Page 18 of All My Broken Pieces

Please, please just text

me back. Just once.

I stare at the message, the read receipt glaring at me below it. I don’t know what I expected. It’s not like she has responded to a single one of my messages this whole time. I just can’t bring myself to stop.

Maybe if she stopped reading them, maybe if she asked me not to reach out anymore. Maybe then I could stop.

Even as the thought crosses my mind, I know it’s a lie. I can’t stop, Iwon’tstop.

A muscular arm reaches around me, plucking the phone from my hands. “What are you doing, Ree?” Andrew sighs, keeping the small device just out of reach.

“Give it back.” I growl, hopping up in a futile attempt to retrieve my stolen property.

Tsking, he shakes his head. “Nope.This,” He inclines his head toward his outstretched arm. “Is not healthy.”

Glaring at him, I cross my arms. “So what? I’m not giving up on us.” I snap.

He sighs, his expression taking on a frustratingly pitiful look. “Princess…” I roll my eyes at the nickname. I’m far from the damsel in distress he found me as when we first met. But I haven’t been able to shake the nickname.

“Just,” I start and stop, my shoulders slumping in defeat. “Just give it back, please.” I avert my gaze, embarrassed to be showing this side of myself.

Andrew places a warm hand on my shoulder, waiting for me to look back at him. He studies my face for a moment before sighing again and handing me the phone. “Fine.” As I go to reach for it, he pulls the phone out of my reach again, making me growl in frustration. “On one condition.”

“What?” I snap, getting tired of his macho attitude.

Stupid ass men. Just because they’re bigger doesn’t make them better. If I didn’t like him, I’d have slit his throat already and taken back my phone all on my own. Thank you very much.

Andrew chuckles at my furious expression. “Come to dinner with me and the fam.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. Sure, I like his family, but I don’t much care for being blackmailed into doing something. “Fiiine.” I grumble, holding out my hand.

Handing it over with a smirk, he pulls me into a one armed hug. “Mamma is going to be thrilled!” He laughs, ruffling my hair.

I shove him off, opening my phone again to see if there’s a message. My shoulders slump when I find the same thread of unanswered texts.

Maybe it will be good to get my mind off this. Just for one night.

“Cara mia!”Evelina cries, pulling me into a hug.

“H-hi.” I gasp, a smile breaking out on my face.

She pulls back just far enough to place a kiss on both of my cheeks, a grin to match my own on her face. “Oh, how I missed you!”

“Mamma.” Andrew warns, the effect lost as he chuckles.

Evelina turns to him, clucking her tongue. “And where have you been,amore mio?”

Andrew blushes and looks away, avoiding her gaze.

Interesting.

I quirk an eyebrow at him, earning a scowl. A laugh bubbles from my chest as I mouthwe’re talking about this later.

He glares at me, shaking his head and mouthingfuck off.

Evelina sighs, pulling our attention back to her. Finally releasing me from her arms, she straightens her apron and spins back toward the kitchen. “Dinner is almost ready. Go freshen up.” With that command, she struts off to finish her magic.

I elbow Andrew, chuckling, “Wherehaveyou been, ‘amore mio’?” He pushes me away, heading off toward the dining area. I follow after him, a permanent grin on my face.

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