Page 24 of Ruthless Guardian

“And Uncle Luca let you come here by yourself?” She lifts a perfectly plucked brow.

“Not exactly?—”

“There you are!” Serena barrels through the crowd with a drink in each hand, tumbles of golden blonde locks trailing down her bare shoulders. She hands me the fancy cocktail before clinking her glass against mine. “To my best friend and blood, Isabella, who had to escape the clutches of her sinfully gorgeous but slightly psychopathic and overprotective new guard to be here with us tonight.”

A grin crawls across my face at her ridiculousness despite my best efforts.

Matteo appears behind her a moment later with three drinks, completing our dysfunctional family circle. “I thought you said this was supposed to be a small party,” he grumbles before taking a sip from his martini. “It took ten minutes to get drinks from the bartender.” He hands one to Alessia and the other to Alessandro.

Serena shrugs. “What can I say? There are a lot of people in Manhattan that are sad to see me go.”

“No one more than me.” I clink my glass against my cousin’s. “I’m going to miss you so damned much, Ser.”

“Aww, you guys are just so sweet.” Alessia’s lips twist into a sneer. I love my cousin, but she’s kind of a bitch, and even though we’re close-ish, there’s no one like Serena.

“Cheers to you, cuz, and the best damned time in Milano.” I lift my glass, and the others all follow. “You are going to rock Dolce & Gabbana’s world this summer.”

“Cheers!” All our glasses meet in the center, the clinking barely audible over the booming sounds of the DJ.

After we’ve all taken our celebratory sips, the five of us disperse, the boys and Alessia moving to the dancefloor, while Serena and I flop down on the couch.

“So everything went according to plan with the escape?” She eyes me over the rim of the crystal flute.

“Surprisingly, yes. I guess Raf isn’t as good as he thinks he is.”

“Or maybe you’re just that much better.” She shoots me a wink. “I just hope this little impromptu late-night getaway doesn’t worsen your cause.”

“Only if I get caught.” I grin and take another sip from my drink, some sort of fruity rum punch.

“Do you think your dad will give in on the Rome internship?” Serena squeezes my hand, eyes lifting to mine. “I don’t know what I’ll do without you for the entire summer.”

“It’s not my dad, but the hot bodyguard you made me pick that I have to convince. Great choice by the way.” I roll my eyes and suck down another big gulp through the straw.

“It’ll work out, I know it will. Mark my words, you’ll be thanking me I forced you to pick Raffaele one day.”

“Yeah, when he’s dancing on my grave.”

“Oh, stop it!” She gives me a playful shove before jumping up and hauling me along with her. “Come on, finish your drink so we can dance. This is your first time out in months. You can’t just spend the whole night on the couch.”

“I’m not really in the mood?—”

She clucks her tongue, shaking her head. “It’s my going away party, and you will do everything I say. Got it?”

“Now who’s acting like the spoiled mafia princess?”

“It’s my party, baby!” She twirls me around, and the brilliant red liquid nearly spills over the edge of my glass. “Now, let’s go!”

Downing the remainder of my fruity drink, I drop the empty glass on the cocktail table beside Serena’s flute and follow her onto the dancefloor.

Five cocktails later and I haven’t left the dancefloor the entire night. Some guy grinds up against my ass, but I’m having too much fun to shoo him away. Serena’s wiggling her booty across from me, dancing with some other guy who I think appeared when my dude did, so I assume they’re friends. That and they keep high fiving each other over our heads. If I wasn’t two sheets to the wind, I’d find it annoying as all hell.

But right now, the haze of booze has me all numb and tingly and for the first time in months, I feel free.

“I am so glad you made it, cuz!” Serena shouts over the pounding rhythm. “This night never would’ve been the same without you.”

“I know! Me too.” I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze, but the guy behind me, pulls me closer, pinning me to his torso.

“You’re not going anywhere, baby.” His warm breath skates across my ear, and goose bumps cascade down my bare shoulders.

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