Page 28 of Vendetta

Dejected, I set it to charge on my bedside table. I waited, watching the bar go up and the weight on my chest went up with it. Unable to bear the suffocation any longer, I turned it on and tapped out a quick text to Claudia.

Rosa: SOS My life is over. I need moral support. Everything is stupid.

I stared at the phone, waiting for the telltale bubble to pop up, showing that she was typing and would save me from my never-ending spiral of self-loathing. But nothing happened. Zero… “Ugh!”

I flopped back on my bed, leaving my phone leashed to the charger, and waited, but thoughts of that green-eyed alpha from the club intruded on my impatient vigil. I should’ve texted him back. He probably thought I’d ghosted him by now. That was for the best. He was a businessman. Getting involved with him would only get him killed. He’d never survive in this world, it was too dangerous.

As minutes ticked by there was still no word from Claud. Flashes of Nico’s sharp jaw and chiseled bone structure paraded through my mind. It couldn’t hurt just to have a conversation. It could never go anywhere, but that was fine. Just an innocent text. With my stomach in my throat, I scooped up the phone and read back what he’d last said.

Rosa: I don’t even know your name

Nico: it’s Nico

I considered how to reply. It would be best to pick up like no time had passed. No need to bring attention to that.

Rosa: That's a good name

Oh god. What?

‘That’s a good name.’ That was right up there with the stupidest text I’d ever sent.

How could I recover from that? Nerves fluttered in my stomach. This was starting to feel like the limited and embarrassing experiences I’d had in high school. I started typing again. There must be a way to salvage this.

Rosa: You can call me Lena

There, that was better, sort of. He hadn’t asked for my name, and here I was volunteering an old nickname that only my brother ever used, but I liked it. It would be nice to have someone else use it. Not that I’d ever see Nico again.

I watched. Nothing. No typing bubble or even left on read.

This was stupid. I was stupid. This wasn’t high school, and I wasn’t going to sit by my phone waiting for a guy to text me back. If he did, great. If not, that was fine, too.

I tossed my phone face down on the nightstand as anxiety turned over in my stomach. I was still alone and feeling even worse than I already had.

Suffering the empty void of self-pity filling my chest by myself was too much. So, against my better judgment, I pushed my bedroom door open in silent invitation to the dark menace I knew was waiting just on the other side. This was a terrible idea. He probably wouldn’t even come in, but I didn’t want to just sulk in the depressing silence.

I curled up on the couch, wishing it was his warm sandalwood skin holding me and not the furry blanket I’d latched onto.

Chapter 20

Cruz

The door handle turned, the catch released, and the panel shifted. A sliver of light poured through the gap, flooding my senses with the sultry scent of smoky roses mixed with cloves. Did she have a clue what torture she was subjecting me to in that dress? The dress that was way too short for me to be following her up a hill in, catching glimpses of her panties with every step. The way I could watch her silky thighs brush together and part so perfectly as her hips swayed in front of me. Teasing me with my alpha’s pheromones wrapped up in her intoxicating perfume.

Was this an invitation to take what I’d been imagining ever since that night in the club? She was driving me fucking crazy. The proximity was urging me to make stupid decisions. Decisions that were dangerous.

I pushed the door open, half-praying she’d be sprawled out naked and glistening on her bed. But she wasn’t. Instead, she was curled around herself on the couch. I closed the door softly behind me, not wanting to startle her.

This wasn’t what I was expecting, and I was at a loss. What in the fuck was I supposed to do with this? I was at war with my instincts. Go to her, hold her, fuck her, knot her. It was all crashing against the wall I’d carefully crafted to hold myself back from her, but it wouldn’t keep her safe from me for much longer. She peeked through her messy hair and patted the couch next to her.

Fuck.

Her wishes were clear. She wanted me closer. This was such a bad fucking idea. I locked the door behind me and quickly sent a text to Ollie, just in case.

Cruz: loop the camera feed in Rosa's room. Now.

I didn’t wait for a reply. He knew what I needed. No trace of us alone together.

Rafael finding me cozied up to his daughter a week before her wedding would be a problem, even if she did invite me. I waited, steadying my breath before heading over to the couch and sitting on the far corner. If she wanted more, she would come to me.