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The relaxation that had started to set in evaporated. I hated that I allowed someone to have this power over me. Without looking at the message, I blocked the contact so Nevio couldn’t reach me again. I knew he’d probably figure out other ways to message me, but for now, this gesture felt like I was seizing power and taking control of my happiness.
I enjoyed time with Isa, Flavio, and Valerio the following day. Despite their presence, something kept my thoughts rooted in the past. Two weeks after my night with Nevio, I started getting antsy. My period had been due two days ago. My cycle was pretty irregular, so this wasn’t anything unusual. But given what had happened, my being overdue made me nervous. If my cycle was particularly long this time, it could still be up to four days before my period came—if it came at all. I couldn’t wait that long. The problem was how to get my hands on a pregnancy test. I didn’t get a moment to ask Isa while we were with the boys, so I postponed the question until the next day when I met Isa at her mom’s yoga studio. We wanted to spend the day together without the guys, who had to work anyway.
Valerio took me there and dropped me off at the reception where Cara worked. She was in her forties but didn’t look it, a real MILF how Nevio had once said, and was the wife of Growl, Remo’s half brother whom he hated furiously. She was in workout clothes, which revealed how in shape she was and her brown hair was up in a neat bun.
Isa’s bodyguard would take over for the rest of the day, so Valerio left right away. “Isa’s in Gianna’s office,” Cara said, motioning to the door at her back, which opened then.
“Office? More like a dump.” I glimpsed the chaos of workout material, clothes, and paperwork behind Isa and had to agree with her assessment of the room. She smiled at me, walked around the reception desk, and hugged me. “You look like you didn’t get much sleep. Homesick?”
I scoffed. “Not really. But I didn’t sleep much, that’s true.” I slanted a look at Cara, who was on the phone with someone and checking something on the laptop. Isa took my hand and led me into a vacant yoga studio.
“What’s up?” she asked, righting her glasses as if that would allow her a deeper look into my soul.
Confiding in her was a risk. I didn’t think she would ever share my secrets, but I was still worried. On the other hand, I desperately needed help if I wanted to buy a test, and Isa was still my best bet. I couldn’t ask my aunts Aria or Liliana. They were both overly motherly types and might feel like it was their responsibility to tell my mom about it.
Gianna was a rebel, so she probably wouldn’t tell anyone about it.
“I need a pregnancy test,” I whispered so she had to lean closer to hear me.
Isa pulled back slightly, with a hint of surprise on her face but definitely not the amount of shock many would have shown at the request. She nodded simply as if this was no big deal. “Sure. I have a few in my bag in my locker here.”
“You do?” I asked, utterly stunned.
Isa shrugged and led me to a locker in the dressing room. She took out her gym bag and motioned for me to enter one of the changing rooms. I went in, and she followed, then she opened her bag. There were indeed three pregnancy tests inside. “My mom got a bunch for me a while back,” Isa said and held one out to me. “I’m keeping them here so Dad won’t find them by accident.”
I laughed. “My dad wouldn’t be too happy about finding a pregnancy test in my bag either.”
Isa searched my eyes. “If you want to talk about it, I’m here, okay? And if you’re pregnant and you need to find a solution, my mother can tell you all about it.”
I paused, wondering what she meant by that, but the hint of bitterness in her tone stopped me from asking. “Thanks, Isa. I really appreciate it. I don’t expect this to be positive but…” I trailed off. It was difficult to explain the situation and the slim chances of me being pregnant without revealing more about the embarrassing night that I wanted to forget.
“It’s a very sensitive test, so it’s almost 100 percent safe if your period is due.”
I nodded again and stuffed the test into my bag. “I’ll use it tomorrow morning.” It would take immeasurable control to wait that long, but I wanted this test to be as accurate as possible.
“Don’t let Luca find it,” Isa said with comically widened eyes.
I giggled. “I’ll be careful.”
We spend the day together at a skate park. Isa wasn’t a skater, but her current novel was about a drug-addicted skater with all kinds of issues. She wanted me to show her a few tricks in detail so she could understand better when writing from his perspective. Thanks to the embarrassing scowls our bodyguards sent everyone else, we had the half-pipe to ourselves.
It was really fun to show Isa what I could do and let me forget the test in my bag until I sat at the dining table with Luca, Aria, and Valerio, and Isa, Matteo, and Gianna. Liliana and her family would be coming for dinner tomorrow, and all of us would leave for the Hamptons in a week.
Isa and I went to my room after dinner, followed by Valerio. He, Isa, and Flavio were close friends, a bit like the Unholy Trio, but minus the brutality and raids at night. I liked Valerio, especially his brand of humor, but I preferred to chat with Isa alone as I was seriously considering doing the test now.
We talked about our day in the skate park for a while, but Isa and I kept exchanging looks, and eventually, Valerio caught on. He got up and raised his arms in surrender. “I know when I’m not welcome.”
“It’s not about you. It’s your Y chromosome.” Isa smirked.
“Many girls would cry bitterly if I didn’t have an Y chromosome.”
“God’s gift to womanhood,” Isa said with a roll of her eyes.
“It’s a pity we don’t appreciate the gift because we’re related.”
Valerio nodded sagely, but then he slipped out and left us alone.
“He’s one of the most easygoing Made Men I know. I can’t believe he’s related to Luca.”
