisa asked finally.
“We’re not high school kids, Lou.”
“Answer.”
I sighed. “Maybe.”
“I think she likes you, too.”
“I know that.”
She climbed off the coffee table and fell onto the couch next to me. “Just be nice, okay?”
“Okay.”
We drank in silence for a few minutes. It actually felt nice to spend a little time with my strange sister. We used to be close, a long time ago, back before our mother passed away, back when we were children.
Then of course the business tore us apart, as it does to all families.
Before I could get too melancholy about it, my phone began to ring. I stood and walked over to it, picking it up. “Yes?”
“Lucas, come to my study.”
“Now?”
“Yes,” Arturo said, annoyed. “Now.”
He hung up.
I turned toward Louisa but she had already left.
Damn girl. Why did she seem to care if I was nice to Natalie or not?
Of course I was being nice to Natalie. Lou didn’t want to know how nice I was being.
Shaking my head, I left and headed down toward my father’s study.
I knocked once and pushed open the door.
“Father,” I said.
“Lucas, come. Sit.”
I shut the door behind me and sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk. He stood up and walked to his liquor cabinet. “Drink?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
He poured two whiskies and then handed me one, sitting down in the chair next to me. “Tell me, how did the meeting go today?”
“Vasili remains a little worm,” I said.
“Good then.” He smiled. “What did he say?”
“Good news and bad news there.”
“Bad first.”
“Bad news is, the Russians were definitely involved. But the good news is that Vasili says to check the truck that was taken into custody.”
Arturo frowned. “Why check the truck?”
“I don’t know. But he seems to think that will help us.”
“Hmm.” He leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink. “Lucas, how are you getting along with your new stepsister?”
I sipped my own drink to mask my discomfort at the sudden change in conversation. “We get along fine,” I said.
“Good, good. I haven’t gotten much time with her. I had heard that you’ve been seeing her.”
“Did you?”
“The staff talks,” he said, waving his hand.
“Well, someone needs to try to make her comfortable. This is a strange life.”
He nodded. “And what’s your assessment of her?”
I frowned. “That’s what you normally ask me when there is an asset in play.”