AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The decorations are tasteful, the cake really does have gold flakes all over it where it sits waiting for the birthday girl to arrive and cut into it, and there is soft music playing while people visit. I stand near Bruno beside the open bar, where he's downing another beer and eyeing everything warily. At least he's not openly glaring like Marcus, I guess.
I'm just waiting for Giulia to get here because I can't wait to see her face when she sees me. Of course, she'll probably quickly compose herself to make it seem like we're forced to work together and nothing more, but for the barest second, she'll likely look floored and happy, and that's what I'm here for.
I live for those little reactions of hers. I smile and sip my bourbon.
Finally, the door of the bar jingles, and everyone turns and cheers or shouts out a welcome as Giulia steps in with her friend. Immediately, my heart tugs at the sight of her.
She's in a red dress that shows off a triangle of her beautiful cleavage, and her hair is curled and nestled over one shoulder. She beams at everyone present, tucking an out-of-place curl behind her ear—and then her gaze sweeps over to me.
I light up. I can hardly help it when such an electrifying woman is looking at me.
Giulia quickly looks away, back to her friend, and says something quietly.
I frown a little. I didn't expect that reaction. But I can't always read Giulia perfectly, either—not when she so clearly has her careful composure under lock and key right now. What happened to put her on guard? Was it the lunch with her mother?
"Seems…cold," Bruno grunts. "But her friend seems nice."
"She's probably nervous under all this scrutiny."
"The friend?" He tips his head. "I don’t know. She seems really excited. All bubbly. Actually, she looks really—"
"I meant Giulia."
He nods and leans back against the bar. "Suppose you know her better than I do."
I glance over my shoulder at Marcus, whose arms are folded stubbornly as he glowers at Giulia and everyone else. Unlike many of my family, he's never been vehemently opposed to the Russos, but he clearly doesn't like the position I've put myself in here. I'd be touched by his concern if he wasn't being a prickly asshole about it.
I look back over at Giulia. She's stunning in that dress. I don’t want to pressure her, but once she's done talking to the many people chatting her ear off, I want a moment alone with her somewhere we won't be overheard so I can tell her exactly what I'd like to do to her when she looks this damn good.
And to wish her a happy birthday. Of course, I'll make sure it's even happier later when I get her to another nice hotel room to adore her body the way she deserves. We haven't gone to her apartment or anywhere near where Russos might spot us, but I don’t mind the sneaking around. It is a 'sordid, scandalous affair,' after all.
But someday, it won't be. We'll tell everyone, and I'll be right by her side in moments like this when she's obviously suffering through a boring conversation and keeping her face politely bland.
She's gotten through much of the room of partiers, and the ones remaining clearly aren't desperate to talk to her like I am, so I expect Giulia to turn to me next and pull me aside to huff about how needy people can be in social settings.
Instead, she turns away again and crosses the room to someone by the cake, conversing with them of her own accord.
That's when I tense. Shit. She's avoiding me. Why the hell is she avoiding me again?
I glance at Bruno but realize he's left my side to cross the room toward Mandi. Despite barely knowing him, Giulia's friend seems eager to talk his ear off. Marcus is now talking to the bartender, probably requesting whiskey flat the way he prefers, so now is the best time to have it out with Giulia—because I'll let it slide if she's just nervous, but I don’t want her avoiding me.
I slip through people, smiling breezily and making small talk. I'm no slouch at parties. In fact, I'm usually a social butterfly, and I do well with meeting perfect strangers because I enjoy reading them quickly and wrapping them around my fingers with ease. I like people, and they like me, and we typically all have a grand time together.
But right now, I'm just focused on Giulia. I finally stop beside her, waiting for her to stop chatting with the random person by the cake. I clear my throat when they laugh at something she said and wander off.
"You look good, cutie."
Her green eyes are like pools of ice when they settle on me. "For the last time, don’t call me that, Giovanni."
It's not just her standoffish demeanor. It's her tone, too. It clenches my gut because this isn't just her acting unfeeling to me in public. Something between us has done a complete one-eighty since I saw her last night. I'm left blinking and truthfully a bit hurt when she sweeps away to chat with a big brute I recognize as her cousin, Tyson Russo, a high-profile enforcer in their family.
My surprise melts quickly into anger. No. Absolutely fucking not. She can't totally blow me off and walk away. If I have to start over and break through her cold exterior all over again, I don’t care—we're talking about whatever the fuck happened to make her look at me likethat.
However long it takes, I will make sure Giulia fucking Russo has no choice but to finally admit her real feelings for me to herself.
I step around a couple and boldly step between her and Tyson, ignoring his scowl behind me and giving Giulia a cold once-over.
"I'd like a word."
