“Like you’ll admit you have feelings for Elisa?”
“Of course, I have feelings for her. She’s my friend. I love her like a friend. That’s all.”
“Are you trying to convince me or you?” I ask, and he flips me the bird. I burst out laughing. “We’re both such delusional pricks.”
“The difference is you have a shot with Gia, and you should take it, brother. You’ve been miserable since things ended with Bettina, and your little list of fuck buddies doesn’t satisfy more than an itch.”
“I don’t even know why we’re talking about this. We have more pressing problems than women.”
“Don’t deflect. If you really like Gia, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. Not every woman is a backstabbing ho like your ex.”
“Gia thinks Cruz might have groomed Ina. She thinks my anger comes from my failure to protect her.”
“I definitely think some of your anger comes from your inability to keep her away from that asshole, but a lot of it rightly comes from betrayal.” Caleb finishes his drink and stands. “And if the grooming theory was correct, why the fuck is she still withhim? I don’t buy he’s had a hold on her all this time without someone intervening. She’s got a big family. Lots of brothers. If they thought Cruz was forcing her to be with him, I’m sure they’d have found a way to extract her, don or not.”
“I agree.” I swallow the last mouthful and climb to my feet, stifling a yawn. “She knew what she was doing.”
“This is gonna sound hypocritical, but you need to let go of the hurt and the anger. You won’t move forward until you do. But fuck showing that bitch any sympathy. She doesn’t deserve it.” He clamps a hand on my shoulder. “It’s time to let it go, broski. Put her behind you, and open yourself up to Gia. I have a feeling you won’t regret it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Gia
Joshua will probably bust a nut when I show up at The Arena, the VIP club where the twins are hosting their twenty-seventh birthday party tonight, but I didn’t want to miss it. Hence why I ditched my bodyguard, again, and I’m currently in the back of a taxi enroute to the venue. I’m wearing my wig, and I traded my green contacts for brown ones. My thigh-high, body-hugging, glittery gold and silver dress and knee-high silver boots are a far cry from the tamer, sophisticated wardrobe I’m sporting as Emma Brown.
Tonight, I’m neither Emma nor Gia, and I don’t think it’s too risky to show up for a brief interval. I won’t stay long. I’ll have a quick drink, give them their gifts, and hopefully Joshua will let me apologize and give him a birthday kiss. I haven’t seen him since our hot make out session at Thanksgiving, and I’m suffering withdrawal symptoms.
Of course, I had to go and blow it by mentioning his ex. I shouldn’t have pushed so hard. I guess I’m just trying to find an explanation for it because it doesn’t make sense to me. Cruz DiPietro is a creep, and he’s old. Joshua was an amazing boyfriend. I was there. I saw it firsthand. He loved Bettina good,so why would any eighteen-year-old girl ditch her childhood sweetheart for a married man? It doesn’t add up, and for Joshua’s sake, I want there to be another reason.
But maybe there isn’t one.
And I probably need to let it drop.
The taxi pulls up to the curb. I pay the driver and climb out a tad awkwardly in my tight dress while carrying my two gifts.
I push my way through the crowd, heading toward the VIP section where the party is taking place.
“Name,” the guy at the door says, looking bored as he scans a list on his clipboard.
Shit. I hadn’t thought of this. I’m debating who to call when Cristian opens the door behind the bouncer. “Oh good, Cristian, vouch for me, yeah?”
His eyes widen as he steps in closer, inspecting my face. His lips twitch. “You’re playing with fire, G. This is reckless with a capital R.”
“I just wanted to stop by and say hi. I’ll be in and out before anyone sees me. Besides, it’s an opportunity to see my bestie. I miss her.”
“She isn’t here,” he says, grabbing the clipboard off the older man with the bushy ’stache and scribbling a name before adding a tick beside it.
“She must be.” I know she was upset, but it’s hardly the first time. There’s no way Elisa would miss Caleb’s birthday. She’s been on a countdown to tonight for weeks, and she finished his birthday painting months ago. It’s a tradition at this stage. Something that began when she was young and she started drawing and painting pictures for Caleb on his birthday. She does the same for her stepdad too. Alesso’s home office walls are decorated with every one of her pictures, and if it wasn’t obvious how proud he is of his daughter, that would seal the deal.
“Maybe she’s running late.” He shrugs before thrusting the clipboard at the man. “You can let her in.”
“As you wish, Don DiPietro.”
“You look hot,” he whispers in my ear. “I can’t decide if that will save your ass when our boy sees you or make it worse.”
“I’ll take my chances.” I kiss his cheek before slipping around him and climbing the stairs to the upper VIP level.
Reaching the top, I set Caleb’s gift down on the long table pushed against the wall just off the stairs. There is barely space to leave my gold-wrapped parcel because the table is swamped with a multitude of gifts.
