“Just Rocco?” I ask, hoping I misunderstood that part of the announcement he made to me when I wandered into the kitchen a minute ago, bleary-eyed and slightly hungover, in search of breakfast.
It’s not that I enjoy being locked up in a safe house. Because I don’t. But the airport? With Luna and Priest’s driver taking me? And without seeing Alessio first? That feels so sudden.
So final.
So much like a goodbye without actually even getting one.
“Yeah, Is.” Lucky scratches his chin, looking a little bit like he’s just been punched in the gut. “Just Roc.”
I’m pretty sure my facial expression is the same.
Because Alessio is ghosting me.
After everything that’s happened between us, he doesn’t even have the balls to call me and speak to me himself on one of Lucky’s burners. Not even a fuckingtext. I get that I’m not his top priority and he’s out there doing Mafia kingpin stuff I know nothing about. But I deserve a phone call at the bare minimum.
“So I’m getting evicted,” I say, trying to sound lighthearted.
Like I’m not dying inside.
“Not at all,” Luna says, frowning at Lucky as she wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Is can stay as long as she wants. Right, Luca?”
It’s the first time I’ve heard anyone call Lucky by his real name other than Antonella, and I know Luna means business.
“It’s been arranged,” he says flatly.
“Arranged by whom?” I can’t help asking.
Lucky gives me a look that clearly saysdon’t make me say it. But I’m persistent. I need to know.
“Was it Alessio?”
“Yeah.” Lucky scratches his chin some more and doesn’t say anything else.
“Wait a second.” Luna gives me the side-eye. “Since when do you call SaintAlessio?”
Since I’ve been having kinky gangster sex with him.
I’m not going to say that. Clearly. My pride isn’t ready to admit the truth.
“Since we met,” I answer truthfully.
“Oh.” She blinks, puzzled and obviously trying to find a space where she can fit this new information into her brain. “But you… It’s kind of… I mean, everyone calls him Saint.”
“Antonella doesn’t,” I point out weakly.
“She’s his mother. She carried him inside her body for nine months and went through the horrors of birth. She can call him whatever the hell she wants.”
“Fair.” I take a shaky breath and nod, not offering further explanation.
Because what is there to say? Alessio and I were hooking up, and now we’re not. It’s my fault for falling in love with him. I knew better. I just came out of a nightmare relationship. But I jumped right in anyway. I’m obviously overdue for a visit to my therapist.
“You need help with anything?” Lucky asks me softly.
I hate the pity in his voice. In his face. He knows what this is doing to me. Wouldn’t Alessio know too?
The answer is as painful as it is obvious. Alessio knows, but he just doesn’t care.
I swallow hard, because I’m not going to give in to the tears burning my eyes. “Nope. I don’t have all that much to pack. Should only take me a few minutes.”
