Page 39 of Untouchable

“Not really. I had so much planned for this trip, and everything is ruined. You are in danger, and I can’t be there. It is very frustrating to not be in control over something as important as your safety.”

“I get it. I am barely keeping my head on straight. The only reason that I haven’t lost it completely is because-”

I stop short, catching myself. Aiden has made his distaste for Alessandro well known so I am sure that he would not appreciate hearing that him being with me is the only thing keeping me sane.

“Because…” Aiden says slowly.

“Because I think about how good it will feel to be in your arms once this is all over,” I lie smoothly, hating myself that I even have to lie about something like that to cover up how another man makes me feel. I am horrible.

“Ah, I can’t wait for that. I was going to keep it a surprise for the trip, but I feel like I need to get this off my chest,” Aiden says.

My stomach dips as I anticipate his next words.

“I love you, Seraphina Mariano. I want you forever and when this is all over, I am going to marry you.”

I pause for a moment as I process his words. That’s it? He is not even going to ask me if that is what I want? He is just telling me that I am going to marry him? I am not sure if he thinks that he is being romantic by declaring it as a fact or something, but I definitely don’t.

“I love you too,” I reply, not knowing how else to respond.

There is a slight pause over the line and an awkward silence stretches for a little before he speaks again.

“Well, you are probably tired. I will call you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

“You too.”

I hang up the phone and close my eyes as I let out a deep breath. I wish I had the bandwidth to give a shit about Aiden’s half ass proposal, but I honestly just can’t even deal with it right now. I open the door and head into the hall so that I can give the phone back to Alessandro. I am sure he will want to call and check in. I know he has sent a few check-in texts but nothing very detailed since we got here.

When I walk out to the living room, I see Alessandro nursing a glass of what looks like scotch. It is his favorite, or at least it used to be. I don’t really know much about him anymore. That small fact bothers me a lot more now than it has even in the past.

Maybe it is because I am being forced to be in close proximity with someone who used to be my everything but is now nothing more than a stranger. Maybe it is because every second that I spend with him I feel the carefully guarded walls that I have placed between us cracking. Back on the deck I swear a hole was punched straight through part of it and I am not sure that I have the energy to rebuild it.

Deciding that I could definitely go for a drink, I open the liquor cabinet and pull out a glass before pouring myself some wine. I don’t drink often but as long as I don’t get absolutely smashed, my parents never really care. So, I do have the occasional glass of wine or margarita with my mom and Aunt Tasha.

“Hey,” I say as I walk around the couch, setting the phone down onto the table before curling up on the love seat across from him.

“How is Prince Charming?” Alessandro sneers before taking a healthy sip of his drink.

I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Why do you hate him so much? You don’t even know him. He has tried to be nice to you and you have always been nothing but a dick to him.”

“I don’t need to be nice to him, Princess.”

“No. But it is common decency that if no one has ever done anything to you, that you don’t treat them like absolute shit.”

Alessandro scoffs. “Oh, like he is Saint Peter himself? Like all he wants to do is sing kumbaya and become blood brothers? Please. Dude hates my guts. The feeling is mutual.”

I shake my head as I take a sip of my wine.

Men. No,boys.

“You aren’t 21,” he points out stupidly.

I narrow my eyes at him. What happened to the semi-truce I thought we had established since we got here?

“How would you know? It isn’t like you keep track of my birthday,” I snap, feeling a little triumphant when his brows draw in deeply.

He doesn’t say anything else for a while and I enjoy the silence as I sip my drink leisurely. This is probably the most relaxed I have felt in several weeks. Things with Aiden and I were changing so fast, I didn’t know how to act or what I should be feeling. It is all kind of overwhelming. Even though I really miss him, the space is nice for me to get a chance to think about whatIwant my life to look like.

“I’m sorry,” Alessandro says softly, seemingly out of nowhere.

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