I offered to do the dishes and clean the kitchen since she’d cooked. Once I finished my duties, I ascended the stairs to the second floor and paused when I reached the landing, spotting Mamma speeding down the hallway towards her bedroom. A cloud of perfume trailed around her. She was in her fancy silk pyjamas saved forspecial occasionsand a bit of subtle makeup that made her glow.
“You look good.” An amused grin pulled at my lips. “Did you get all dressed up for your ex-husband?”
She narrowed her eyes. The blush on her cheeks was answer enough. “Gabriela.”
“What?” I shrugged innocently, almost comically. “It’s an honest question.”
“You should already know that I don’t do anything for Enzo,” she replied testily.
“Okay, if you say so.”
She huffed, shaking her head. “Go to your room, you little hellion. You’re grounded.”
“You can’t ground me anymore. I’m an adult.”
“Of course. How can I forget?” Her tone was dry, but her expression was tender. “You’ve had a long day,cara mia. Don’t stay up too late.”
“I won’t.” I rose up on my tippytoes to plant a kiss on her cheek.
“Also, I want you to meet Neal soon. You’d like him.”
Well, shit, how could I forget about her latest beau? I scrunched my nose. “Is that really wise?”
“What do you mean?”
Sometimes I really hated having to be the parent in the conversation. “Everyone knows you have unfinished business with Papà.”
For a split second, I regretted saying it, before reminding myself that this was necessary. She needed to hear it. She needed to stop dating around aimlessly just to annoy him. And she needed to stop trying to fill the void in her chest that only he could fill.
“I’m not having this conversation with you.” She swallowed. “I’m going to bed. Enzo has a key. Therefore, he can let himself inside.”
“Where will he sleep?”
“On the couch,” she snapped. “Or in the dog house.”
We didn’t have a dog house and Papà wouldn’t be sleeping on the couch. In fact, we all knew that when he’d return home, he’d slither into her room—their old room—and sleep on the floor right next to hisprincipessa.
I felt saddened for both of them. “Mamma…”
She paused at the threshold of her bedroom, mustering a weak smile. “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ll have a girls’ day, just you and me. I’ll give your ends a trim and do your nails, all right?”
“Sounds good.” I nipped the conversation in the bud for now as I walked backwards towards my own room. “Good night. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Entering my own bedroom, its familiarity instantly comforted me. I may not visit often, but this place had always been my safe haven. My baroque-inspired furniture was black and gold, contrasting beautifully with the red accented pillows and blanket decorating my bed. My walls were lined with posters from my favourite bands and dark shelves, which contained my paranormal romance books, their spines weathered from years of reading. And my windowsills were laden with old, flowery candles, some melted and some unused.
My room was an amalgam of all the things I loved from teenagehood to now, and stepping back inside of it was like visiting a time capsule.
I didn’t take much when I moved out a year ago, except for my wardrobe. Papà’s guards would have to shuffle all my clothes from my apartment back here for the duration of my stay.
The second I plopped on my bed, spread-eagle, Luna jumped on my stomach with a graceful leap. I caressed between her ears and she purred. I got her when I was twelve years old and she was a tiny, three-week-old kitten. Papà found her by a dumpster. She’d die if left on her own, so he brought home the Nebelung kitty to me. I took care of her like she was my baby and loved her with all my heart. She’d been there for me through thick and thin. Luna was my protector and I was hers. If we were ever separated from one another, we’d always find our way back to each other.
“Hi, girl,” I cooed. “We’ve had one helluva day, huh?” She meowed in response. “I know, I know. Today scared you.” I couldn’t imagine the fear she must have felt when a stranger broke into our place and violated it. Luna was hiding under theconsole table, trembling with fear when I entered the apartment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
I was busy showering my Luna with kisses when my phone pinged with a notification. She pawed at me, unhappy that I stopped giving her attention, a little too similar to her mommy in that regard.
Flipping to my stomach, I belly-crawled on my bed to grab my discarded purse resting near the decorative pillows. Once I pulled out my phone, I realized it was a text from Hunter.
