AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My knee bounces up and down beneath the table at the corner café, a nervous flutter vibrating my entire body since my encounter with Nico Rossi yesterday. With spring here, a few of the restaurants have already set out tables and chairs on the bustling sidewalks. A cool breeze passes, raising the hair on the back of my neck. I hazard a quick glance over my shoulder. Nothing. For months now, I’ve felt this unnamable presence lurking in the shadows.
And now after my encounter with the brutal mob boss, the feeling of unease has only intensified. No way he’s been following me all these months, right? Why would he? It makes no sense…
I take a sip of my Chai Latte, hoping the soothing warmth will chase away the anxiety filling my chest. I place it back on the colorful tablecloth, but my trembling fingers knock it over and the fragrant liquid spills across the table.
“Sugar!” I mutter.
A sharp cackle forces my gaze up to my approaching friend. “Oh, Maisy, man, I’ve missed your ridiculous curse words.”
A smile curls my lips, and I stop sopping up the mess and stand to give Rose a hug. Even wearing my chunky heels, she towers over me, her long blonde hair cascading across her shoulders. She’s a total Barbie, and I’m a cute little Skipper with crazy red hair. “I’ve missed you too!” I hold her out at arm’s length and scrutinize her chic, floral jacket and skinny jeans. “Wait, there’s something different about you.”
A huge smile stretches across her face, and she flashes me the back of her hand. Stacked beneath her whopping diamond engagement ring is a diamond-studded wedding band. “Dante and I got married!” she squeals.
“No freaking way, you did not!” I gasp and clap my hand over my gaping mouth. I love my friend and I know Dante is crazy about her, but everything has been moving so fast with them. “How did this…? When did you…?” My rambling tongue gets all tied up with the excitement.
“Sit and we’ll talk.” Rose steers me to my seat and flops down beside me. Then she waves down the waitress and has her clean up my mess. Golly, I’m worse than a toddler with this cursed clumsiness.
My friend is beaming as she stares at her gorgeous rings, and I’m so happy for her, but also, I’m sad for me, which is stupid and mean-spirited, but I’m tired of being alone. I should totally return that Jack Dawson guy’s text… No, I’ll do one better, I’ll call him. Despite Nico’s warning. I mean he wouldn’t really do something to some random stranger, right?
“So Dante surprised me with a trip to Atlantic City.” The enthusiasm in Rose’s voice drags me out of my funk. “Then when we get there, he takes me to the penthouse suite at the Ocean Casino Resort, which has a jacuzzi in the middle of the room by the way…”
Heat flushes my cheeks just at the mention. Dante and Rose screw like bunnies, and she is not shy about the details. It’s fun hearing about her crazy sexcapades with the foul-mouthed mafia god, but I’m not sure I could ever do it. I’m such a bumbling, rambling idiot, I could never get that dirty talk down.
I nod and smile as she details their hours-long sexual encounter across every inch of the suite, and heat begins to build between my legs. Yup, it’s definitely time for me to get back in the game. Jasper and I have been apart for over a year now, and I’m afraid I’m minutes away from reinstating my V card.
“Anyway, then he pulls this gorgeous white mermaid gown from the closet and tells me we’re going out for some fancy dinner.”
“And instead, he took you to one of those quickie wedding chapels?”
“Yup!” Her head is bobbing up and down and that smile only grows wider.
My heart is brimming with joy for my friend. “I wish I could’ve been there.”
She reaches for my hand and squeezes. “I know, me too. It was all so quick and such a surprise. Only Mamma, Luca and Stella were there, and they only stayed for the ceremony before they jetted back to wherever the hell they’ve been hiding out. Anyway, I doubt Dante would’ve even let them come if we didn’t need witnesses. Plus, his Ma would’ve probably murdered him if she wasn’t invited.”
“I bet Dante couldn’t wait to get you back to the hotel room to rip the dress right off.”
Rose laughs, a wicked cackle bursting from her lips. “Pretty much. We’ve only been married for a few days and already he wants me off the pill. I mean he’s wanted me off it for months now, and I’ve been fighting him every step of the way. Now that we’re married, I don’t know how much longer I can hold him off. I’m not sure I want to either… which is insane.”
“Gosh, Rose, it all sounds beautiful and so perfect. I’m really happy for you guys.”
“Me too.” She casts a dreamy gaze in my direction as she twists the rings around her finger. Rose and Dante sure had a rough start, and despite my reservations about the guy, I’ve never seen my friend so happy.
The waitress reappears, and we each order, a cheeseburger for Rose because with her perfect yoga instructor body she can eat whatever she wants, and a salad for me because I swear if I look at a carb I gain a pound.
“So, what’s been going on with you?” Rose asks around a slurp of water.
I briefly consider telling her about my encounter with Nico, but I hate to ruin her great mood. Things between the Kings, Dante’s underground organization, and Nico’s Geminis have been teetering on a knife’s edge for months. “Nothing much,” I finally grumble.
“Oh, come on, Maisy, you can’t just bury yourself in work. You’re not some forty-year-old divorcee, get out there and have some fun.”
“Ugh, easy for you to say. It’s hard to meet quality guys in the city.”
She pulls out her phone and starts typing away. Then she flashes me the screen with some dating app pulled up.
“No way. I said quality, remember?”
“You can look for quality after you get laid.” She shoots me an evil smirk. “Tell me the truth, how long has it been?”
