Page 43 of Hidden Empire

“Damn,” he mutters. “I guess I’m just asleep then.”

I laugh to myself.

Well, he’s about to be.

Chapter 14

Jade

The next morning starts bright and early. Remo is personally responsible for pulling Nico, Matteo, and me all out of bed and getting us sorted to go down to breakfast. We each have classes to attend to after we feast, and Remo gives us schedules for that as well. Who knew he’d be the responsible one when Armani wasn’t around?

After we eat, I barely have a moment to collect myself before Remo pulls me around campus to my first class. Apparently, it’s one of the earliest ones. And it’s for cooking, which has me letting out a sigh of relief. I know I’ll have a fight training class at some point, and not having one bright and early in the morning is definitely a plus.

Remo makes sure I’m all set, sitting down at a desk before he has to leave to go to his own class. The room he puts me in is already mostly full, and mostly girls, which I expected. There are a few guys, though, sitting together toward the back.

I fiddle with my fingers, not ready to try and meet any of my classmates yet. Maybe next time, I tell myself. Classes are every other day in most cases to leave time for studying and activities outside of class. When you have intense fight training, breaks are necessary to prevent injury.

This particular class is supposed to have two days in between every session since it’s an elective that you’re allowed to double up with. If you take cooking, you can also take a baking class and this schedule allows that. I wonder if I’m in a baking class too? I really should have asked more questions about my schedule before classes began.

“Alright class, enough idle chit-chat, let’s get this introduction over with and get to work.” The familiar voice has me looking to the door, debating on fleeing.

She doesn’t see me as she drops her things onto her desk, shrugging her coat off onto the back of her chair. She doesn’t see any of us, actually, because she hasn’t even looked up yet. Straightening out her blouse, her perfectly painted fingers wrap around her disposable coffee cup, bringing it to her red lips. The teacher turns to write on the board as she sips her drink.

“This is Intro to Cooking, a culinary basics class for mafia princesses,” she announces, scrawling out the title of the course and her name beneath it. “I’m here to teach you how not to piss off your husbands with burnt food or a burned-down kitchen.”

She sighs, beginning to write a list. “You’ll learn five dishes by the end of the term. Starting with the most rudimentary. Eggs, chicken, steak, pasta, and rice.

I can’t tell if she’s trying to be blunt or trying to be rude.

Something tells me she’s not trying to be kind.

Also, why am I in a class for culinary basics? I’m not going to learn anything Martha hasn’t already taught me or that I never figured out fending for myself while living with Kim. I mean, I learned how to cook an egg like eight years ago at this point, and Martha has seriously upped my game since I moved in.

Is there a guidance counselor here? How do people switch classes if they need to? Should I email Dad?

“Now, what do we have here?”

I stiffen, looking up from my table to find her staring straight at me.

“Lorna, good to see you,” I greet lamely, attempting to pull my shoulders back.

I really wish one of my brothers would have warned me about this. I knew she was an instructor here, but I didn’t think she’d be one of mine!

“Ms. Moretti,” she returns, flashing a killer smirk. “Jade, isn’t it? How interesting that you’re in my class. I was so hoping I would get to see more of you.”

Oh god. Why is this woman so mad at me?

Armani is my brother, I’m hardly a threat if he’s who she wants. Although, I wouldn’t love having her as my brother’s girlfriend. Especially since she looks at me like she’s like to cut my hair off… or my whole head.

“I think there might be a mistake,” I say carefully.

Her responding laugh is ear-piercing, so much so that I wince.

“And why is that? Do you think you’re too advanced to be here? You?”

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

“Respectfully—” disrespectfully “—there’s nothing on that list that I need to learn. I already know?—”