Page 89 of Unravel You

“He freaked out for no reason?”

“Emilia.” She knitted her brows. “Don’t make me regret this. I agreed to let you attend school in person, but you have to do as I say.”

“I will.” I could point out that at my age, I didn’t need her telling me what to do. But Mom’s strict rules were not about keeping me in line. They were meant to keep us both alive. “I’ll be right here exactly at fifteen-hundred hours.” I did a mock salute, touching two fingers to my temple.

“Go. You’re going to be late.” She shook her head, while a smile pulled at her lips.

“I have time. Love you.” I leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

“I love you too.” She called after I shut the passenger door.

I took long strides with Greene, the law building, in my line of sight. A part of me wanted to break into a run just in case Mom decided this was a bad idea and tried to stop me. Fear had been a constant in my life. Even now, with the sun on my face and the happy smiles of the students surrounding me, trepidation lingered at the pit of my stomach.

The last gory images of Dad lying in a pool of his own blood flooded my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second and waited for the usual gunshot to ring in my head. No, I couldn’t let Mom mess with my plans like that. I inhaled and slowed my gait to a slower pace. I had made it this far. I couldn’t stand down now.

By the time I reached the western entrance, I was back on operation “full-speed ahead,” drowning in hope and a desperate desire to move forward. With a dorky smile on my face, I pushed open the door and took the stairs to the third floor. I had a little bit of time before class started, so I figured I could sit in the library and get my bearings.

I sat at the only table available, nestled between a shelf of large, leather-bound books and the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the street. The space buzzed with quiet whispers and the soft ruffle of papers. This had been my life for the past five years—I was the outsider looking in. I stayed in my corner, tucked away, as returning students hugged hello.

My gaze darted across the narrow space crowded with chairs. And as if the universe knew it owed me big time, the man from the intersection pulled on the glass double door and sauntered inside. The thumping of my heart grew faster with every step he took in my direction. For the longest minute, I thought he was headed my way. I swallowed and shot a glance to my right, looking for a quick exit. When I turned to meet his gaze, he had already settled down next to a woman who seemed thrilled to have him sitting there with her.

That alone should have tampered whatever fantasies my brain had conjured in the last ten seconds, but it didn’t. I ogled them, or him rather. Of course he had a charming smile and a deep voice that made my legs turned to warm Jell-O. I couldn’t make out the words he was saying, but his rich baritone burrowed itself in my chest. Jeez, who the hell was this guy?

“Trust me, you don’t want to get caught up in all of that?” The female voice startled me back to reality. When I turned to face her, she offered me her hand. Her big green eyes watched me with curiosity as she waited for me to snap out of it. “Name is Paige.”

“Oh, right. I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat and shook her hand. “I’m Emilia.”

“She speaks.” She winked and sat next to me. “Are you a first year?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. Me too. I was hoping I’d meet at least one person I could talk to.”

The idea of maybe making a friend while I was in the law program also crossed my mind. Though I knew that wasn’t a possibility. “It’s nice to meet you.” I smiled while I came up with an excuse to make a quick exit.

“If I ever saw a gorgeous thing. Hmm.” She glanced over at my mystery man. Suddenly, I couldn’t remember why I had to leave.

“You know him?” For some weird reason, a prick of heat blossomed in my belly at the mere idea of finding out more about him.

“You don’t.” She cocked an eyebrow.

“I just got here.” I shrugged and leaned toward her to encourage her to go on.

“That’s the great Dom Moretti.” She dipped her head. “Doesn’t ring a bell?”

“Um, no.”

“I heard the rumors during orientation, but I didn’t believe it.” She bit her lip and stared at Dom.

Dom. His name was Dom.

“So what are the rumors. I wasn’t here last week.”

I had waited until the last minute to tell Mom I had been accepted to Columbia Law and that I was dropping all my online classes. Mom lost her shit that day, and I couldn’t get away to attend the meet and greet at the Greene.

“Is he a student here?” I gave up all pretense of coolness when it came to the Adonis perched on the armrest of a club chair, four tables away from us. The woman from before had left, and he now had a different, equally beautiful women hanging from his arm.

“Yes.” Paige braced her elbows on her knees and lowered her voice. “He’s the son of a mobster, ruthless, powerful, gorgeous and with a license to kill.”

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