44
ROMI
Dante has been watching me all night, and his presence is reassuring. I don’t know how I pulled it off, but with help from everyone, and many sleepless nights, not only do I think it’s my best collection yet, it’s also the most meaningful to me.
Lorraine is featured all around the room. And her books have finally made their debut. Soon, she’ll be touring the world. So many people congratulate me on the collection and coming back with a bang. Their praise, though nice, has never meant much to me. What counts are those who stand with me today, supporting me.
My mother continues to chat with Dante, which is peculiar because if she knew what he really did for work, she might not stand so close. And yet, it gives me a little thrill to share this secret with him. At least I can speak about it at any time with Ara, Elanee, and Lily. Sienna still isn’t aware.
As if knowing I was thinking about her, she comes up to me, beaming. “It’s incredible, Romi. You’ve really outdone yourself on this one.” She hugs me, and it’s nice to have her here. Ara and Luca have been mostly at home since the birth of Elizabeth. Arasends us more photos in the group chat than I would’ve thought. Even the most reserved of us can be motherly, it would seem.
Lily and Lorenzo returned to Italy only a day after the Shaun incident. It came as a lesson that on this path I’ve chosen with Dante, I need to be more conscious of possible threats. It doesn’t scare me, but it makes me want to be better. I’ve even considered taking up self-defense classes just in case.
Dante said I don’t need to, because he’ll always protect me, but I reminded the arrogant fool that I’d already been kidnapped once without him by my side, and he was literally shot in front of me. Vest or no vest, I wasn’t willing to become a liability for him.
“Yeah, I think Lorraine would be really proud,” I say, looking around the room. Sienna squeezes my hand with a smile. “And how are you doing with the whole Michael thing?” I ask.
Sienna rolls her eyes. “Fuck that guy. I’m a prize. And when I’m ready, I’ll put myself out there again. But I’ve decided to return to London for a bit, actually. Not to act in that same film, but there are a few smaller parts in other movies my agent thinks I can get. So, I’ll go between here and London. I’m not giving him the satisfaction of squashing my dreams.”
“Good, that's how it should be,” I say proudly. “When you’re in London—” The thought dies immediately as I see Meredith pushing through the crowd.
“You can’t be here,” my agent says, trying to step between us, but Meredith shoves past her, waving that grubby finger of hers in my face.
“How dare you capitalize on my daughter’s writing!” she seethes.
“Meredith, you can’t be here,” I remind her. “Remember the restraining order?”
After she came to my apartment raving about wanting Lorraine's belongings, my mother quickly went to work to request a restraining order. And after I talked the idea throughwith Sienna and Elanee, I asked her to have her lawyers draw up a contractual agreement between me and Meredith for a hefty sum in exchange for permission to do as we pleased with the manuscripts. It should’ve been the last time I saw her, and yet, here we are.
“I don’t give a shit about that. That money should be going tome. All of this”—she circles her finger, drawing everyone’s attention—“is because of my dead daughter. You killed Lorraine, and now you’re making money from her work.”
“The money is going to a cause, Meredith,” I say, trying to keep my composure and stick to the non-disclosure we’d both signed. But, as I'd feared, she only ever wants more.
Warm hands wrap around my arms as Dante’s cologne wafts under my nose. He’s standing behind me, his heat pressing against my back. Where I might have once been reactive at his touch, he now steadies me. Strange, with the way he’s just as explosive and even more deranged than me.
Security weaves through the crowd, who whisper amongst themselves.
Internally, I apologize to Lorraine, but I can’t give this woman what she wants. I don’t know what Lorraine would’ve wanted, but I want to fight for her and keep this woman away.
“Get your dirty hands off of me!” she shouts as she tries to tug herself out of one of the security guard's hands. “How dare you make a fool of my daughter and me!” She raises her hand, but before she can take a swing, it’s caught by the guard.
We watch her kick and scream as she's dragged out. Whispers stir amongst the guests, and I look away, ashamed and embarrassed. I can’t control Meredith’s actions, but I hope those who are here see her for who she truly is—and that the rumors come to a stop.
I’ll no longer give her that power over me again, letting her words encroach on me daily.
Dante leans down and whispers into my ear, his hot breath caressing my skin. “Would you like me to kill her?”
I shake my head as I turn and bring my arms up around his neck. Those dark-brown eyes drink me in, and my breathing steadies.
“No. But maybe we should sneak out. I’ve done everything I need to for tonight. Didn’t you say you had something to show me?” I arch a suggestive eyebrow.
He smirks as he leans in and kisses me through a quiet complaint of “It’s about time.”
When Dante saidhe had something to show me, I assumed it was code for sex since we can’t keep our hands off one another. I wasn’t expecting the long motorcycle ride or for him to drive onto my father’s old property as if he owned the place.
I grow wary as we approach the house, lights switched on inside. When we come to a stop, I open the visor. “Dante, we can’t just walk up to people’s homes.”
My heart is racing because it’s been so long since I've seen it up close like this. It needs a little TLC. I can tell, even under the dark night sky and only one outside light, which turned on as we approached on the bike.
