No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 36

"Is he already here?" Everett yawns, walking into the De Santis' LA estate. "He was sent here straight after we got him," Vincenzo responds, walking in behind us.

"Let's put out shit away then just get it over and done with," Ari mutters, visibly annoyed at having to speak to Simon.

Simon tried hitting on me multiple times as soon as I turned 18, obviously he was shot down by Le Aquile Rosse, and now Ari understandably hates Simon.

"We'll show you to your room," Lea smiles, looping her am through mine as Issy comes up on my other side.

"There's a spare room next to both of ours, so you can take that one," Issy says,

"Unless of course you want to keep sharing with your new roommate," Lea grins, winking at me as I scowl at her.

"Worst few nights of my life," I say stubbornly,

"The turtleneck says otherwise," Issy tsks, hooking her fingers into the top of it and pulling it down before dramatically gasping.

"Fuck off," I laugh, pulling the fabric back over my neck.

Lea raises an eyebrow at me but doesn't comment, "I would ask how it was but I don't want to talk about my brother in that sense," she sighs, as if it's a deep sadness to her.

"Good," I say, wanting nothing more than to end whatever this conversation is.

"Here we are," Issy says in a sing-song voice, opening a door along the corridor and dramatically bowing.

"Ladies first," she grins, looking up at us.

"If you insist," Lea winks, skipping through the door before spinning and grabbing my hands, pulling me into the room.

I laugh as I almost fall over, trying to take a minute to take in the room. It's smaller than the one I've been occupying in Italy, but still elegant.

"What are you going to do to Simon?" Issy asks, flopping down on the bed and propping herself up by her elbows.

I shrug, "We just need to know where Leonardo is," I say simply, "We'll probably end up killing him, or using him if he's of any use,"

Lea gags, "Ew, I don't want to know that," she says, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Didn't you grow up in the Mafia?" I ask, amused by her reaction.

She shrugs, "I've never been interested in that side of it," she shudders, "I don't want any part in it,"

"What part of it are you interested in?" I ask, giving her an amused look as a sly smirk makes it way to her lips.

"The money, the status, the fact that my Dad and my brothers won't let anyone so much as look at me in a way they consider bad," she says, her voice high with entitlement.

"Fair enough," I nod, unable to find it in myself to blame her for feeling that way.

"I'm going to go unpack," Lea suddenly says, getting off the bed, "Have fun talking to Simon," she says in a silky voice.

"I should get going too, don't hurt him too much," Issy grins, winking at me as I laugh.

I wait until both girls leave before getting up myself and shutting the door. I sigh and turn around, walking over to my suitcase before pulling it onto the bed.

I unzip it and pull out a new blouse and jeans, choosing to change it something less nice for Simon.

I pull my jeans off and step into a pair of black ones which hang tight against my body. I pull the turtleneck off and change into a black singlet, keeping my boots on.