Page 41 of Tainted Ties

A sense of dread coiled in my stomach. My adventures today had dulled thoughts of Roman until now.

“Irina, we can’t cut in line!” She was always the rebellious one in our friendship and if I was being honest, it was thrilling when she’d include me in her mischievous games.

“Sure, we can.” Her long legs strode toward the hostess, who eyed us skeptically as if she knew we would cause her trouble.

“Can I help you?” she asked, cocking a dark eyebrow. I didn’t miss her patronizing tone and neither did Irina because I felt her tense beside me. If I didn’t say something, she would, and it’d be much worse.

I squared my shoulders, standing taller. “We’re here to attend the event. My name is Aurora. AuroraMancini.” My smirk was visible as the hostess’ eyes grew wide.

She composed herself, searching the list in front of her before glancing up at me again. “Do you have identification on you to prove that?”

I stood dumbfounded, not expecting her to ask that question. I didn’t have anything that would prove what I said to be true. I wasn’t even wearing my ring.

“You’re holding up the line, Alicia. What seems to be the problem here?”

The voice came from behind her, masculine and stern. A chill settled in me at the deep impatient tone.

Alicia turned and her face went crimson red. “Sir, these ladies want to enter, but they’re not on the list. One of them is even claiming to be a Mancini,” she mocked, narrowing her eyes at me.

The man came into view, and I wanted to shrink into myself.Luca.

God, I wanted the world to swallow me whole.

He was freshly shaven, his sandy-brown hair pushed back, and polished from head to toe, wearing his signature leather jacket. His hands were deep in his pockets, his caramel-brown eyes sparkling with amusement.

“We were leaving, actually.” I laughed, folding my lips in a pinched smile.

Irina peered over my shoulder. “No, we weren’t…” Her voice drifted into the summer breeze when she saw the fine-sculpted male before her.

“Irina,”I hissed.Traitor. She ignored me, staring straight at Luca with mischief dancing in her eyes. She was an idiot challenging a man like him. Then again, wasn’t I doing the same with Roman?

Turning to Luca again, I found him holding Irina’s gaze. His head tilted, eyeing her openly with a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Let them in, Alicia.”

Okay, weird.

“Yes, sir.”

My troublesome friend snickered behind me before she slipped her hand in mine, pulling me along.

Stepping inside the building, I immediately knew this was an art gallery.

Guests mingled, drinking their champagne. The ambiance was sensual, dimly lit with soft overhead lights cast over the art.

We walked around the museum, admiring the exquisite art. It was different from what most would expect. This art was exotic and erotic.

We stopped at the last piece, a painting namedArte Della Lussuria—Art of Lust.

The painting was distorted, allowing each person to have their own perception of it. Colors clashed with dimensions.

I perceived it as a blurry-shaded man and woman enveloped in one another, high on pleasure.

“Anyone could create this. What’s so artistic about two peopleravishingone another?” Irina always spoke what was on her mind, no matter how crude or unwanted.

“What unfortunate thinking,piccola ribelle.” Luca appeared out of nowhere, gazing down at my blonde friend as she continued staring at the painting, ignoring him.

I held back a laugh because if there was anything Irina hated, it was when people—men—commented on her opinions.

The irony of it waslittle rebelwas quite fitting for her personality and apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

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