“Fiancé? Raina?” Vinnie looks at her best friend with a small tilt of her head.
“What does he mean, divorce?” Cecilia asks, turning to Sully.
For once, Sully has the good sense to keep his mouth shut.
“I’m not going,” Raina speaks up from behind the man. She lifts her chin in an attempt to be strong, but I can tell she’s nervous. Her eyes bounce from the guy to me, and as he slowly turns around, she takes a half a step back.
“You are, penqueña novia. It would not be wise of you to cross him.”
“It’s not for you to decide!” Her voice raises, and she takes a step forward like she’s ready to hit him. Her nerves have completely disappeared, replaced with the fire and attitude that make herher.
But I’m not going to let her try and fight this grown man.
Stepping between them, I give him my back—which in hindsight probably isn’t the smartest thing to do—and focus my attention on her. “Bottle it,” I instruct, staring into her bright pools of blue.
“But, Luce?—”
“I know. But for now, just trust me, baby. Bottle it.”
I’m aware our friends are watching us—I can feel their eyes burning a hole in my back.
She stares at me until she’s forced to blink, her eyes becoming glassy as we stare at each other. She doesn’t back down, and she definitely doesn’t let a tear slip. With our eyes locked, she’s able to pull herself back together as the rollercoaster of emotions slam through her.
Behind me, the guy clears his throat. “I’ll be staying in Manhattan until it is time for you to return to Spain. We will travel together.”
Snapping toward him, I growl, “Like hell you will.”
“The succession isn’t for months!” Raina gasps.
He laughs in my face, completely ignoring me as he looks over my shoulder at Raina. “I’ll be around, penqueña novia. I still have to deliver the rest of his message.”
He gives me one more passing glance before he walks away, and the moment he disappears into the crowd, I turn back to Raina, my hands flying around her as I pull her into my chest.
Her uneven breaths are warm through the lightweight fabric of my button-down, and I find myself tangling my hand through her hair, cradling her head against me. Neither of us says a word, but even through the ear-splitting music around us, the silent questions that hang in the air from our friends behind us are deafening.
We have a lot of explaining to do.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“We should all go upstairs and talk, sì?” Sly breaks the silence—well, not literal silence, the music is still piercing around us—and turns multiple pairs of confused eyes away from me.
I’m grateful for the reprieve, if only for a split second.
“That’s a good idea.” Vinnie bobs her head in a continuous nod, waiting for me to agree, but I’m tongue-tied.
Still in Luciano’s arms, I let my eyes close for a moment while I get my bearings. I’m embarrassed, mostly. Pissed off for not realizing a random guy has been following me all week, gathering information to hand over to Javier.
His words, not mine.
And now I have to explain something to everyone that I’m not entirely ready to share.
My eyes meet my best friend’s and something silent passes between us, but for the first time in our friendship, I can’t decode the message.
Pulling myself from Luciano’s arms, I take a step away from the security blanket of his embrace and nod stiffly at our group of friends. “Okay, let’s go up to the lounge and I’ll explain.”
With a quick glance at him, I turn and push through the masses of people standing between me and the staircase. I can feel him right behind me, and I mentally beg him to grab my hand, craving the reassurance that only he can give me.
I’m equal parts sad and relieved when he doesn’t take it.
