Page 105 of Bastian

I can’t unsee any of it. Not that I want to.

It’s funny how you always remember where you were and what you were doing when something pivotal happens in your life. Every moment I spent with Arianna since the first night we met, I remember. I remember all of it, and that night we spent together when I made her mine after having lost her for so many nights and days…something changed. Pivotal. Monumental. You name it. Since that night, I’ve been chasing forever like a madman on a suicide mission.

And tonight…tonight, I am done taking it slow.

I have wasted enough time.

“Yes.” Banning nods and moves to trail behind me as we leave the office, heading toward my next destination. Her. “Good.” Stopping, I turn. “I need you to stay with Ellaiza tonight.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I am not asking you.” I need him to stay behind with my daughter. Whenever I travel out of the State, I can sleep better knowing it’s him with her when she wakes up and doesn’t find me there. She knows I’ll be traveling tonight and that I’ll be there early in the morning before she wakes up, but if something happens, I feel better knowing my best man has her back.

“It’s a big event, boss.” Banning tries again. “This is not how we do things, and you know it.”

“It is how we’re doing it tonight. I’ll be fine.” I shrug his concern off. As long as I am with her, nothing can touch me, and if it does…it’ll be worth it.

Every second spent with Arianna Parisi makes me feel like a struggling man winning the lottery. As if all is alright now that she’s here.

Yeah, nothing can touch me when she’s near.

Nothing has the power to hurt me.

Only ever her.

* * *

ARIANNA

Ping.

The third email of the day from Sebastian appears on the screen. It has been two weeks since he stood in front of a big crowd and on national TV and told them I was the woman he hurt and the one he loves with a crooked and very cocky grin on his face as if he couldn’t care less that he put us both on blast more than he already had.

If I am being honest with myself, a part of me, the one that died when he looked me in the eyes and said the hurtful things he did when he broke my heart, came alive when he told the world I was the love of his life.

And every day since, he has sent daily emails quoting famous men in love through the decades. Today’s quote is from Rosemonde Gerard. “Each day I love you more, today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.” A bit corny, but still…it moved me. Everything he says touches my heart deeply. From quotes to messages asking me how I am and telling me he loves me. Flowers. Chocolate. My morning coffee. He is relentless and very dedicated. I will give him that.

“You look like a million bucks, mommy!” Ellaiza gasps in shock the second I flip the phone camera so she can see me fully clothed. We’ve been FaceTiming for two hours straight as the team I hired to help me get ready for tonight do their magic on me. “Thank you, my baby.” I smile at her and laugh when she places the phone on her vanity table and starts to imitate all that is being done to me.

The hair.

The makeup.

Nails.

All of it.

If I am being honest there are a thousand and one other things I would rather be doing than getting ready to attend one of the shallowest galas to ever exist. Okay, I don’t want to be ungrateful because only the crème of the crème of Hollywood and social elites get an invitation to this specific gala, and the fact that someone like me got one blows my mind.

I am also well aware that it is mostly because my face has been plastered all over the news and social media since the most powerful man in the country put me on blast when he told the world he loved me. It still feels surreal to me. All of it.

The adoption papers.

The love confession on national TV.

Sebastian and I becoming a trending topic.

It all feels like a dream. One I’m too afraid to wake up from.

---