Angelica shook her head. “If you return to the estate each day, Clan Fyrlia will find out.”
I had to have access to the office and soundproof working conditions. “So be it.”
“Kyros won’t accept that.”
“He can come to me with a counter-offer then,” I informed her.
The vampire regarded me coolly. “Are those all your terms, Miss Tetley?”
I ignored the jab. “I’ll need my bank account and tax numbers changed, of course. And there will be no 2:00 a.m. calls to drag me into the office.”
Placing my empty cup down, I stood, grabbing my purse. “Get in touch if that works for Clan Sundulus.”
Angelica’s mouth bobbed.
I smiled down at her. “I’ll get the bill.”
Weaving to the counter, I dropped a hundred dollar bill there and winked at the pimply teen manning the register. “Keep the change.”
She beamed back. “Thank you!”
“Don’t do drugs, kiddo,” I replied sagely.
After evading the many hanging plants, I waited as Laurel drew the SUV to the front. Josie got out and I clambered into my middle seat, rearranging my powder-blue shirt dress once situated.
Laurel sped off as soon as Josie shut the door, but no one spoke for five minutes.
“You’re going back to the tower,” Laurel said without inflection.
Her eyes glimmered, and as far as I could tell, they only did that when she disagreed or wanted to say something.
Meeting her gaze in the mirror, I replied in the same tone. “I am.”
The glimmer intensified.
Hmm, what did she want to say? “Only if Kyros agrees to my terms. If he does, would you all like to stay at the estate? I just realised that I’d be dragging you guys out of the tower.”
Laughter burst from Kelsea’s lips. “You’ve seen where we live, right?”
I grimaced. “True.”
Josie touched the back of my hand. “Thank you for checking. But I speak for everyone when I say that we’re more than happy to stay in your massive fucking mansion. Our sisters and brothers are happy about our new situation.”
“Okay, if that changes—let me know.”
Laurel indicated, pulling out onto the freeway. “Kyros will assign you more Indebted. I’ll recommend at least twenty of our best to contend with the Tonyi triplets.”
Kyros always listened when Laurel spoke—which meant he respected her opinion.
Which meant…
Ah, I see.
“Noted,” I said after a beat. “If you were to recommend thirty, that would mean twenty-three other Vissimo could live on the estate, no?”
Her lips twitched. “That would be the most logical position for us.”
My own smile faded. “I’m happy to follow any recommendation you provide, Laurel. But to be clear, anyone who comes to my estate will follow my confidentiality rule. I must stress how important it is that I can trust each and every person who enters my property.”
My comment hung heavy in the SUV.
Had I offended them?
Perhaps, but the words needed to be said. I wouldn’t openly discuss my grandmother’s secret agenda ever—not outside the hidden office, but the more vampires on my property, the greater the risk of discovery. My crew were loyal, but the Indebted were in a desperate situation. Issues like Fernando’s spying stint couldn’t arise.
This was a calculated risk, however. One I really had no choice but to take to protect the people in my care. To protect Tommy.
“I’ll make the rules very clear to any who are selected,” Laurel said fervently. “You are a friend to the Indebted. That hasn’t changed even though you’re no longer Miss Tetley.”
“I appreciate that,” I said with equal honesty. “In my experience, my name changes everything. People decide how they’ll treat me before knowing me.”
“Is that why you speak to us so much?” Jillian said from the back seats. “Because Vissimo see us as slaves and nothing more?”
“Could be.” I lifted a shoulder. “I hate the way you suffer because of crimes you never committed. The seven of you saved my life not so long ago, and I consider myself in your debt, not the other way around. So with those words about confidentiality spoken, I won’t bring up the subject of trust again. You have it unless you break it.”
Laurel jerked her head. “Understood. Your faith in us will not be broken.”
I stared past Kelsea as the estates whipped by.
There was another loose end. A loose end I planned to use to my advantage.
“Laurel?”
“Miss Le Spyre?”
I faced forward. “Make sure Fernando is one of the Vissimo who join us, would you?”
Her eyes flew to meet mine in the mirror. “Fernando?”
“Yes.” I sat back, smiling. “It’s time we had a little chat.”
I’d avoided Level 66 at all costs while masquerading as Miss Tetley, but now it was the place I had to be. That was where Kyros delivered his verbal instructions to the team each day—where he spoke of the probabilities and forecasts and the team push and various long-term strategies. There, he met his siblings to discuss final plans before approval, and that’s where the real strategies were hammered out. Where Level Expert bluffs were formed.
I had to wiggle my way into that room. The heart of Clan Sundulus’ brainstorming for Ingenium.
Somehow. Without raising suspicions.
I’d spent three days formulating additions to my grandmother’s established plans and re-establishing communication with her team. The new offensive side to the Le Spyre game would roll out immediately, fronted by the group in Churchill. Their first job was to double the size of my workforce.
But I had my own part to play.
Priority number one? Working my way back into Kyros Sky. I mentally ticked that off as I strode through the halls of Level 50 toward the cafeteria.
Priority number two?
Well. That would take a whole other level of commitment.
A visit to the salon and my hair was two shades lighter and silky to the touch. Barrel curls bounced gently with each of my high-heeled steps as I entered the cafeteria. Despite my ulterior motives for being here, I couldn’t help feeling like a jilted girlfriend crawling back because I was desperate for Kyros’s attention.
I’d dressed with that in mind.
Not by wearing less, by wearing more.
The dress was perfect for a cocktail party or romantic weekend getaway. The floating material was petal pink, knee-length, and the neckline drew together with a tie. I’d looped the ends into a floppy bow that rested off-centre at the base of my neck. With white buckle heels, a soft grey coat, and natural make-up to highlight my youth, my look screamed I have my entire life ahead of me and I’m classy as fuck, you meaty bastard.
Silence descended as I strode for the fruit buffet. The reaction of the Vissimo was the exact reason I’d come here for lunch—their breakfast—before my shift from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
That. And—
“Basilia.” Kyros’s voice slithered over my shoulders, eliciting a shiver I felt to my very core.
Damn him.
He stopped beside me, and I forced myself to take him in, to feel my raw reaction to his body and the desperate anticipation of a sweaty night tangled together.