[Kendall]
I've never been particularly popular, but there must be something to this dress, because men keep coming up to me, introducing themselves.
Alessandro Barone, Marco's younger brother, walks up to me, looking me up and down.
"What's your name, pretty girl?" he asks in a low tone, and I snort out a laugh.
"You've known me since high school, Alessandro. I was the year ahead of you? We were in choir together?"
He just looks at me blankly.
"Kendall Risi," I say, sighing, and his eyes widen.
"No fucking way," he says in a mumble, and for the first time I notice his eyes are a bit glassy. I don't smell booze, though, so I suspect drugs.
"You've been hanging out with Bruno too much," I accuse, and Alessandro shrugs, smirking.
"Maybe. I can't believe I didn't recognize you," he says, stepping closer. I back away, not wanting to get cornered by him.
"I guess that's a compliment?" I say dryly.
"Of course it is. Look at you," he says, licking his lips. "I never noticed you before, but that dress..."
"Well, you can go back to not noticing me again," I clip flatly.
"I'm looking for Elora ," I say finally, wanting to get to her before she starts taking hits, as well.
I hate it when she does hard drugs, she turns into a person that I don't really like. I know that Camden worries about her, too.
"I saw her with Bruno in his office earlier," he says, and I nod, making my way up the stairs, wobbling a little in Elora 's tall heels.
I can't believe I let her talk me into this outfit and these shoes, but here I am.
I push the thought out of my mind, not wanting to think about that while I'm trying to have fun at a party.
I guess I have been having fun, especially when Camden gave me a compliment. I can still feel his hand on my chin, how he tilted my face up to his like he was going to kiss me.
I have to keep myself from shuddering in pleasure just thinking about it.
Did he really think I looked beautiful tonight? Elora 's giggle sounds from inside a room with an open door as I walk down the hallway. I smile, rolling my eyes.
I knock on the doorjamb and Elora is in Bruno's lap and they are both sniffling, so I know they've been partaking in Bruno's stash of drugs.
"Kendall!" she squeaks, standing up and coming toward me, hugging me tightly.
She also smells like that fruity wine she loves, so I guess she's been partying hard. "Let me pour you a glass of wine."
I take the glass but only take a small sip, looking over at Bruno who is just gazing adoringly at Elora .
If I were to pick which of the men Elora is seeing for her, I'd probably pick Bruno.
Marco is a violent man, and I've heard some horror stories, while Bruno is younger, a sweet guy for the most part, even though he may have a bit of a drug problem.
That's not unusual in his line of work, though, and he's certainly got the money and support for rehab if he ever needs it.
Marco may be more straight-edge, only partaking in a couple of drinks socially and never overdoing it, but his personality is a lot more cut-throat, and I think Elora deserves someone who looks at her the way that Bruno does.
Not like he owns her, like Marco does, but like he just loves every move she makes.
I wish I had that.
I wish Camden would look at me like that.
I flush just thinking about it and take another gulp of my wine.
"We were about to put on some different music," Elora says, wrinkling her nose. "The stuff they're playing downstairs is so... old."
I chuckle. Classical music plays quietly downstairs, and I guess she's right, it's centuries old. She puts on a record, some hip-hop song, and bounces around to the music, shaking her hair all around.
Bruno looks at her like she's the only woman in the room, and I can't help but smile. I hope in the end, she chooses Bruno.
Elora finishes her wine and then pulls me into dancing with her. I laugh and sway along with her, moving my hips and taking hold of hers to dance with her. Elora is always fun, and that's one of the reasons that we've always been so close.
Another reason is that she's always been there for me, good and bad times.
She's never made me feel like lesser, even though sometimes I feel like I'm in the shadow of her great looks and big personality, and I'm grateful to her for being my friend.
Bruno stands up and starts to dance behind Elora and she leans back against him. He kisses her throat and I cough to make my presence known.
"Get a room," I mutter, and Elora belly-laughs and pushes away from him.
"She's right," she says. "I'm here with Kendall, you know? She's really my date."
She links her arm through mine, leaning her head against mine. She's taller and thinner than me, but we fit together well.
I smile at Bruno and he smiles back but only has eyes for Elora .
"Isn't this dress gorgeous on her, Bruno?" she asks, and Bruno nods but he's still looking at Elora .
"Everyone's complimented me on it," I say. "Even Camden."
Elora 's eyes widen. "Even my brooding brother says it's a nice dress? You really are wearing it, then, Kendall!"
I smile at her and she leads me over to the desk, where there's a mirror and white lines spread out on the table.
I feel myself go pale.
"You know that I don't like this kind of stuff, Elora ," I mutter, and she pouts.
"I know, Kendall. I'm just having a little fun," she says and does a line. I frown but at least she's not pushing me to try it.
I know that my mother has issues with addiction, or at least she did before she disappeared on us, so I never want to put myself in that kind of situation.
I look out through the window and see a familiar-looking car pulling up. I frown even deeper and grab Elora 's arm.
She sniffles and stands, looking out the window.
"Tell me that's not..." I trail off and look at Elora , who goes instantly pale.
"Shit," she curses under her breath, and grabs onto my arm, dragging me out into the hallway and into a closet with towels and linens folded up on the shelves. She puts a finger to my lips.
"Be quiet," she whispers.
I groan inwardly but keep my mouth shut. It's Marco's car I saw pulling up through the gates, and I should have known that he would get wind of this.
Elora is in trouble now, and I need to try and keep her out of it, as much as I can.
We stand in the closet for what seems like forever, and finally I put my hand on the doorknob.
Elora grabs my arm and pulls me back toward her. "Don't go out there," she hisses.
"I just want to talk to them," I say calmly. "Maybe I can keep Marco from beating him up too bad."
Elora nods, her perfectly manicured brows drawn together. "You're right," she breathes. "You're calm and you can talk to them. I can't go out there, though."
I nod. "I don't want you to," I reassure her and hug her tightly before opening the door.
I shut it behind me quickly and hurry toward Bruno's office. He's sitting in his chair, facing Marco, whose shoulders are stiff.
"So, you're fucking my girl," Marco says slowly, and a grin spreads across Bruno's face as I watch from the doorway.
I swallow hard, about to say something, when Marco pulls out his gun and shoots Bruno directly in the face.
There is hardly any sound, with the party still going. That's when I notice the gun has a silencer.
Bruno jerks once, and his head is tilting up, as if he is staring at the ceiling, but the thin red trail coming down his forehead tells me the bullet was true to its mark.
I make a squeaking sound in the back of my throat and that's when Marco turns around, locking eyes with me.
A scream builds in the back of my throat and I look around desperately but it's just the two of us.
Everyone else is either downstairs or on the balcony.
Marco advances toward me, and I do the only thing I can think of – I run, my heart pounding like it's about to burst. I sprint past Elora , who's come out of the closet, her wide-eyed stare catching mine just for a second.
"Kendall!" she yelps as I push past her, but I ignore her. She didn't see anything – she doesn't know what I just witnessed.
She isn't the one with Marco's shadow closing in.
I am.
Adrenaline surges through me as I stumble, desperate to stay on my feet, every instinct screaming to get the hell out of here before Marco turns that gun on me.
Mio Dio.
Did I just witness an execution?!