Chapter 8 - The Viper in the GardenThe tension in the grand foyer was thick enough to cut with a diamond-tipped wire. Vincent’s smile wavered for a fraction of a second as his eyes lingered on Clara.
"A new face," Vincent remarked smoothly, taking a step forward. His gaze scanned Clara’s tired eyes, the cheap apron she had stubbornly refused to take off, and finally landed on Leo. "And the boy is actually sleeping? That’s a miracle. Who’s the girl, Boss? I thought we agreed security needed to be vetted thoroughly after what happened to Elena."
Rico’s hand tightened slightly on Clara’s shoulder—a silent warning to stay still.
"Her name is Clara. She’s the only one who could get him to shut up tonight," Rico said, his tone dripping with cold authority. "Dante won't be managing security anymore, Vincent. He had... a personal emergency and had to leave town permanently."
Vincent’s eyebrows arched slightly. A flicker of genuine suspicion crossed his face, but he masked it quickly with a chuckle. "Is that so? How unfortunate for Dante. Well, if she can handle the little boss, she's worth her weight in gold. Let me have the housekeeping staff prep the east wing suite for her."
"No need," Rico intervened smoothly. "She stays in the master suite corridor. Right next to Leo's nursery."
Vincent’s polite facade tightened. A silent flash of irritation crossed his eyes. "The master corridor? Boss, isn't that a bit... unconventional for a waitress?"
"Are you questioning my arrangements, Vincent?" Rico asked, his voice dropping into a register so chilling that the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
Vincent immediately lowered his head, hands clasped respectfully. "Of course not, Boss. Just looking out for your security. I'll have the guards double their patrols around that wing tonight."
"Do that," Rico said, walking past him with Clara and Leo in tow. "And Vincent? Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we restructure the whole operation."
As they walked up the grand winding staircase, Clara let out a breath she didn't realize she’d been holding.
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"You're playing a very dangerous game, Rico," Clara whispered fiercely once they were out of earshot. "You're keeping the snake right in the henchman's nest."
"An enemy you can see is an enemy you can control," Rico murmured back, pushing open the heavy mahogany doors of the master suite. "Welcome to the lion's den, Clara. Let's see if the lioness has teeth."
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