Page 88 of Release Me

“Yes.” I rise up on my tip toes and give him a soft kiss. “After I use the ladies room, and you say goodbye to your brother and thank Sienna for the award.”

He’s grimacing as I spin out of his hold and head to the bathroom, leaving him to embark on a brief farewell tour on both of our behalves. It won’t take him long since his parents and Zoe have already left and Andreas wasn’t able to make it. That means all he has to do is find Luca and Sienna, and, judging by the energy that’s been passing between the two of them all evening, he’ll probably luck up and find them somewhere together.

The line for the bathroom closest to the ballroom is packed, so I head up to the second floor of the venue to attend to my needier than usual bladder and rejoice when I get to pee in complete privacy. When I’m done, I start to head back down the stairs but pause near the top when I see what feels to me like a familiar frame in a slinky red dress heading out the door. I only catch her profile—milky skin, one high cheekbone, the tip of a button nose and a fleeting streak of blonde hair—but I know it’s her.

“Bianca?”

I rush down the steps, needing to see, needing to confirm for myself that it’s her, but by the time my heels hit the first floor, she’s gone. Still, I push my way through the crowd of people making their way outside and stumble out onto the side walk hoping that I can catch her. Disapproving exclamations caused by my rudeness hit my back as I scan the road in front of me, and I don’t care because I have to see. I have to know. Because if Bianca is in New Haven, that means Beau must be too.

“Nadia?”

I turn and see Luca standing to my left near the valet stand, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. I think I probably have. My heartbeat is erratic, and the thought of Beau being in New Haven, close enough to touch me, close enough to hurt me, to hurt Sebastian, has anxiety clawing its way through my chest.

Oh, no, not again, not now.

A panic attack is the last thing I need. I place my palm over my heart and push out a breath, forcing myself to smile like I haven’t just seen a ghost. “Luca, hey.”

His head tilts to the side, and he moves closer to me. “You okay?”

I swallow the truth, which is that I’m not okay at all, and give him a lie. “I’m fine. I just needed some air.”

“Yeah, me too.” Even though I know there’s no hope of me finding Bianca now, I still keep searching the street for her. I’m trying to be covert, but Luca is paying a little too much attention tonight. “You sure you’re okay?” he asks, both of his brows pulled together in a mix of concern and confusion.

I force my gaze back to his face, angling my body toward him to show that I’m fully engaged in the conversation now. “I’m fine. Did you have a good evening?”

Sebastian and his siblings don’t look alike to me, but right now, with Luca grimacing the way his older brother was when I left him standing in the middle of the dance floor, they look more alike than ever.

“Something like that.”

Now my brows are the ones pulling together. Luca is usually the most upbeat, happy guy I know. Nothing gets to him. Hell, he even managed to smile and joke his way through the news that their father almost had a heart attack and died—information Everett was forced to reveal when it came out that there would be no deep fried turkey at Thanksgiving this year—which makes the persistent frown marring his features particularly disturbing.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Tucking his hands into his pockets, he turns away from me, focusing back on the street. It’s a defense mechanism, a way to keep me from seeing that he’s about to try to bullshit me. “About what?”

“Whatever is going on between you and Sienna Ryder. You two have been exchanging looks all night, and it’s clear by the energy passing between you that there’s history there.”

Tension turns his jaw to stone. “There’s nothing going on between me and Sienna Ryder.”

That’s a lie. It’s clear from the way he says her name. And if I wasn’t a person used to guarding secrets with her life, I’d push him for answers, demand details for my own selfish reasons like sating my curiosity or taking my mind off the possible Bianca sighting.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, Luca.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Nadia.”

The valet arrives with his car, and he finally looks at me again, glancing between me and the door. “Do you want me to wait with you? I’m sure Seb won’t be long.”

“No, I’m going to head back inside and get him.”

“You sure? Because if he finds out I left you standing on the sidewalk in the middle of the night, I’m never going to hear the end of it.”

“Damn right you won’t.”

Luca and I turn to find Sebastian walking up behind us. He looks mildly agitated, but I think that has more to do with me and my disappearing act than his little brother. When those stormy pools of champagne land on me, all censure and desire, I know that I’m right.

“I thought you were going to the bathroom and coming right back,” he says, looping an arm around my waist and dragging me to his side.

“And I thought you were saying your goodbyes.”

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