Liesel huffs.
Their eyes intensely locked on each other. Their breathing hard and fast like they can’t decide if they want to kill or fuck each other.
I shake my head. Emotions have been high since Enzo was taken by Milo, but there is something else going on between the two of them. A past I’m not privy to.
“Either fuck each other and get it out of your systems or drop it, but I’m not dealing with you two arguing,” I say.
“He’s a prick and a manwhore. Just being in the same room with Langston puts me at risk for contracting an STD. I think I’ll pass,” Liesel says, walking over to the patio chair next to me and taking a seat.
“Like you don’t fuck every man with a cock. Don’t deny you are begging me to fuck you. You’re just uptight because you haven’t gotten laid in months after being trapped on that yacht with all of us,” Langston growls taking a seat next to me.
“Enough,” I warn Langston. I’m putting it on his shoulders to stop the bickering. I know him better than Liesel, and from the limited time I’ve spent with Langston, I know he’s a playboy. One who hasn’t gotten laid in a while. I need to make sure they both get laid because I’m afraid if they fuck each other the bickering will get worse, and they won’t be able to stop fighting long enough to help me get Enzo back. Langston is used to following orders. He follows Enzo’s all the time. He will follow mine.
I take a sip of my iced coffee. I’ve had two days to try to think of a plan. And I know what my next step is.
“So what are we doing, oh, great leader?” Liesel says snakily.
Don’t kill her. You might need her.
“Archard is meeting us here,” I say.
“Archard? Why?” Liesel asks.
“Because I need to read the contract between our families. I need to find out exactly how Enzo plans on giving the empire to Milo. What the rules are, so we can figure out what we need to do to stop it from happening. Or at least how we can use it to our advantage to save Enzo.”
Liesel and Langston shut up after that, both sipping their own coffees staring into the quickly rising sun while we wait for Archard.
He shows up at nine on the dot.
I stand and greet him. As soon as I turn my back on Liesel and Langston, they are at each other’s throats again.
“You just think you are better than me, smarter than me, that’s why you want to get your way,” Liesel says.
“No, I just don’t trust that you actually give a fuck about saving Enzo. There is always another reason why you do what you do,” Langston answers.
I tune them out as I greet Archard. “Thank you for coming.”
“Of course, that’s what I’m here for,” Archard answers.
I motion for him to take a seat at the patio table, away from Liesel and Langston. He does and hands me the contracts.
“What did Enzo do before he left? Did he make Milo his heir?” I ask.
“In a way, yes,” Archard thumbs through the papers until he gets to the page. “You didn’t read every detail at our last meeting, did you?”
I shake my head no.
Archard points to the clause. “Before the final game, each participant must select an heir. The heir must be blood-related and be at least fifteen years younger than the participant. You must also select a guardian of the heir that would lead if you were to die before your heir reached the age of eighteen and were allowed to compete.”
“Milo isn’t related to Enzo though. And he’s not fifteen years younger,” I say.
Archard pauses. “Milo is blood-related, but you are right, he’s not fifteen years younger. Which is why Milo is only the guardian of the heir. Enzo named Milo’s child as his heir.”
“Milo has a child?”
“Not to my knowledge, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have one by the time of the last game.”
I nod. So this is how Enzo got Milo to choose him over me. He convinced him he was the stronger one and going to win, then he made Milo and his child his heir.