Papillon

Chapter 5: The Game

Bella

In true rich bitch fashion, we decided to go to Cabo for a couple days before Ariadne had to go back to school.

Tapping my heel against the floor of the private jet, I waited for Christian and Damon to show up. It was already pretty late but we were taking the Gulfstream–the only way Dad would let me go to Cabo without him or Mom, because he could know where it was all the time. He also made sure we were staying at a resort the company owned–three suites for the boys and one enormous one for the three girls.

In all likelihood, Robyn would end up in some stranger's room most nights because she was too gorgeous not to get hit on constantly and Ariadne would spend her time studying.

"Why are they always late?" I groaned.

Ariadne didn't seem to care, scrolling through her phone, wearing shorts and a loose T-shirt with her long brown hair tied up into a ponytail. "They're picking up Francis."

My eyes widened. "Who invited him?"

"I did," Robyn smiled.

"Why?" I hissed.

The two of them looked at each other, amused.

"He needed a break. He's been working like a dog for his law firm," Robyn elucidated, a twinkle in her blue eyes. I couldn't even be mad at her. She was so sweet, even looked sweet in a pretty floral dress that I was almost certainly going to borrow from her on this trip.

"Who's taking care of his mom?" Ariadne asked, concerned. I knew his mom wasn't in the best of health but I'd never met her.

"Damon arranged for someone to check in on her and keep her company for the next four days," Robyn fixed her light brown hair, tying it in a half-up half-down.

"Christian said she was practically pushing Francis out the door, telling him he worked too much and that he needed to take a break," Ariadne chuckled.

"He does work insane hours. Even for an intern," Robyn nodded.

"Well maybe if he wasn't so smart, they wouldn't make him do things," I rolled my eyes.

"It's not even that he's just smart, he's good. They take him to trials and ask him to watch for reactions and weakness because he's so perceptive," Robyn explained.

"Creepy," I said, throwing my hair over my shoulder.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Ariadne speared me with a look.

"He's intimidating," I deadpanned.

"You just have to get to know him," Robyn defended softly. "He's very kind."

I scoffed but Ariadne narrowed her eyes. "He is," she insisted.

"I have no intentions of finding out."

Another thoroughly amused look passed between the two of them but before I could comment, Damon's car rolled into the hangar. I parked my hands on my hips, exasperated as they climbed in.

"Finally," I huffed. "What the hell took you so long?"

"You know, for the youngest one here, my little diva, you sure speak with a lot of authority." Damon clucked my chin, ruffled Robyn's hair, and ignored Ariadne. Shrugging his leather jacket off, he collapsed on a couch behind me.

"Every minute you're late is less sun time for me," I frowned.

"God forbid," Christian drawled, still in a full suit, not even taking his eyes off his phone as he settled down onto a couch, pulling his laptop out of his bag.