Page 19 of Something Blue

I ignore her as I carry on trying to hit my brother.

I’m tired of him thinking he’s better than me. He’s not.

We wrestle until Rufino and Tuomo pull us apart. Rufino shoves me into my car and tells me to get the fuck out of here before he gets involved in the fight too. He glares at me, the thick scar across his face is a reminder of what he’s capable of.

Rufino is a brute of a man and not someone you want to mess with. By sheer size alone I have respect for him - never mind being aware of the reason they call him the Red Dragon. He’s not someone you want to be on the wrong side of.

He slams my door shut and I start the engine, not bothering to glance towards Masaccio who is still going on about how I’ve done something and everyone else is ignoring it.

“He’s guilty. It’s fucking obvious.” He shouts.

I rev the engine to drown him out, and wheel spin, kicking gravel up from behind my car as I pull out into the road and away from those idiots.

I’m too tense to go home so I go to the only place where I will find some peace.

Neve’s apartment building.

It’s late and she’ll be home. I want to see her for a bit, watch her, reassure myself that our time is coming - sooner than she thinks.

The media has been savage with covering her story. They’ve accused her of cheating and driving him away. They’ve accused him of cheating and running away with the new love of his life. They’ve made up a whirlwind of stories to keep readers entertained.

Of course, some of those stories involve Damion being murdered and them looking for a body. It’s all speculation at this point. No one knows anything for sure and without evidence it will stay that way.

I park in my usual spot, away from the entrance of her apartment building because the security cameras are pretty tight around the building.

Opening the glove compartment I pull out my binoculars and turn my attention onto her windows.

Neve always has her curtains open into her living room area. I can see the entire space and the kitchen, which is open plan, connected to the living room. She doesn’t seem to have any concept of privacy.

Neve walks into the kitchen, she’s talking to someone. Her face scrunched, her little nose wrinkled up as she discusses something distasteful. I move the binoculars, searching for the other person and my chest tightens horribly when I see a man follow her into the kitchen. Who the fuck is this?

“What the fuck does she think she’s doing?” I snarl loudly.

Focusing on the guy my heart clenches. He looks like Damion. For a second I think it might even be him, but obviously that’s impossible.

Logic overrides the panic bolting through my body.

“It’s hisbrother.” I sigh in agitation. “What - doeshe think he can slide in now, take what belongs to me? Make a move on my girl?”

Dropping the binoculars I take a deep breath. I have to calm down. Neve knows better. She wouldn’t be interested in the brother, anyway. She was hardly interested in Damion and I’ve freed her from that commitment - she won’t be stupid enough to get locked into another one at this point.

And that asshole does not understand who he’s messing with if he thinks he has a free shot at Neve now.

Coming to watch her was supposed to calm me down, but it’s made me feel worse.

It would be best to go home and get some sleep, but I can’t bring myself to drive away and leave - knowing there is a man in Neve’s apartment with her.

So, I live to the fact that I have to stay until he leaves. For my peace of mind.

I keep watching them. They have a drink and talk - nothing appears to be going on between them. Finally, a hair before midnight, he hugs hertightly, holding her for longer than I am happy with, he leaves.

I stay longer, watching Neve clear away the glasses and wipe the kitchen counter.

I watch until that asshole’s car pulls away from the building and he is one hundred percent gone. I stay another thirty minutes to make sure it’s not some trick, and he will not come right back.

I won’t allow another person to come between us.

It’s my chance now.

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