“Pretty sure he found me, not the other way around,” I mutter.
“And now you’re what? In love with him?”
“No!” The denial comes too quickly, too forcefully. “Maybe. I don’t know. Probably not.” I press the heels of my hands against my eyes. “Look, I’m insanely attracted to him. Even knowing he’s using me, I still want him.”
“That’s the problem with the Russo men,” Piper says, a wry smile twisting her lips. “They get under your skin. Make you crazy. Make you want things you shouldn’t.”
“You would know,” I mutter.
She laughs softly. “You could say that. And I understand the appeal.”
“That’s an understatement,” I tease. “I clearly remember Lorenzo breaking into your apartment while you slept, and—”
“Enough,” Piper laughs. “But, Lee, you need to be careful. These aren’t normal relationships. The Russos don’t love like regular people.”
“So what do I do?” I ask, suddenly exhausted. “I owe him a favor, so I can’t just walk away.”
“Do you want me to get you out of it?” she asks, very serious.
I straighten at her question. Do I want that? Hmm, no. As I frown, I realize I don’t want that at all. “No,” I reply honestly. “This is something I have to see through for myself.”
“Okay,” Piper agrees. “Then you’re right. You can’t just walk away. But you can stop letting him control the narrative.” Sherises from the couch, walking to my kitchen with purpose. “Where’s your wine? We need wine for this conversation.”
While I tell her where it is, I wonder what she’s up to. This is Pipes, my ride or die. But that doesn’t mean I trust her judgment blindly. She married a Russo after all.
“We’re watching Legally Blonde,” she announces when she returns with a bottle I brought back from France.
“We’re what now?”
“Legally Blonde. It’s the required viewing for any emotional crisis.” She pours generous amounts of wine into both glasses. “And while we watch, we’re going to figure out how you take control of this situation.”
I accept the wine she offers, taking a large swallow. “Pretty sure Elle Woods never had to deal with accidentally falling for a Mobster.”
“Duh,” Piper grins. “But she did know the power of reinvention. And right now, that’s exactly what you need.”
I find the movie on my preferred streaming service and push play. While we watch, I rest my head on Piper’s shoulder and gulp wine like the pro I’m turning into.
“What would Elle Woods do?” The question forms on my lips halfway through our second bottle of wine, the movie credits rolling across my TV screen.
I sit up straighter, something electric sparking in my chest. Piper pauses with her glass halfway to her mouth, eyebrows raised. We’ve been camped on my couch for over three hours, watching Legally Blonde 1 and 2.
“She wouldn’t mope,” I continue, suddenly animated. “She’d reinvent herself.”
“Lee…” Piper starts, but I’m already grabbing my laptop from the coffee table, fingers flying across the keyboard as I pull up shopping sites.
“Not for him,” I clarify, sensing her concern. “For me. I’m tired of being the girl no one takes seriously. I want to be the girl who makes the rules.”
Piper tilts her head, studying me with those perceptive eyes that miss nothing. “Okay,” she agrees. “I’m so here for this. What’s the game plan, coach?”
“Is Lorenzo with you?” I ask suddenly, the question catching us both off guard.
She nods slowly. “He came with me to Cleveland, yes. He’s with his cousins,” she replies carefully. “Why?”
“No reason,” I reply with a shrug. “Just curious.”
Piper scoots closer, peering at my screen. “What are you looking at?”
“Hair dye,” I reply, scrolling through options. “What do you think about this one?” I point to a shade that makes me think of defiance.
