Read Online Crown Jewel by Megan Derr - Free Book Online
Authors: Megan Derr
Tags: General Fiction
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went down, when I no longer had the energy to be upset about anything."
Benito laughed. "Truly? Monks! Well played, indeed. Regretfully there is a lack of waterfalls around our beautiful city. Oh, but I am a liar. There is the one at the Palazzo di Santa Maria."
"If you try to stick me in that sewage, Benito, I will ensure you cannot have children."
"Violence will accomplish nothing," Benito replied loftily. "But if you ask me nicely , I will tell you what I have learned about your mysterious Pio for you."
Lazzaro's gaze snapped to him, attention completely captured. "You have been looking into it?"
"Of course," Benito replied, smile gentle. "I do not like to see my brother so unhappy, and you are out of sorts indeed if you did not look into Pio yourself."
"I appreciate it," Lazzaro said. "I am sorry to have been so difficult."
Benito flapped a hand, waving the words away. "Think nothing of it. His name is Pio di Caprio, a Jeweler of impressive and horrifying reputation. He owns the House of Peace and used to be a silent partner in others before his vices saw him forced to sell his shares. He has been struggling financially because like many men he cannot afford his addictions to dream smoke, alcohol, gambling, and staying young and vigorous forever. Your beauty came along and helped restore the reputation of the House of Peace, in exchange for a small cut of the profits, one night off a week, and the right to buy back his contract—with interest—over a set period of time. I believe that time comes to an end in six months. There is apparently a lot of speculation as to whether he will become a Jeweler in his own right. Some say he will buy out Pio, others say he will open his own house."
"An army could not have pried that sort of information out of Celeste or anyone he trusted with it. How the hells did you get it?"
Smirking, Benito replied, "I am the crown prince and have more wealth than I probably should. Also, I am engaged to a demon. You, my dearest friend, owe me a very large, dare I say obscenely large, debt."
Lazzaro sighed, loud and long, fighting the smile that twitched at his lips. He nodded to Santino as he appeared with a tray of wine and food, then said to Benito, "I do not suppose you would let me repay that debt in the same gold you spent?"
Benito just laughed, accepting the glass of wine Santino handed with a nod of thanks, before replying, "Of course not; do not be ridiculous."
Accepting his own glass of wine, Lazzaro set it absently aside and asked, "Do I want to know how you intend to make me repay the debt?"
"No," Benito replied cheerfully.
Lazzaro heaved another sigh. "Let's have it, then."
"I want you to be my voice while I am on my wedding voyage."
"No," Lazzaro replied immediately. "Our father—"
"Already gave his blessing. Papa adores you. He hates he cannot make you more than a Duke, you know that."
"The answer is still no," Lazzaro said, refusing to be distracted by comments about their father. "Santino, tell him he is out of his mind."
Santino grinned, pausing with his wine glass at his lips. "I think you will make an excellent stand in crown prince, your grace."
Lazzaro gave him a withering look, ignoring the way Santino snickered before drinking his wine. "It is not proper—"
"Oh, do be quiet," Benito said, lifting his own wine glass in a mocking toast. "You have been overruled by your brother, father, and secretary. Concede a graceful defeat."
"I concede only that you and our father are great—" He broke off as Santino cried out, books and the tray of food crashing to the floor as he toppled onto the desk. Then he fell to the floor, holding his stomach, and tossing up the contents of his lunch all across the carpet. "Santino!" Lazzaro cried out, launching from his desk and bolting across the room.
Benito, having beaten him there, shoved Santino at Lazzaro, then stood and ran to the door. He bellowed for servants and a healer to be fetched at once. Then he whirled
Benito laughed. "Truly? Monks! Well played, indeed. Regretfully there is a lack of waterfalls around our beautiful city. Oh, but I am a liar. There is the one at the Palazzo di Santa Maria."
"If you try to stick me in that sewage, Benito, I will ensure you cannot have children."
"Violence will accomplish nothing," Benito replied loftily. "But if you ask me nicely , I will tell you what I have learned about your mysterious Pio for you."
Lazzaro's gaze snapped to him, attention completely captured. "You have been looking into it?"
"Of course," Benito replied, smile gentle. "I do not like to see my brother so unhappy, and you are out of sorts indeed if you did not look into Pio yourself."
"I appreciate it," Lazzaro said. "I am sorry to have been so difficult."
Benito flapped a hand, waving the words away. "Think nothing of it. His name is Pio di Caprio, a Jeweler of impressive and horrifying reputation. He owns the House of Peace and used to be a silent partner in others before his vices saw him forced to sell his shares. He has been struggling financially because like many men he cannot afford his addictions to dream smoke, alcohol, gambling, and staying young and vigorous forever. Your beauty came along and helped restore the reputation of the House of Peace, in exchange for a small cut of the profits, one night off a week, and the right to buy back his contract—with interest—over a set period of time. I believe that time comes to an end in six months. There is apparently a lot of speculation as to whether he will become a Jeweler in his own right. Some say he will buy out Pio, others say he will open his own house."
"An army could not have pried that sort of information out of Celeste or anyone he trusted with it. How the hells did you get it?"
Smirking, Benito replied, "I am the crown prince and have more wealth than I probably should. Also, I am engaged to a demon. You, my dearest friend, owe me a very large, dare I say obscenely large, debt."
Lazzaro sighed, loud and long, fighting the smile that twitched at his lips. He nodded to Santino as he appeared with a tray of wine and food, then said to Benito, "I do not suppose you would let me repay that debt in the same gold you spent?"
Benito just laughed, accepting the glass of wine Santino handed with a nod of thanks, before replying, "Of course not; do not be ridiculous."
Accepting his own glass of wine, Lazzaro set it absently aside and asked, "Do I want to know how you intend to make me repay the debt?"
"No," Benito replied cheerfully.
Lazzaro heaved another sigh. "Let's have it, then."
"I want you to be my voice while I am on my wedding voyage."
"No," Lazzaro replied immediately. "Our father—"
"Already gave his blessing. Papa adores you. He hates he cannot make you more than a Duke, you know that."
"The answer is still no," Lazzaro said, refusing to be distracted by comments about their father. "Santino, tell him he is out of his mind."
Santino grinned, pausing with his wine glass at his lips. "I think you will make an excellent stand in crown prince, your grace."
Lazzaro gave him a withering look, ignoring the way Santino snickered before drinking his wine. "It is not proper—"
"Oh, do be quiet," Benito said, lifting his own wine glass in a mocking toast. "You have been overruled by your brother, father, and secretary. Concede a graceful defeat."
"I concede only that you and our father are great—" He broke off as Santino cried out, books and the tray of food crashing to the floor as he toppled onto the desk. Then he fell to the floor, holding his stomach, and tossing up the contents of his lunch all across the carpet. "Santino!" Lazzaro cried out, launching from his desk and bolting across the room.
Benito, having beaten him there, shoved Santino at Lazzaro, then stood and ran to the door. He bellowed for servants and a healer to be fetched at once. Then he whirled
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