MIA
I walked down the stairs in my pajamas, a bathrobe thrown on top, still shivering from the ice-cold shower I’d taken.
Painful? Yes.
Worth it? Also yes.
My head was officially screwed on straight again after seeing Romolo naked. And it was a good thing, because I could hear voices drifting up from the main floor.
My friends were back.
Romolo sat sprawled on the living room sofa, a book in hand, looking completely at ease, while Fabi, Nina, and Zo stood across from him, their expressions ranging from confusion to shock, and in Nina’s case—outright hostility.
Romolo’s eyes flicked to me the second I appeared. “There she is. Alive and well. Mia, mind catching them up? I’ve already been subjected to a slew of accusations.”
Fabi stumbled toward me, unsteady and eyes glassy. She was drunk. So was Zo, who was grinning at me like a fool, her eyes twitching—was she trying to wink?
I glanced away from her, trying not to laugh, and caught Nina’s eye. The scowl on her face told me she was the most sober one of the three.
“Mia, are you okay?“ Fabi slurred. I steadied her, already knowing exactly what this looked like.
Freshly showered and in a robe.
Romolo, equally showered, lounging like a king who’d just been thoroughly satisfied.
God. Kill me.
I hesitated just a second too long—long enough for Nina to narrow her eyes and stab an accusatory finger at Romolo. “What did you do to her?”
Romolo barely lifted his gaze from the book. “Nothing she didn’t want me to.”
I glared at him. The bastard was enjoying this.
Fabi and Zo let out simultaneous gasps, their faces a mix of scandalized and intrigued.
I raised my hands. “It’s not what it looks like.” Then, quickly, before Nina combusted, “And, yes, I’m fine.”
She wasn’t buying it. “What is he doing here?”
Zo’s brows knitted together. “Is your stepmom okay? I thought you were driving back to her in Manhattan.”
“I was. But one of my dad’s assistants was able to go there instead to keep an eye on her. So Romolo and I turned back. It was raining really bad. I invited him to crash here.” I looked at Fabi, hoping she wouldn’t mind.
Fabi slung an arm around me, nodding dramatically. “Ye-yep. No problem.”
Romolo tsked. “She’s wasted. Nina, I hope you made sure she behaved appropriately since she’s my brother’s future wife.”
Fabi perked up, looking offended. “Excuse me?”
Nina scoffed. “Please. Who are you to lecture anyone on behavior?” She crossed her arms. “I’m still trying to figure out how you ended up at the same party as us. Big coincidence, isn’t it?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. Good question. How did he end up there?
Romolo shrugged, all lazy amusement. “What exactly are you accusing me of, cousin?”
“I don’t know, Rom,” Nina said. “Seems to me like you’re stalking Mia.”
Fabi gasped again, but late, like she’d just processed the conversation. “Ohhh. That IS suspicious.”
Romolo let out a slow, smug laugh. “I don’t remember you being this paranoid, Nina.” He checked the time on his phone. “It’s two a.m. What do you want to do? Kick me out into the storm?”
“No,” I cut in. “Nina, it’s fine. Just leave him be.”
Displeasure radiated off her as she whipped around to glare at me.
Zo wobbled forward. “Mia, we need to talk. Privately.”
Oh boy.
We ducked into a small reading room down the hall. The second we were out of Romolo’s earshot, Nina and Zo crowded around me while Fabi collapsed onto a sofa with a deep, groggy groan.
“I don’t trust him,” Nina hissed. “I’m pretty sure he was the one who got us invited to that party.”
“I don’t trust him either,” I admitted. “But I didn’t want him to get into an accident on the road.”
“That’s what airbags are for,” Zo said unhelpfully. She looped an arm around my shoulder. “I have to ask… What’s with the robe?”
“We were all muddy when we got here,” I explained.
“And you took a shower together?” Zo asked.
“NO.” I nearly choked.
“What happened?” Nina asked.
“He—“ Shit. I couldn’t tell them the truth, and I hadn’t come up with a convincing explanation. My conversation with Romolo in the car came back to me. There was one thing I could say…
“I kind of freaked out about my stepmom. I felt like I was having a panic attack, so I got Romolo to pull over so I could get out of the car. It was muddy on the side of the road, and I got drenched.”
Nina’s face softened. “Your anxiety. Shit, Mia. I’m sorry.”
They believed me so easily. I hated lying to them, but I’d made a promise to Romolo. And I was still planning on trading my silence for that picture. Zo sighed and squeezed my shoulder. “We should’ve gone with you.”
“It’s all good now. I’m just really tired. Is it okay if I go to bed?” I glanced at Fabi. She was already out, snoring softly, one arm dangling off the couch.
Zo nodded. “We should all go to bed.”
Nina crossed her arms, still on edge. “And Romolo?”
“There’s a guest room downstairs,” I said.
“Can we trust him to keep himself out of trouble in there?” Nina asked.
Zo yawned. “Maybe we should be a little grateful he got Mia back here safely, regardless of our opinions.”
“Only because he knows if he didn’t, I’d kill him,” Nina muttered. “He never does anything unless it serves him somehow.”
I should have agreed. But to my surprise, I felt the smallest, strangest urge to defend him.
Nina sighed. “I told you it was a bad idea to do this project with him. He’s trying to sink his claws into you. Working for him is not the only way to save your business.”
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t told them the real reason I’d taken the job. I knew they’d try to talk me out of it. Fabi would say she didn’t need my help, and they’d all say I was already doing too much for my dad.
But I’d wanted to try. Even if it was starting to feel like I had made a very, very bad deal with the devil.
