Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
"And you think you don't have any skill set. I would have rolled down this hill." I laugh, but it's not a skill set that matters. Except for me to appear pretty, and I'm starting to think that's all people see me as. I can't even give myself credit for that. I get it all from my mom.
"If you didn't steal the test, why is it in your pants?" If she wanted to be discreet, they would have put it in a bag for her.
"I like this town. I didn't want to steal it. So I bought an item that cost more, then I put it back and stole the test, but it's not stealing because I paid. Now no one thinks you're a whore or I'm cheating."
"You're a sweetheart, you know that?" I bump her shoulder with mine.
"I am not," Marks huffs. She can deny it all she wants, but her rambling the last part about cheating and being a whore was to mask the good thing she'd done.
I glance behind us and spot the man that lives around the corner slowly coming up the hill. I make a mental note. Every time we’ve left the villa to go into town, I have seen him.
It’s a small town, and it could be nothing—or they could be watching us. The thing is, I’m not sure if it’s me they are watching or Marks.
"You better have to pee," Marks says as I enter the code to get into our gate before pulling out my key for the door. We both wave over at Karen, who is tending to the flowers that hang from her window sills.
"I don't have to pee," I tell her. Marks rolls her eyes.
"You're taking the freaking test." We enter the house together, both freezing when we spot someone sitting in the living room. Not just anyone. It's Z, and he appears pissed. That makes two of us.
Thank all the gods that Marks still has the test shoved down her pants. I can only deal with one thing at a time.
Chapter Ten
Z
I'm running on fumes at this point. If I thought I'd get sleep on the plane, I was a dumbass. That was before Tova's little remark about Cosima having offers of marriage. As pissed as I am at myself for what I'd done, I also know Cosima, and she might entertain this idea if only to dig at me.
“How the hell did you get in here?” Marks throws her hands up. “I have the place on lockdown.”
“It’s not your place.” I come to my feet. Cosima has yet to say a word; she only stares at me. Her coloring is off. Is it the shock of seeing me or is she not well? I hadn’t noticed her coloring change in the surveillance or any of the pictures I was sent from the two people I had watching over her.
"Well, we rented it, but it's ours for now," Marks tosses right back. "I think you should leave." She puts her hands on her hips. "We don't care to have your company right now." Cosima is rubbing off on her. “Or maybe ever.”
"This place belongs to me." Cosima's expression finally changes, her brows rising.
"No, I searched the history. This home was first built in—"
"1907 by the Barbieri family. Then it was passed on to their second daughter, who went on to—"
Marks cuts me right back off. "You made all that up." She glances around, I'm sure trying to figure out how I was three steps ahead. I'd made up the whole story about the villa. It needed a clean past for Marks to be okay with renting it.
"Glad to know my history of the villa felt authentic."
"That doesn't make sense. How would you know which villa we were interested in unless…” Marks trails off. I can see her mind working. "Did you hack me?"
"For that? No." Could I hack her? Sure, and I have, not that I’ll ever tell her that.
"For that? For that! What does that mean?"
"It doesn't matter." I take a step toward Cosima, who holds her hands out. I only halt my movement to assess her. If she thinks I'm going anywhere but to her, she's in for an awakening. God knows I've had one.
"Tell her, or she'll have a mini meltdown." I don't want to tell Marks shit. "Please." Well, fuck.
"I planted things to lead you to the villa." That's the simplest way to explain it. I’m only giving that information because it is an easy give, and it will win me some favor right now with Cosima.
Marks’ shoulders drop, disappointed in herself. She’s good at what she does and will only get better. "You're young and susceptible to ideas."
"Susceptible." Cosima rolls her eyes. "Why are you here?" She pushes her shoulders back, and I can tell she's fighting her emotions.