She stopped and looked at me.
“Always keep singing. And reading! You’re the author of your life’s story, Cilla. You have the power to change your ending.”
She smiled, saluted me, and then shut the door.
As soon as she was out, I took a seat at the counter, my heart feeling too heavy to carry. I rested my forehead on my arms, trying not to ruin my makeup, but wondering what the point was.
My entire world was changing so fast that I could hardly keep up, and after tonight, I had a feeling I was about to be on what felt like a crash course.
A soft touch against my back, circling, sent a chill down my spine, and I shivered. “Is the thought of spending the rest of your life with me that horrible?”
I peeked up at Aniello. Then I blinked. Blinked. Blinked. He was dressed in a tuxedo that did nothing to settle my aching heart.He was so handsome that it was hard to tear my watery eyes away from him.
“It’s not you,” I whispered. “It’s C-Cilla.” My voice caught on her name.
He caught a tear that slipped down my cheek with a finger and rubbed it against his lips. Then he held out his hand for me. I took it and stood, letting him get a good look at me.
If “letting” was even the right word. He would have devoured me with those eyes without permission. That fire I always saw in the depths consumed me and made it hard for me to breathe. Because I knew it was only for me.
It was hard to keep up, though. Cilla leaving and Aniello arriving. I felt like the course had already begun.
He was quiet for so long that I started to feel…not self-conscious, but like he was hesitating again.
“You’ve seen the dress,” I whispered. “In the picture your boss sent to you.”
A second’s pause. “What made you decide on that one?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but not getting any answers, I shrugged. “It felt right. Does it not look right?”
“I could recite to you every beautiful word known to man to describe how you look,” he said in Italian. “But none of them would do, Rosalia.”
“Thank you,” I said, and meant it.
He held out his hand for me again and I took it. Pulling out a bracelet from his pocket, he set it over my wrist and then secured it. It was full of rubies and diamonds. While my eyes were down, he pulled me into him so hard our bodies crashed. My eyes met his, as explosive as the bang, and his were burning.
“You have me,” he said.
It took me a minute to catch up. He was talking about Cilla. “I know,” I said, looking away from him.
It was too hard to hold his gaze when tears burned my eyes. He felt like relief to me, and letting him see my vulnerability would only make the urge to cry even stronger.
“Come,” he said, releasing me but holding out his arm.
I took it, grabbing my bag from the counter with my free hand, and he scooped Bambina up with his other, keeping her close to his side.
“C-Cilla,” my voice broke on her name again. “She took her for a walk a little while ago.”
He nodded. “She’s going to Sharon’s for the night.”
“Oh,” I said, and we didn’t speak another word until Club Desolation came into view.
* * *
Over five hundredguests were invited to the summer event. All five hundred plus were attending.
Cars constantly moved in a well-orchestrated dance of vehicles inside and outside of the gates. I was prepared for Aniello to follow the line, but instead, he passed by.
“Change your mind?” I said, watching as Club D became smaller and smaller in my rearview mirror.
