Chapter 15
Lucia and Grant left the estate without their family access.
No dramatic punishment.
No audience.
No broken bones beyond what they earned trying to attack people in the suite.
Grant hated that.
“You’re just letting us go?”
I looked at him.
“You want a story where you survived Rocco Santoro.”
He said nothing.
“I’m not giving you one.”
Lucia looked toward the wheelchair.
“You still need help.”
“Yes.”
Her expression shifted, almost triumphant.
I continued.
“Just not yours.”
That ended it.
She looked at June next.
“A maid replaced family.”
June stiffened.
I answered before she could.
“No.”
Lucia frowned.
“You removed yourself.”
Silence.
That mattered.
June had not taken Lucia’s position.
She had simply behaved like a human being when Lucia chose strategy.
After they were gone, I called Edwin and June into the suite.
June looked nervous.
“You’re not fired.”
Her shoulders dropped before she could hide the relief.
I noticed.
“Still need the job?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She almost smiled.
Then I added, “But you do not owe me obedience outside the job because you helped me.”
That surprised her.
“Sir?”
“You were hired to care for me. Not fear me.”
She looked at Edwin.
He smiled slightly.
Later, when another spasm started, June moved toward me.
I tensed automatically.
She stopped.
“Do you want help?”
That question was new.
I nodded.
“Yes.”
She steadied the leg.
No audience.
No Lucia at the doorway.
No one measuring how long the pain lasted.
May you like
Just treatment.
That was the first time the suite felt like mine again.
