AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Dude, when did you get back into town?” Sky questions.
“Nice to see you too, Cloud,” he teases. Sky rolls her eyes, letting out an annoyed breath. They never did have the best relationship.
Zoey, though, is another issue. She steps forward and gives Josh a hug. I continue to stare like an idiot.
“Welcome back, Josh,” she greets.
“Thanks. It’s nice to see you. All of you.”
His gaze lands on me and the encounter is immediately awkward. Sky clears her throat.
“Zoey and I are going to get some ice cream,” she says, reaching for Zoey’s arm and pulling her away before I can get a word in.
I really wish they hadn’t left me alone.
“So…” Josh trails off. “You look amazing, Dany. Really good.”
“Thanks,” I mutter. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
I haven’t seen Joshua Hart in two years. Not since he disappeared in my junior year of college, one month after we broke up. Last I heard, he was managing a branch of his parents’ media company in England. It seems he’s back.
He hasn’t changed a bit. Light scruff covers his jaw. His hair is as dark as his shirt, intentionally styled in a messy way that used to make me swoon. My pulse flutters in my throat.
“Listen, I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” Josh starts. “I’ve been hearing some rumors in relation to you and Christian D’Angelo.”
“He’s my fiancé,” I say. Better to rip the Band-aid off fast.
Josh’s brown eyes widen. “When the hell did that happen?”
“I don’t really owe you an explanation, Joshua,” I say on a shrug.
“But he’s dangerous. He’s in the fucking mafia.”
“I’m aware. Anything else you’d like to tell me about the man I’m going to marry?”
My tone is defensive, a little harsh. When Joshua and I broke up, I was left in a terrible state. I can’t blame him for the breakup, since it was a mutual decision, but I’m allowed to feel bitter about it, dammit. And he really has no right to weigh in on my current relationship.
“You’re right, I’m sorry, Dany,” he groans, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just… nice to see you. I missed you.”
I smile softly. “It’s nice to see you too, Joshua.”
The conversation switches to small talk, just us catching up until Sky and Zoey return. Josh leaves soon after, but he makes us promise to keep in touch. My friends and I have barely moved when my phone dings with an incoming text. It’s from an unknown number but the contents of the text make it clear exactly who it is.
Unknown: Who the hell was that?
I ignore the text, although I feel my complexion go slightly pale. Sky takes one look at me and her eyes widen.
“He knows,” she guesses accurately. “I told you there was no way in hell he let you go anywhere unsupervised, Dany.”
“That’s not the issue,” Zoey says quietly. “Christian’s the head of a mafia organization. They’re notoriously known for having zero tolerance when it comes to other men hanging around their women.”
I want to tell Zoey she’s being ridiculous but I can’t. I’m worried—about Josh, about what Christian’s reaction will be to this. Because as much as he tries to cover it up with a suit and good manners, he’s just as bad as the rumors I’ve heard about him.
We disperse immediately after that; my friends head home and I head back to the mansion I’m struggling to accept as home. Especially not when I have no freedom both in and out of it.
“You promised I wouldn’t be followed!” I say angrily, barging into Christian’s bedroom.
He pauses in his actions, which included pulling his pants on. My cheeks heat for a fraction of a second before I quell the emotion in favor of anger. Christian barely acknowledges my presence before he goes back to dressing up. My anger rises with each moment he takes putting on his clothes.
