Page 16 of Ruthless King
Because Nico is busy with work, I decide to take the opportunity to explore the mansion. It really is a mansion. I keep getting lost down hallways, and it takes me a good few seconds to reorient myself whenever I step into a new room.
I finally find the kitchen, which is empty. My eyes land on the knives sticking out of the butcher block. I could just take one. In fact, I’d only need a small knife. I could stab Nico in the throat at night.
After looking around, I find the silverware drawer and grab a tiny knife. It would be easy to slip under my pillow.
But can I actually stab a man in the neck? And what if Nico didn’t actually kill my father? What then? I won’t be any better than the person whodidkill my father.
“What are you doing?”
I gasp and drop the knife back in the drawer and spin around to face … Enzo. He’s in the doorway, his eyes intense on me. “I …”
“Yes?”
“I was just getting the lay of the land.”
“By picking up a knife?”
I shrug. “I wanted to make myself a sandwich.”
Enzo is quiet for a moment before he points at one of the cabinets. “Bread is in there.”
“Thank you.” I rush to it and grab out the bread, taking two slices. “Plates?”
He points to another one. We soon enter into an awkward dance with me asking where everything is, and Enzo pointing it out for me. He doesn’t take his eyes off me once, not even after I’ve made myself a simple veggie sandwich.
I take a bite of it. “It’s good.”
“You can sit at the table if you want. You are Nico’s wife now.”
“I’m still getting used to everything. I mean, just a few hours ago, I came here for the first time, and now, I’m married. It’s all … crazy.”
“You could say that.” He doesn’t say anything more. I wait for Enzo to leave, but he doesn’t.
“I wouldn’t mind eating in peace.”
“I’m your guard now. Where you go, I go.”
That’s … unpleasant. It’s clear from how Enzo watches me, he doesn’t exactly trust me. I don’t blame him. I’m contemplating murdering his boss.
Beatrice threw me into the lion’s den and didn’t tell me how to get out of this. I’m going to die here. Whether I kill Nico or not, I know I’m going to die here without her help.
Which is why I need to go to her, but I can’t today. It’s too soon.
I force myself to finish my sandwich, even though my stomach is rolled into knots, and then I head back to the bedroom. At least Enzo doesn’t follow me inside.
I slump onto the bed and wonder how I’m going to do any of this.
I spend the rest of the day alone. I eat dinner alone—though Enzo is there, watching me. He doesn’t converse with me, meaning that even though I technically have company, I am alone.
The luggage I brought with me is in the bedroom, and I change into a simple white, nightgown. It’s satin and little more risqué than I would normally wear. Beatrice picked it out for me, telling me I needed to impress my new husband.
I wait for him to return, and eventually, he does. Nico eyes me like a predator eyes their prey before eating them.
“You look lovely,” he tells me.
“Thank you.”
He reaches out and skims the back of his fingers down my cheek. “You have a natural blush. Makes you look more innocent.”