The Brightest Star

Chapter 16

I carefully pour water onto the seedlings in the tray. As I look around the greenhouse at the growing plants I can't help but smile. Dominic was right; it's nice to have a place of my own. I came outside right after breakfast and have been keeping myself busy. There's music playing softly from a small speaker and I dance around the greenhouse.

There's a whole shelf of vegetable plants and I make my way over. I begin picking the ripe vegetables. Large Roma tomatoes and tiny cucumbers fill the wicker basket in my hand.

"Hey there pretty girl," Marco's voice makes me jump. God, he needs to stop sneaking up on me like that.

I glance at him over my shoulder, "hey Marco."

"What are you up to?" he asks.

I place the now full basket down before facing him fully. My gaze immediately drops to his hand where a cigarette sits between his fingers. The smoke swirls around him as he walks inside further. He brings the cigarette up to his lips and I finally meet his eye.

"You smoke?" I ask incredulously.

"Yeah, why?" he blows smoke out of his nose, "you want me to put it out?"

"You're in my greenhouse," I exclaim.

I stride over and snatch it from his hand. He opens his mouth to speak but I brush past him and out of the glass structure. I bring the cigarette to my lips and take a drag. Marco's brows shoot up in surprise but a smirk quickly covers his face.

"Didn't peg you as a smoker," he laughs, taking another cigarette out of his pack.

"Only when I'm stressed," I reply, adding, "don't tell Dom."

"I won't," he assures me.

He pulls out a silver lighter and snaps it open before lighting up. The lighter is pretty with an ace of spades carved into it. I wonder if he plays poker.

"Why'd you come out here?" I ask, taking another drag.

"I was bored," he shrugs, "besides, that pretty smile of yours always makes my day better."

A blush begins to form on my cheeks and I look down. What is it with these men and their words?

"I heard Leon took you to Vipers," he says teasingly.

"God," I groan, "you're like middle school girls with the way you gossip."

He laughs and shakes his head, "have fun there?"

"Not particularly," I reply honestly.

"I just can't believe he actually took you there," he says, "I mean, yeah he still has pull but-"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

Amusement sparkles in his eyes, "you have no idea, do you?"

"Obviously not," I retort quickly.

"Leon used to run that place," he says before taking another drag, "he was the president of their whole operation."

"What?" I exclaim.

"He stepped down a couple of years back to work with us instead," he shrugs, as if this isn't mind blowing information, "but he still holds a decent amount of authority there."

I nod slowly, brows furrowed. I wonder if he'll know the answer to this.

"Who's Will?" I ask.

Marco's face drops, "how do you know about Will?"

"He was at the bar," I reply, "him and Leon played pool together."

"That's why he's in such a mood," he says mostly to himself before looking at me again, "Will is Leon's kid brother."