Me: Okay.
I approach the door of Luigis Pizzeria and pause.
I stare through the glass door. The Penn State football team sits around the table eating pizza. Their boisterous laughter can be heard outside. Barbara’s sitting in Nico’s lap with an arm thrown over his shoulders. My fists curl at my sides, and I clench my teeth. I shouldn’t want to claw my teammate’s eyes out. But I do. Shifting my gaze to the left, I notice Creekwood’s football and cheer team. Everyone’s wearing frowns or half smiles afterlosing the game. Chris keeps staring at his phone. He’s probably expecting me to call or text. I dart to the SUV waiting at the curb.
Javier holds the back door open. “Serenity, are you okay?”
“Yeah. Dad has summoned me to dinner. Instead of arguing with Chris about why I can’t stay…”
He cuts off my words. “Why would you argue with him?”
My eyes dart to the ground, then meet his again. “I also prefer not to be in Nico’s presence.”
“Oh dios mio, Oh my God,” he says in Spanish, chuckling. “We both know that’s not true. Get in,” he orders.
I ignore my bodyguard’s statement and climb into the backseat. The door shuts behind me.
Fifteen minutes later, we pull through the gates of a lush estate. A mafia boss and his family couldn’t stay at a hotel. Well, not this mafia family anyway. I step into the house, and I’m greeted by my little brother.
“Serenity,” Krew shouts, throwing his arms around me.
“I missed you, Mr. Sixth Grader.”
My good-looking brother pulls back, grinning. “I missed you too.”
His curly brown hair falls gently over his honey-toned forehead.
“You’re really growing,” I comment.
“Mom says I’ll be towering over her in just two years.”
I smile. “That’s definitely true.”
We laugh softly as we walk into the dining room together.
Mom rises from her chair at the long dining table next to Dad. “Serenity, I enjoyed seeing you cheer again.”
I rush into her embrace. “I’m so glad you were here.”
Her peach-colored, form-fitting dress falls just below her calves, highlighting her curves and glowing against her warm gingerbread-hued skin. She’s stunningly beautiful.
Dad approaches, tall and striking, standing around six-two. The salt-and-pepper streaks at his temples speak to everything we’ve endured. I inherited his gray eyes. His strong, square jaw is probably exactly what my mom finds attractive. Ugh, gross.
The way my dad gazes at my mom—that’s how I want a man to look at me someday. I notice Nico watching me the same way, but it’s not genuine. He’s just obsessed.
Dad wraps me in a hug. “How are you holding up?”
“Good,” I reply.
“We have guests staying with us tonight.”
I inch back and stare up at him. “Who?”
Dad doesn’t talk to his family often, so who could it be? Is it someone who lives in Creekwood, New Jersey? Does Dad have a new associate? After all, we’d been through, Dad wouldn’t allow strangers to stay in our home.
He grips me tightly again. “You’re safe, Serenity.”
Dad pulls us all into his embrace. “You all are safe.”
