“No. In fact, he was talking at dinner about our engagement party.”
“Jesus,” I muttered.
“As much as I want to see Rafe happy, I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“He can take care of himself. The most important thing is you’re okay.”
“Fuck that. We both know what my father is capable of.”
“There’s no way Edoardo is going to hurt Rafe when he wants an alliance with him so badly.”
“There are other ways to hurt him, like through the people he loves.”
Her words caused the hairs on the back of my neck to prick up. “He could strike out at Maeve.”
“And you,” she said in a trembling voice.
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Drea was worried about me. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Everything that had happened that night at Bianca’s brownstone had meant something to me, too.
Before I could say anything, Rafe’s panicked form started rushing towards me. “Rafe’s here. I have to go.”
“Promise me, Leo. Promise me you’ll take care of yourself,” Drea pleaded.
“I promise.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: DREA
The days after my phone call with Leo passed in slow agony. Even though I was back at college and had more than enough to focus on, I couldn’t get him off my mind. One Friday after an exceptionally shitty week, I wanted nothing more than to see his face.
As I eyed my phone, an idea popped into my mind. Although I knew I shouldn’t, I couldn’t help myself. I needed to see his face. His cocky smirk. His smoldering eyes.
After typing in Leandro Neretti, my breath hitched as the results started popping off like gunfire.
And there he was.
But my attention didn’t remain on his handsome face long. Instead, my stomach dropped at the headline above his picture.
Is one of New York’s most eligible bachelors off the market?
I furrowed my brows at the picture of Leo and a leggy blonde with a waif-like body. They weren’t just standing side by side. His arm was thrown around her waist while she leaned into him with her hand on his heart.
My heartbeat accelerated as I read the caption.
Entrepreneur Leandro Neretti has been seen about town with socialite and fashion model, Harper Newport. The couplehas been seen not only in New York but also vacationing with Newport’s family in the Hamptons.
Considering Neretti is never photographed with the same woman twice, you can’t help but wonder if he won’t be the only Neretti walking down an aisle this year.
Agony jolted through me, causing me to drop my phone. For a few minutes, I just stood there, unmoving and fighting to breathe.
Leo was with someone. How was this even possible? I’d just talked to him two weeks ago. He hadn’t mentioned anything about a date.
Do you honestly think he would? It’s not like he owes you an explanation. You don’t belong to him.
You belong to his brother.
My dorm door flew open, and my roommate, an outsider named Mollie, came barreling inside. With a beaming smile, she proclaimed, “Oh my God, Drea, I’m so glad you’re here!”
“What’s up?”
