There’s another sigh, and I feel my irritation grow. Estelle is an expert at tugging heartstrings. Growing up, even I fell victim to it, wanting nothing more than to protect my younger sister from the evils I knew existed in the world. Perhaps that’s what has made her so spoiled and flighty.
“Perhaps I can talk to her, convince her to return to Paris—”
“Return to Paris?” I interrupt, sitting up straighter. Estelle should currently be in Paris, where she’s been studying art history—her latest whim. “Where is she now?”
There’s a silence on the other end as my aunt, no doubt, realizes her mistake.
“Mona.”
“She’s in Italy. She met a man from Rome, and they are on holiday.”
“So this is where the money I’m paying goes? For her to fly off to Portofino or Capri with some man? Dare I ask who he is and what he does for a living?”
“She’s entitled to have a love life, Magnus. It’s summer, and her studies don’t start up again until fall.”
As if Estelle didn’t spend the last year dropping every class she’s taken. Now, she’s latched onto someone who will no doubt be happy to pay the bills in return for God knows what. Or, more likely, using her for the money I give her. The thought of my sister debasing herself this way has my fists curling.
“Do I at least get a name for this new man in her life?”
Mona pauses, no doubt reading my mind. Naturally, I’ll be learning everything I can about this man using my vast resources. All the better to end the relationship and send my sister back to Paris, where she’ll hopefully behave herself.
“Giorgio Conti,” she says, realizing that I’ll find out one way or another. “Please don’t do anything…rash, Magnus.”
Giorgio Conti. The name alone practically oozes the word sleazy. Or maybe I’m just biased. Once he finds out she’s penniless, he’ll be gone soon enough. Not that I’ll be leaving it up to fate.
“I’m going to do what’s best for Estelle.”
“Magnus.”
“Mona,” I say, mimicking her tone of warning.
“This isn’t the way to go about it. Meddling in her life will only push her away.”
A part of me knows this is true. Once upon a time, Estelle had a much longer leash, free to indulge in the usual frivolities that the young, rich, and rudderless passed the time with.
As my own wealth grew along with my ability to carry out the vengeance I swore on my parents’ graves, I became more and more controlling, limiting what I allowed her to do with the money I gave her. No more Instagram, where any potential kidnapper could find out her exact location at any given time. No more running off to Nice with her friends, most of whom spent their nights club-hopping in between hits of cocaine, pot, or ecstasy. No more shacking up with some boy who was only using her for her money.
It’s all for her protection.
“I have to go, Mona. Thank you for keeping me updated.”
“I didn’t call so you could keep tabs on her, Magnus. I called because I think that you should actually call her and create some kind of peace between the two of you.”
“Perhaps one day that will be the case,” I say, noncommittally.
She sighs again. “I hope so, Magnus.”
“Goodbye, Mona.”
“Goodbye, Magnus.”
As I hang up, my mouth curls into a wry smile. Mona was the best substitute we could ask for as far as a guardian in the wake of our parents’ death. With a notorious gambler for a father, both she and my mother overcompensated by being especially cautious in life, making sure those around them never suffered the same highs and lows that they experienced growing up. Mona wouldn’t even let me move her out of the modest apartment where she raised us into something grander. Other than the occasional gift of a spa treatment or holiday escape, she’s perfectly content with the status quo of simple comfort.
It’s no wonder this schism between my sister and me bothers her. It troubles me, as well. Once upon a time, Estelle and I were close. Those where the days when my sister practically worshiped me, clinging to the one person in her life who hadn’t disappeared on her.
Those days are over.
Now, everything in my life is about protecting what’s mine…and getting back at those who took away what I once had.
Chapter Ten Sloane
The knock on the door startles me.
I’m sitting in a chair on the balcony, overlooking the front entrance and the sea beyond as I nibble on a pink macaroon. I found them decoratively displayed on floral china during my self-guided tour of the suite.
My head has been going round in circles, trying to devise a plan of action. Most would say don’t look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to Magnus moving me to this suite. Having dinner with him is the perfect opportunity to pick his brain about his business dealings.
But I’m not reckless enough to avoid checking for cavities in this gift horse of mine. Magnus isn’t stupid. He knows I’m here for something about him, and he probably figures it’s the most obvious thing: Whatever big, mysterious plans he has.
Is it a venture into a new sector, one he hasn’t already infiltrated?
Is he moving his headquarters to another location?
Is he running for public office? Selling off everything to retire and play golf? Building a damn spaceship like Elon Musk?
The knock on the door sounds again. I sigh and unfold my legs to rise out of the chair to go inside.
“I swear to God if they’re moving me again…” I mutter to myself as I head to the door to answer it.
“Bonjour, Madame Alexander,” The bubbly woman on the other side announces. She’s dressed as a maid, not the slutty Halloween version, but the Downton Abby version—with a healthy dose of French attention to fashion.
Her blonde, wavy bob, huge blue eyes, and bow lips make her look like an extra from The Great Gatsby.
“Moi c’est Lisette! Je suis
