Illuminate by Aimee Agresti Read Free Book Online Page A

Lance offered.
    “Yeah, but it’s the bell that really makes the outfit,” I declared.
    “Thank you, I’m flattered. Now, ahem.” He cleared his throat and made a grand bowing gesture, over-annunciating. “Lunch! Is served.” He walked away.
    “Really?” I called after him.
    Lance scurried back down the ladder, and we followed Dante to the Parlor, where he had set a table with three silver-dome-covered plates and unveiled our precious meals all at once. There was something royal about having the run of this place, lunching on immaculate white cloth-covered tables while curled up in cushy armchairs amid armies of potted palms. Naturally we took the best table, beside the long, tinted picture window looking out on the street.
    “I think from now on ‘familiarize yourself with the kitchen’ will be code for ‘make us lunch,’” I joked, biting into my sandwich. “This is amazing, D.”
    “Be nice and I’ll keep cooking—that kitchen is stocked. This is nothing.” He gestured to our three matching plates of grilled chicken and gruyère sandwiches on brioche, with skinny, crispy french fries. To wash it down, sparkling water bubbled in our crystal wineglasses. And just for me, a chocolate milk shake with mountains of whipped cream. “I made myself a caviar appetizer.”
    “Dan! You’ll get us all into trouble.”
    “Please, I just had a little spoonful. Good stuff, fish eggs.”
    “Ew.” I made a face. “But I like these!” I held up a blue-corn tortilla chip in the shape of the hotel insignia. I dunked it into a dish of salsa and popped it in my mouth.
    “I know. I found these great cookie cutters.”
    “Apparently,” I said, lifting from another communal plate a sugar cookie in the same exact shape but larger, and then a brownie too.
    “It’s possible that I got carried away.”
    “We’re glad you did. This is amazing.”
    “Thanks, man, I was starved,” said Lance, already nearly done with his sandwich.
    “Gladly,” Dante said, regally. “The pleasure is mine.”
    We chatted about the day’s events, munching on the food until we finished it off. “Anyone else ravenous and weirdly exhausted today?” Lance polled us as he sat back in his chair to digest.
    Dante and I both raised our hands. Now that I was finally sitting down and not under Aurelia’s watchful eye, my body could acknowledge how worn-out it was. In our defense, it was after three o’clock by now.
    “Glad it’s not just me,” Lance said, rubbing at his eye under his glasses.
    “But nothing like a little gossip to get the blood flowing.” Dante turned to me. “So, back to the important stuff—Aurelia and Lucian. They were, like, all over each other?” Dante said with his mouth full, something he only did when he was really excited.
    “They weren’t exactly ‘all over each other’; it was just a kiss,” I clarified. Dante stopped chewing and looked disappointed by this. “But still interesting, no?”
    “Only mildly interesting at best, Hav. Please. I mean, look at this place. Of course they’re all gonna hook up. It’s like a reality show: toss a bunch of gorgeous people in one place, make sure there’s a club nearby, booze, the whole thing. It would go against human nature if they didn’t all go after each other. You’re so precious, Hav.”
    Lance shrugged and nodded in silent agreement.
    “Okay, okay, so my gossip isn’t that juicy,” I said in a flat tone. “So, what are the rooms like?”

4. Not a Bad Place to Visit
    Dante and Lance, as it turned out, were sharing a room. I wasn’t sure what this might mean for me. I made my way down in the moaning elevator to the basement level: home sweet home.
    “Your rooms are part of our staff quarters and are not as luxe as the rest of the hotel’s accommodations,” Aurelia had explained to us. “However, I’m sure you’ll find them to your liking.” She had also mentioned that some members of the Outfit stayed in rooms on this level so it seemed