by L A Cotton
I looked hot. I just wasn’t entirely sure I wanted Luca to see me like this. Especially not after telling his friends about my boo bees t-shirt.
I noticed Nate whispering to his friend. “I’ll be right back,” Isaac said, giving me a lingering look. There was something about his eyes that made a shiver skate down my spine. Like he was looking a little too hard. But then he took off, weaving his way through the crowd to Luca.
“We didn’t tell him what we’re drinking,” Lucii added.
“You were drinking a Long Island Iced Tea,” Nate arched a brow at her and then settled his dark gaze on mine. “And you’re drinking a Strawberry Daiquiri.”
“Okay, I don’t know whether to be impressed or a little creeped out.” She chuckled.
“I worked a semester in a cocktail bar.”
“Gotcha.” They shared a smile, but his eyes flicked back to mine. I ducked my head, taking another sip of my drink.
Lucii moved closer, chatting to him like they were old friends. But I remained a safe distance, dancing to the music and enjoying my drink. Soon, Luca and Isaac joined us.
“I realize how this looks,” Luca said, sliding our tray of drinks onto the nearest table. “But I promise, I’m not stalking you.”
“Glad to hear it.” I smiled. “So how do you know Isaac and Nate?”
“Funny story, I met them at the gym.”
“The gym?”
“Yup, and they took pity on me I guess.”
“Lucky you.”
“Yeah, I’ve been pretty lucky since I arrived in Verona.” His eyes sparkled with things I wasn’t sure I wanted to acknowledge. It had felt safe talking to him at my apartment. But this was different. We were in a bar late on a school night.
“So, wait a second, you told your new friends about my t-shirt?” I shot him a pointed look. “Why do I feel like the brunt of some locker room joke?”
“Nora, I would never…” Genuine hurt flashed over his handsome face. “Actually, I was telling them all about this pretty amazing girl who lives across the hall.”
“Oh.” My cheeks pinked as I struggled to meet his intense gaze. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”
“You don’t need to say anything. I get the impression the guy you told me about is still under your skin, so this isn’t me making a move.” He held up his hands in surrender.
My eyes lifted to his as my breath caught in my throat. “You’re not—”
“Hey,” Ari appeared out of nowhere.
“Ari? What the hell, babe?” I pulled her into a hug. “I thought you and Nicco had plans?” She’d told me as much when I’d mentioned my plans to her earlier.
“We did.” She beamed. “But it feels like so long since we hung out. I hope you don’t mind us crashing.”
“Us?” My brows furrowed.
“Yeah, Nicco and Matteo are at the bar getting drinks.”
“They are?” My stomach sank. I was so excited to have my best friend here, but Nicco and Matteo too… and Luca? Ugh. This was the last thing I’d wanted.
“Hey, Lucii.” Arianne greeted her.
“Hey, I love your dress. You look so hot.”
“Thanks. Luca, this is a surprise.” She finally noticed the quiet guy beside me.
“Hey.” He lifted his hand in a small wave. “It’s good to see you again.”
Ari’s eyes flashed to mine, a hundred questions twinkling in her honey brown eyes. But in true Arianne Capizola fashion, she pressed her lips together in a tight smile and swallowed them. No doubt saving them for later, when we were alone.
“There you are.” Nicco appeared, slipping his arm possessively around his wife. She smiled up at him in a way only a girl in love with a boy could. To watch them, the way they gravitated to one another, it made my heart soar and ache all at the same time.
They shared a lingering kiss and I heard Lucii let out a little sigh.
“God, I need to get laid,” she added.
“I can definitely help with that,” Nate said, shooting her a flirty wink.
“Dance with me?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Lucii grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the dance floor.
“Ah, do you want to…” Luca left the question hanging, but a voice chimed in, “If she’s dancing with anyone, it’ll be me.”
I glanced over my shoulder to find Matteo grinning at me. “Behave,” I chided.
“You owe me, Abato. Don’t even try to deny it.”
“Matt!” Nicco warned, but I refused to meet his stare.
Rolling my eyes, I ducked out of Matteo’s hold and offered Luca an apologetic smile. This so wasn’t how I saw the night going. I wanted to have fun. To relax and forget all about the Marchetti men, and I lumped Matteo in there, because although he was a Bellatoni by name, he was still one of them.
Trading my empty glass for my fresh drink, I slurped down a mouthful of the sugary sweet cocktail hyperaware of the fact they were all watching me: Luca, Matteo, Isaac, Arianne, and Nicco. I wasn’t used to being in the limelight, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
Knocking back the rest of my drink, I inhaled a deep breath and said, “I’m going to dance.”
Without waiting for their replies, I melted into the sea of bodies, trying to find Lucii and Nate. They were already pressed close, grinding on each other as they moved to the seductive tones of The Weeknd.
An arm wrapped around my waist from behind and I readied myself to scold Matteo, but when I spun around, I was met with Luca’s cheeky grin. “One dance?” He pouted and I found myself grinning back.
“Fine, but just one. Seems like the neighborly thing to do.”
Luca grabbed my hands and began weaving shapes in the air. The guy had moves, rolling and popping his hips in a way that had me licking my lips. “See something you like?” he teased.
“Less talking, more dancing, Casanova.” I closed my eyes and let the music carry me away. This was what college was all about. Meeting cute guys and dancing in bars. Late nights, and early morning walks of shame back to your dorm room.
I wasn’t supposed to be pining after a guy who would never take me out dancing or buy me flowers or make reservations at a fancy restaurant. I bet Luca would do all of those things. I mean, the guy had driven me to class when he worked right around the corner from our building.
My eyes fluttered open to Luca’s heated stare as he watched me sway to the music. “You are so fucking beautiful.” He grinned.
Just then someone barreled past us, knocking me into Luca. “Watch it, asshole,” he shouted over the music, but the guy disappeared into the sea of bodies.
“Relax, I’m fine.”
He ran his hands up my shoulders, holding me closer. “You sure?”
“Sure.” I nodded. “But answer me this. How drunk are you right now?”
“I think you have me mistaken for someone else.” He flashed me a goofy smile.
“You’re so wasted.” I batted his chest, freezing when I felt his muscles contract beneath my palm.
“Nora, I—”
“Take a walk, new guy.” Matteo appeared. “The lady owes me a dance.”
“The lady is kind of busy.” I rolled my eyes and even over the music, I heard the two of them chuckle.
“She’s all yours.” Luca conceded, and I shot him a questioning look.
“The night’s still young.” He winked and headed back toward where Ari and Nicco were chatting with Isaac.
“You and me, Abato.” Matteo crooked his finger. “Let’s go.”
He moved with ease, dancing literal circles around me. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen Matteo Bellatoni strut his stuff and I soon found myself laughing along with him, letting him spin and twirl me until my feet burned and my cheeks hurt from all the smiling.
Of course, the DJ had to go and ruin it by switching to a slow song, but it didn’t deter Matteo. He pulled me into his arms as if we were old friends. “How are you doing really?”
I hated myself for asking, but I couldn’t be anyone except the girl desperately concerned about a boy, no matter how hard she tried not to be.
Only Enzo wasn’t a boy. He was a complicated, tortured soul. One that would drift into darker seas if he didn’t have an anchor to guide him back to safer shores.
“He texted.”
“He did?” Hope burrowed itself into my chest. “Is he okay? When will he be coming back? What did he say?”
“Whoa there, Nor. He’s okay.” His smile fell a little. “The rest… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
Matteo slid a hand up my spine, holding me tighter as he rocked us to the sultry beat. “Enzo needs to work through some things.”
“He lost his father, of course he’s going to need time.”
He tensed. It was only for a second, but I felt it all the same. “Matt?” My brows pinched. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Let me enjoy this. It’s been a while since I danced with a girl who wasn’t my sister or cousin. You know, no one wants E to pull his head out of his ass and see what’s right in front of him more than me.”
“But?”
“I don’t want you to be disappointed when it doesn’t happen.”
“You think I should move on.” The words burned through me.
“I think… ah, fuck, Nor. I don’t know what I think. Enzo needs someone like you. Strong willed, beautiful, so fucking smart.”
“Easy there, I might start to think this is your attempt at seducing me.”
“I know when to hedge my bets, and something tells me you, Nora Abato, would eat me alive in the sack.” A playful smirk graced his rugged face.
“Want to know a secret?” He nodded and I added, “You’re probably right.”
The song faded out, the next one dropping a heavier beat. Matteo released me and ran a hand through his hair. He’d garnered quite the audience, girls standing in the wings, waiting to swoop in and bag themselves a bad boy with so much charm and swagger it practically oozed from his pores. But Matteo was a bad boy with a big heart. And I didn’t doubt that one day, he would fall headfirst in love.
But it wasn’t like that between us. I saw him as nothing more than a goofy older brother or cousin.
“Luca seems like a good guy. If you want to give him a chance, he gets my seal of approval.”
“Didn’t know I needed it, but thanks.” I chuckled, trying to disguise the flash of hurt lancing my chest. Arianne had told me to move on, to not spend time waiting for Enzo to come around. But hearing it from his cousin, one of his best friends—and a guy I thought was rooting for me—well, it made my stomach sink into my toes.
Matteo thought Enzo was a lost cause too. I wanted to argue the point, but I knew these Marchetti men and it would be pointless.
Everyone had given up on there ever being an ‘us.’
“Hey,” Matteo added as we walked back to the others. “This is a good thing. Now you can give Luca a chance.” He squeezed my shoulder in reassurance, but he might as well have been plunging a dagger in my heart.
Of all the people aware of mine and Enzo’s short-lived relationship, I thought I could count on Matteo to fight with me.
But I guess he wasn’t a gambling man, after all.
That or the odds were simply too stacked against me, and nobody liked betting on the losing team.
“I had fuuuun tonight.” I laid my head on Ari’s shoulder as we waited for Luis to bring around their car.
“You’re drunk.” She eyed me with concern.
“Only a little bit. We should do this again, every month. Or every other weekend. I miss you, babe. I miss you so freakin’ much.”
“I miss you too.” Guilt glittered in her eyes and I realized what a bitch I was being.
Ari deserved this. She deserved the fairytale love story and the happily ever after. She deserved nothing but good things.
“I’m so happy for you.” I hugged her tight, pulling her out of Nicco’s iron clad hold.
“Luis is here,” he said.
“There you are.” Lucii’s voice pierced the air. If I was drunk, she was toasted. But we’d had fun. Luca, Nate, and Isaac had stuck around, and we’d all spent the night dancing and drinking and dancing some more. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun. Luca kept his distance, but I was enjoying myself too much to worry.
“We’re getting pizza and heading back to my dorm… unless—”
“Afterparty at Luc’s,” Nate suggested.
“I… I mean I guess we can all go back to mine.” His eyes landed on mine, but everything was a little blurry.
“Sounds like fun, but I’ll have to bail,” Isaac said. “Maybe next time.” His eyes lingered on me for a second.
“Your loss, Isaac boy.” Nate clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s roll. Nora, you might as well ride with us.”
I glanced between Lucii and Ari. My best friend looked concerned, but she had nothing to worry about. I was fine. Better than fine. I was riding a wave of cocktail-induced bliss.
“I’ll get a ride with these guys. You two go.” I waved them off.
Matteo had left some time ago, something about his sister needing him at home. Ari had insisted on staying, so, of course, Nicco had stayed too.
Luis came around to open the door.
“Go,” I said, when Ari hesitated.
“Bambolina, we should—”
“Yes, okay. Be safe,” she said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow. And Nora,” she grabbed my hand as I went to move away, “don’t do anything you might regret.”
Her words rattled inside my skull as I watched Nicco usher her into the car and climb in after her.
“Nora,” Lucii’s voice startled me and I spun around to greet my new friends. “Are we doing this or what?”
My eyes flicked to Luca and he gave me a timid smile. “We could always go to mine,” I said.
“No.” His gaze darkened. “I owe you.”
Chapter 11
Enzo
I stared at Matteo’s name flashing on the screen. I’d silenced my cell phone a long time ago, sick of his incessant updates. He was at some bar with Nicco and Ari… and Nora. I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me.
“Here you go, gentlemen.” A server slid a tray of drinks onto the table. “If you need anything else, just let me know.” Her smoky eyes lingered on me, but I stared right through her. The persistent vibration of my cell was like an annoying itch I couldn’t scratch.
Or an itch I knew I shouldn’t scratch.
“You gonna get that?” Gino asked, motioning to my hand covering my cell.
I didn’t want to. I needed to keep my distance. It was better… for everyone. Especially her.
It started ringing again and Gino chuckled. “If you don’t get that, I will. And nobody will like how that ends.”
“Yeah, yeah, keep your hair on, old man.” I clambered from the booth and headed toward the emergency exit, hitting answer as I shouldered the door. “What?” I barked.
“Nice to hear your voice too,” Matteo teased.
“What the fuck do you want?”
“Just to shoot the shit and see how my favorite cousin is doing. Since you’ve clearly forgotten how to use your cell.”
“I texted.”
“And I felt your reluctance in every word.”
“Matt…”
“Yeah, yeah. I won’t keep you. I just thought you’d like to know I left Nora at the bar… with Luca.”
“Luca? Who the fuck is Luca?” My spine straightened.
“Luca is the guy who’s going to swoop in and make Nora his unless you pull your head out your ass and do something about it.”
“Matt, I’ve told you already—”
“You don’t want her. Yeah, yeah, I got the memo when you f
ucked off to Providence. But you’re making a mistake, cous. She cares about you, she cares… you just have to let her—”
“I’m not doing this with you. She’s better off forgetting all about me.” The words got stuck in my throat. “This Luca? He a good guy?” Because he already sounded like a fucking moron.
“Seems genuine. His rental application didn’t flag anything.”
“He lives in La Stella?”
“Yep, right across her hall.”
Fuck.
“You saw his file?” I tried to keep my voice even.
“Not in person, no. But I had Maurice double check. No one gets an apartment in La Stella without passing all the checks.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s a decent guy though.”
“He spent half the night staring at her with that look.”
“What look?” My teeth ground together.
“You know, the starry-eyed look Nicco has whenever he’s around Arianne.”
“Fuck.” It spilled out in a ragged breath before I could stop it.
“Exactly why I called,” Matteo said.
“What do you want me to say? You know why I’m here. I need to get my head straight, I need to—”
“You need to learn to let people in, E. I know what happened with your old man messed you up, I get it, I do. But pushing us away, pushing her away, isn’t the answer.”
A loud bang drew my attention, and I dipped my hand into my jacket, feeling my fingers graze the butt of my pistol. I never went anywhere unarmed, an array of weapons strapped to my person. A Wharncliffe knife tucked into my boot, my brass knuckles, my pistol. I loved weapons almost as much as I loved my GTO. There was something comforting about knowing I could protect myself and the people I cared about. Besides, you never knew what enemies were lurking in the shadows.
Fuck.
I was starting to sound like him.
‘Our enemies hide in plain sight, Enzo.’ My father had once said to me. “They want to destroy what we have built and take it for their own. They want to see the Marchetti fall, to see the Family go up in smoke. Never forget that, figlio mio.”
I’d always known my father would die for the Family. I just hadn’t anticipated he would die a traitor.
