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“You’re lucky I’m too old to rub your face all over my axle,” Nevio said, baring his teeth.
I stifled laughter at the disgusted look on Giulio’s face. “Alessio did that once.”
“Because you were sniffing in my personal stuff.”
I grinned. Huddled in Nevio’s sweater, I watched the movie. It was past midnight when Davide and I finally headed home.
“Wait,” Nevio called.
I stopped and turned to see him jogging after us. He probably wanted his sweatshirt back, which I was still wearing. Davide hovered close to me like my personal bodyguard and I almost rolled my eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if Dad had given him a secret mission to watch Nevio and me.
Nevio stopped beside us and gave Davide a questioning look. “Go ahead. I don’t think Rory needs a bodyguard on our premises.”
“She’s not supposed to be alone with boys.”
Nevio scoffed. “Get lost.”
“Go,” I said firmly. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Davide made a face but he finally walked off. At thirteen, he still often switched between utterly childish and surprisingly adult behavior.
“Sorry,” I said with an embarrassing laugh.
Nevio stared at the spot where Davide had been with a dark look then he shook his head and gave me a sardonic smile. “I bet your mom told him to keep an eye on me.”
“No way.” My voice came out completely false sounding.
Nevio’s smile broadened. “I know I’m the ticking bomb here. They all want to make sure you aren’t in my vicinity when I go off.”
“That’s not true.” I motioned at his sweater. “I forgot to give this back to you.” I began to pull it over my head but felt my shirt being dragged up with it. Of course I’d manage to get tangled in a sweater. A warm hand brushed my skin and tugged at my T-shirt, keeping it in place while I pulled the sweater over my head. My cheeks burned from the time inside the sweater and embarrassment when I met Nevio’s gaze. He was still holding my T-shirt. I stared down at his hand. He released the fabric. I handed him his sweater to break the silence. “Here.”
“That’s not why I ran after you,” he said with a smirk.
“No?”
He reached into his pants and pulled something out, which I couldn’t make out because it was hidden in his fist. He held it out to me and uncurled his fingers.
My eyes widened in surprise. It was a skateboard necklace, very similar to the one I’d lost.
“You must have left it in New York.”
I swallowed. “Yeah. Everything went so fast…I left it on my nightstand.” I cleared my throat as the events of that night flooded my memories. “I didn’t think you paid attention to my jewelry.”
“It was a strange piece of jewelry, hard not to notice,” he said with a chuckle.
I nodded. Wearing a skateboard around your neck and loving the sport had given me the tomboy stamp, though I loved “girly” things just as much as throwing myself down a halfpipe.
“Eventually the events from that night won’t bother you anymore,” Nevio said.
“Do they bother you?”
Nevio smiled a ghost-smile. “Chaos and destruction run in my veins. I don’t mind bloodshed and fighting.”
“I know,” I said. “But that fight was different. Greta was there. She jumped into the ocean.”
Something dark passed Nevio’s eyes. “Yeah, that put a damper on the night.”
I rubbed my arms. This time the outside chill wasn’t responsible for the shivers raking my body. My heartbeat picked up as I remembered the fear I’d felt that day.
