Julian's Torment (Mafia Heirs 3)

“So it seems,” she spits out, regarding me with distaste. “So, what do I have to do to make you keep this secret?”

“I’ll be honest with you, Miss Ricci,” I say, stretching lazily in my seat. “My position at the moment is not enviable. But I have a feeling you could make things a lot easier for me, isn’t that true?”

She regards me with plain revulsion, and I smile, continuing.

“I’m sure until our next meeting, you can come up with some ways to make my stay at the university more pleasant, right?”

“Sure,” she mutters, eyes burning with hatred as they meet mine. “I’ll do what I can. And in exchange...”

“I’ll keep your secret,” I finish her sentence. “I won’t tell a soul you’re having an affair with a student.

And in work time, no less.”

Judging by the traitorous blush that creeps into her cheeks, I’ve hit the nail on the head. I smirk. It feels so damn good to finally have the reins again, and I can barely fight the pleased smile off my face. Picking myself up, I watch as Miss Ricci does the same, still regarding me with disgust.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Francesca?” she asks. “The tables could turn on you quickly... and then you’ll be at my mercy.”

“I very much doubt it.”

My smile is saccharine sweet as I head to the door.

“This was a wonderful first meeting, Miss Ricci. Thank you for your kindness and for agreeing to be my personal tutor. I’m sure we’ll learn plenty about each other along the way.”

She scowls at me before slamming the door shut. And yet I can’t bring myself to erase the self-satisfied smirk from my face. I stood up for myself and it felt so fucking good. For once I feel like I’m in control, and I’m so damn proud of myself for taking over the situation. I’m still beaming for the rest of my classes.

Even though nobody talks to me, I feel like I’ve had my win for the day, and I feel more powerful already.

“Hello?”

I knock on the door before slowly walking inside.

“I’m Francesca... Your new roommate.”

The girl in front of me turns around and I beam the moment I see her face.

“Luciana?”

“Francesca?”

Her smile rivals my own as we embrace. We haven’t seen one another since the library earlier, but I’m delighted when I realize she’s going to be my roommate this year.

“Finally, something good,” she mutters after we break apart. “I’ve had an awful first day. What about you?”

“Now it’s much better,” I grin at her before putting my books down on the unoccupied bed in the room. “Can you believe we’re going to be roommates?”

“Seems that luck is on our side today,” she nods, seemingly just as delighted as I am. “I’m so glad you’re here, Francesca. I think we can make our time at the university more bearable if we’re together.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

I take a moment to admire the room we’re in. I know from the brochures we have a shared bathroom. Our bedroom is spacious, with a window seat and two desks, a small breakfast table with two dining chairs and two queen-sized beds on each side of the room.

Maybe this won’t be so bad after all. My luck has turned around already.

Just then, there’s a knock on the door and we both raise our eyes. My blood instantly cools when I see the head mean girl, Adrianna, standing on the threshold.

“What do you want?” I demand, glaring at her and stepping protectively in front of Luciana, who’s already shivering behind me.

Adrianna rolls her eyes before giving me the mean girl once-over. I’m grateful I still have my designer clothes from before, otherwise my outfit surely wouldn’t stand up to her scrutiny.

“What do you want?” I repeat, narrowing my eyes at her.

I don’t trust the girl at all, but she’s in my space now, and I will not let her walk all over me, or Luciana.

“Jeez, you’re so on edge,” she smiles. “It’s almost as if you’re afraid of me or something.”

I don’t respond, my lips thinning into a line as I glare at the girl with my arms protectively crossed in front of my body.

“Fine,” she sighs, walking into the room and smirking at Luciana’s poster for a popular boy band.

“There’s a party tonight, and I thought maybe you’d want to come.”

“What?”

I don’t know whether to trust her sudden kindness, but then I remember Miss Ricci. Could it be because my little game is already paying off?

“What kind of party?”

“Costume,” Adrianna smirks. “You know, with Halloween coming up. And for the love of God, don’t show up in some lame costume from a book nobody knows.”

She glances accusingly at Luciana, who clears her throat, her troubled eyes following me around the room.

“Why are you inviting me?” I demand.