MIA
A loud crack of thunder split the sky as I climbed into Romolo’s Mercedes.
I clipped in and yanked the cardigan I’d gotten back from Zo tighter around me. My stepmom had sounded bad on the phone—short of breath, temper frayed, her every word clipped.
She was probably pissed she’d let me leave in the first place.
I should’ve stayed home. I shouldn’t have even entertained the idea of a weekend away without someone else around to keep an eye on her.
A wave of worry curled hot in my stomach. I needed to get a handle on my anxiety before it spiraled into something worse. Vasovagal syncope wasn’t predictable, but over the years, I’d noticed a pattern of it happening when I’m anxious or surprised. The only physical warning I’d get was that telltale flash of heat all over my body. By then, it was usually too late to do anything about it. I’d pass out whether I wanted to or not.
At least I was already seated. But I didn’t want to be even more vulnerable in front of the devil sitting beside me.
Romolo’s expression was hard as he steered us onto the road. It was almost impossible to reconcile that a few minutes ago, I’d been on his lap about to kiss him in exchange for his passcode.
He’d seemed so angry when he asked for that kiss.
If anyone should have been angry, it was me.
He tricked me. Tried to blackmail me. Made me feel lightheaded with his touch. I hated that my heart beat faster whenever he was around, even when he was being an ass.
But what I hated even more was that photo still sitting on his phone.
I had to do something about it.
My fingers tightened around my cardigan. “Romolo, you need to delete the picture.”
He didn’t even blink. “What’s wrong with your stepmother?”
I stared at him. “Did you hear what I just said?”
“If you want me to delete that picture, you’re going to have to answer my questions.”
My God. Of course he’d find a way to twist this in his favor. I’d naïvely thought there might be more to him than met the eye, but it was time to admit I was wrong.
“Is empathy a completely foreign concept to you?” I asked.
The car slowed.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“Showing you what happens when you refuse to do what I tell you. You want me to drive quickly? You better start talking.”
Yep. He was showing me exactly who he was. It was time I believed him. This man had a black hole where most people had a heart. How could someone so beautiful be so heartless?
“Fine,” I spat. “She had a stroke a few years ago. Lots of complications followed. She doesn’t like to leave the house because she’s self-conscious about her appearance, suffers from depression, and has a slew of other health-related anxieties. She’s at higher risk for another stroke, and we try to keep a close eye on her.”
He pressed on the gas, speeding up. “Where’s her nurse? Surely Morales has enough money to hire one.”
“She’s out of town. Same with my dad. My stepmom won’t call 911 unless she’s literally on the verge of death.” I scrolled through my phone, debating my options. She wouldn’t like it if I called anyone outside her approved circle, which was me, my dad, the nurse, and Jenny. But if it came down to it, I’d make a call to one of our neighbors. Better she be furious with me than jeopardize her health.
Romolo’s hands flexed around the wheel. The roads were empty, most drivers probably deterred by the impending storm. Plus, it was late—past twelve a.m.
“Your father’s farther away than us?”
“Yes. He has a meeting up by the Finger Lakes. He won’t be back until tomorrow.”
His jaw ticked. “Meeting with who?”
My phone buzzed. Jenny was calling. I picked up.
“Mia?” She sounded groggy. “I just woke up to use the bathroom and saw the missed calls from your mom. I don’t know how my phone ended up on silent. I’m on my way now.”
I shut my eyes. “Oh, thank God. How far are you?”
“Ten minutes, tops.”
“I’m on my way back from the Hamptons.”
“I’ve got it covered. You shouldn’t drive back tonight. I heard they’re forecasting a big storm. Come back tomorrow. I’ll stay with her as long as I need to.”
“It’s not raining yet—”
Right on cue, the sky opened up.
Fat raindrops slammed against the windshield, blurring the road.
“Never mind,” I muttered.
“I can hear the thunder. Stay safe, okay? I’ll text you as soon as I get to your place.”
“Thank you.” For all the ways Jenny could be a pain, she was someone my dad and I could rely on.
“You got it.”
I hung up and let my head fall back against the seat. “Crisis averted.”
“That was the assistant?” Romolo’s voice was low. Tense.
“Yeah. I don’t need to go back anymore, which means I don’t need to put up with your interrogation.”
“You will if you want that photo to disappear.” He slowed the car and made a sharp U-turn.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Back to where you’re staying. I assume it’s with Fabi. If you don’t give me what I need before we get there, that photo will be plastered all over the Internet tomorrow. Who is your father’s meeting with?”
Anger surged through me like a flame racing along a trail of gasoline. “I’m not—“
Buzzzz. I glanced down at my phone. A text this time—from my stepmom.
Jenny is on her way. I’ll see you tomorrow.
“Mia.”
I ignored him. I was so furious with him that I didn’t trust myself to speak. Instead, I typed out a quick response.
She called me. I’ll drive back first thing in the morning. Love you.
I stared at the screen. Two checkmarks appeared.
Then nothing.
She left me on read.
“Mia.”
I gritted my teeth. Don’t answer. Don’t give him the satisfaction.
“Mia,” he growled, his tone dark and expectant, like he was owed my attention.
That was it. I snapped.
“Enough!” I whipped my head toward him. “I’m not going to tell you anything about my dad. I don’t know what you want, what you’re digging for, but you’re not going to get anything from me.”
“Listen to me—“
“No, you listen to me, you jerk. I realize I made a mistake. I should have never sent you that text. I should have never agreed to work with you. But I’m not going to put up with this blackmail. You want to send that picture to the press? Go ahead, Romolo. I’ll deal with the fallout. I’ll work until I’m exhausted to fix the situation if that’s what I have to do to make sure you never have any power over me.”
Silence. Broken only by the rain hammering against the windshield.
Romolo’s gaze stayed fixed on the road, his knuckles white as bone. For once, he didn’t have a quick comeback.
I was so worked up that I was sweating. I’d never stood up for myself like that before. Never dared to.
It was a revelation. It felt so damn good.
And I wasn’t done yet. “How do you sleep at night?”
“I don’t.” His voice was low, strained. He didn’t sound like his usual self.
Had I gotten through to him? I hoped he felt ashamed.
The rain was coming down in sheets. The wipers struggled to keep up.
The veins on the backs of Romolo’s hands bulged as he strangled the wheel. He was pale, almost ashen. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
Hold on… Something was wrong.
I frowned, shifting slightly to get a better look at him. “Romolo?”
His chest jerked as he inhaled, sharp and ragged.
And then the car swerved.
“Romolo!” My hands flew out, bracing against the dash as the Mercedes jerked across the slick pavement. He was gasping, his chest heaving as he clawed at his collar with one hand like he couldn’t breathe.
“Pull over!” I screamed, reaching for the wheel and placing my hand on top of his. His skin was ice cold.
He veered off the road, slamming the brakes just as we skidded to a stop near the edge of a wooded area.
“Stay here.” He threw the door open and stumbled out into the rain.
I watched him run in front of the car and disappear in the shadows. My pulse was still hammering, my body still stuck in that moment of panic.
What the hell had just happened?
There was no way I was going stay sitting here while he was having…whatever he was having. A medical emergency? A panic attack?
I couldn’t lose track of him.
My heels landed in a puddle as I got out of the car. The rain was so heavy it took only seconds for my cardigan to get completely soaked.
“Romolo!”
I spotted him ahead, his silhouette barely visible through the storm. He stood near a tree, both palms pressed against the trunk like he needed it to stay upright.
I slammed the door shut and ran toward him. The moment my feet hit the muddy grass, my heels sank. I toed them off and left them behind as I sprinted toward him barefoot.
He was trembling. His body shook as he gasped for air.
It was strange and terrifying to see someone so powerful looking so…fragile.
I pressed my palm to the center of his back. “I’m here.”
His muscles tensed beneath my touch. The next second, he jerked away from me violently.
“Damn it, Mia. I told you to stay in the car.” His voice was a rasp—low and strained but laced with anger.
Normally, that kind of tone would’ve made me recoil, but he looked like he was barely holding himself together. I wasn’t about to leave him like this.
“Do you need me to drive you to the hospital?”
“No.” He pushed off the tree and took one slow step forward like he was going to walk back to the car.
But he only made it two steps. His knees buckled. He caught himself before he fully collapsed, his hands slamming into the mud, his breath coming in harsh, uneven gasps.
My heart broke. Something about seeing him like this made me want to weep.
I crouched down beside him, ignoring the way the wet earth soaked my bare legs, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay.”
His fingers curled into the dirt. “Leave me alone.” His voice was so low I could barely hear it over the storm.
Lightning cracked above us, illuminating his face.
He looked lost.
What happened to you, Romolo?
