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If Rocco was here, Ricardo couldn’t be far behind, so I made my way to the bar, ordering a better drink. I sipped it, standing next to Rocco, and he didn’t speak to me. I guessed he was mad about the other day, but he had no right to come to my home and try to speak to me. I couldn’t risk him coming inside, seeing Matteo. Besides, I didn’t want to speak to him, anyway. “Out again, I see,” Rocco said in a low tone, barely audible over the booming music.
“So are you,” I accused, sipping down my first drink quickly. I’d need the liquid courage to deal with Rocco.
“I’m out with Ricardo.”
“Are you?” I leaned closer to him. “Where is he?”
“What do you want with him?” Rocco demanded, his green eyes flashing. “I can answer anything you want to know.”
I snorted. Rocco probably did know the answers I was seeking, but there was no way he’d reveal them to me. Rocco was like a brick wall when it came to keeping hiscapo’ssecrets. “You wouldn’t tell me a damn thing.”
Rocco didn’t respond, probably because I was right, and I trailed out onto the dance floor, looking for Ricardo. I didn’t find him, but another guy, handsome in his way, asked me to dance. I agreed, thinking that if I wasn’t going to get any work done, I could at least have some fun. I did let my hair down from time to time and go out, and tonight I felt like being free. I was working too much, and that one night with Martina, no matter how badly it had ended, taught me that I deserved to get out a little more.
Rocco watched me as I swayed my hips to the music, and I didn’t drop his gaze. There was something hungry in his green eyes, the stiff way his shoulders were sitting. He didn’t like it that I was out dancing. He still wanted me all to himself, that much was clear. I couldn’t deny that part of me wanted him too, but he’d left me high and dry, and pregnant to boot, and I’d never allow myself to go through that kind of heartbreak again.
The guy behind me put his hands on my hips, and I closed my eyes, still dancing, feeling the music in the beat of my heart. It was only a moment before I felt a different set of hands on my hips and when I whirled around, it was Rocco, standing behind me, his gaze intense. “What are you doing?” I yelled over the music.
He shrugged, looking down at me. “Wanted to dance.”
“You don’t dance,” I accused.
Rocco took one of my hands in his and twirled me around. “Learned a few things while I was away,” he said, too close to my ear. He was standing too close, so close that if I leaned up just slightly in my heels, I could press my lips against his.
I backed away from him, heading back to the bar, but he just followed me. “What are you, my shadow?” I complained.
“You seem like you want to get into trouble tonight. I’m just keeping an eye on you.” He looked around. “Since it doesn’t appear like your boyfriend is here.”
"Alberto is my father’s man, not my boyfriend,” I finally said, annoyed with him. “You know that.”
“Do I?” Rocco asked, his gaze hot. “You were the one who didn’t want to catch up. I don’t know much about you anymore, Allegra.”
“Maybe that’s by design,” I drawled, ordering myself another drink.
Rocco stopped my hand as I hailed the bartender. “This one’s on me,” he said, and ordered for me. It was exactly what I had planned to order myself, so he did remember something about me.
I shrugged, turning back to the dance floor. I still didn’t see Ricardo. “I thought you said Ricardo was here,” I complained to Rocco.
Rocco shrugged. “He was. Haven’t seen him in a while.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be his keeper?” I asked dryly.
“Maybe, but I’m not paid enough to chase him around. I’ll keep him out of trouble as best I can. Enzo understands that.” I didn’t respond. I bet Enzo understood a lot of things when it came to Rocco. He treated him more like a son than an employee, and always had. “What are you doing out without a chaperone?” he asked.
“I’m a grown woman,” I defended myself. “I can go where I want, when I want.”
“News to me,” Rocco drawled.
Anger rose up in me. “The real question is, why are you following me around?”
Rocco smirked. “The argument could be made that you’re followingmearound,stellina. I was here first, and you showed up out of nowhere.”
“I was invited,” I mumbled, not caring if he could hear me or not over the music.
After my second drink, I started to feel dizzy, and I wasn’t sure why. Recently I’d been drinking more than usual, so you’d think I’d be better equipped to handle my alcohol, but suddenly the room was spinning. Rocco took me by the elbow, leading me out into the fresh air. “Are you all right?” he asked, looking at me intently.
I put a hand to my forehead, feeling faint. “I don’t know, that last drink really patched a punch,” I said, being careful not to slur my words.
“Sorry,stellina,” Rocco said, and as I looked at him, his face blurred in and out.Sorry for what?I thought, but the words wouldn’t come out, stuck in my throat, and then I swooned against Rocco. My eyes shut and everything went black.
