“And I told you never to settle for less than the gold standard,” he says, tucking my hair behind my ear, catching me off guard. “I’m not it, Chi.”
I want to tell him he’s far beyond the gold standard, but his phone rings, cracking the tension in the room. He pulls it from his back pocket and answers.
“Hi. Yes, she’s here. I’m not sure. Yes. I will. We’ll make our way to the hospital shortly.We just have to swing by and pick up some clothes. Right. Okay.”
All these one-word answers and clipped sentences are killing me. Who has a conversation like that? Once he hangs up, he turns to me, humor dancing in his eyes.
“Speaking of the elephant in the room… AJ is insisting we meet him at the hospital so you can both visit your cousin.”
I smirk at him. “I much prefer my take on that saying. Was that him?”
“Yes. To say he’s pissed that he hasn’t been able to reach you since everything went down last night is an understatement,” Raf says. “Where’s your phone?”
“Probably dead in my clutch. Ignorance is bliss.”
“You might reconsider that when you hear what I have to say next,” he says, leaving no room for my questions. “Arabella flew out of town last night?”
“What? Where did she go? Oh my God.” Dread settles in my stomach as I recall our conversation in the bathrooms. Did she plan this? All the events from last night flash through my mind at supersonic speed, and I feel a frenetic energy start to swirl within me. “I’ve been so caught up, I haven’t even thought to check in. I need to call her,” I say almost frantic. “Can I borrow your charger?”
“You can, but you won’t reach her on that number. She told Luca she’s getting a new number and she’ll get in touch with everyone when she’s ready,” he says calmly.
I feel anything but calm. “Fuck. I should’ve been there for her. I guess you can add ‘shitty friend’ to the list of cons.” What I don’t add is,There goes another friend. Leaving me for dead,even if I understand why she left.
“Chiara,” chides Raf. “There was a lot going all at once.”
“Yeah, but still…” Then, like my brain finally starts processing this new information, it dawns on me. “All my stuff is at her house. And I am not staying with my cousin. I’m pissed to the max with him. Besides, I like to pretend I have some semblance of autonomy. If I move in with him, he’ll be overbearing and…damn!” I say, pacing.
“Do you know anywhere I can rent?” I whirl around on my socks and lose my footing, and Raf’s hands shoot out, pulling me into his chest to stop me from tumbling to the floor.
Peering down at me with a hint of a smile, he says, “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a hazard to yourself?”
“Ah, ya know, maybe once or twice.” But then I grow serious. “What the fuck am I going to do, Raf. I want to stay in New York. I love my job, and I need this.”
He blows out a breath.
“Stay with me until you find something. I have the spare room, and to be honest, with the revelations of last night, I’ll be working around the clock to build a case to have Arty disbarred and jailed like the scum he is. We’ll probably be like ships in the night.”
“I’d prefer friends with benefits.”
“Chiara, please don’t make me regret extending kindness in a time of need,” he adds quickly.
“Okay, okay,” I say, sticking out my hand to shake his. He takes it. “Roomies. Sometimes enemies. Never friends with benefits.”
“Yup. I’m going to fucking regret this. Come on.”
No, baby,I think.If I have anything to do with it, you’re going to learn I never stop chasing until I get what I want. And what I want is Raf Princi.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I’m Going To Regret This
Raf
If I thoughther fuck-me boots, short hemlines, and penchant for being a brat were going to be the death of me, then I was entirely unprepared for this version of her, dressed down in denim with her designer fur coat—the one that makes her look like a little bear—a ball cap and trainers. She looks adorable as fuck as she bounces down the stairs from Arabella’s apartment to where I’m waiting in the car with the driver.
I know I was completely insensitive earlier, telling her last night was a mistake and out of character. I saw the way her face dropped even though she fought back like some goddamn psychotherapist calling me out on my bullshit. The reality is, it was the best sex of my life and I feel like an asshole for not acknowledging it. There was some truth in what I said though; pushing the boundaries like that with her was out of character because I’ve never felt enough of a connection with someone before to lean into my dominant desires, to be so uninhibited. Sex with Juliette was never boring, but it was the epitome of a quick fuck. Two busy people who wanted a release, no strings, no complications. Purely physical. Last night was different, likeI had met my match. She stoked an insatiable craving with her willingness to give me all the depraved things I wanted from her, not only because she wanted to please me, but because she wanted them too. So no, crossing the line with her wasn’t what scared me. It was the complete and utter sense of wholeness that followed, knowing how easy it could be with her but not trusting myself to have it, knowing that if I let her in, the temptation to believe I could have it all—the wife, the beautiful home, the family—would be too big a dream to resist.
I push all the thoughts back down where they belong and remind myself of the plan.Let her stay until she finds an apartment. Throw yourself into work. Don’t cross the line again. Do whatever it takes to keep her out of an arranged marriage.
