Page 162 of Divine Obsession

I bit back on my back teeth, keeping a perfectly neutral face.

“Alright.” Salvatore slapped my shoulder before walking off. “Enjoy the party.”

Pushing my glass away, I stood from the bar stool and headed out towards the terrace. I shouldn’t have known thelayout of the penthouse considering tonight was my first time here, yet no one could have expected me not to study my enemy’s home ground before stepping foot on it.

The cold air hit my face as I slid close the glass door behind me, stepping into the outside area. I stopped short for a moment.

A lone figure sat on the stone wall before the tall glass barrister.

“Not enjoying your party?”

Carmen startled, looking at me over her shoulder before laughing. We’d known each other from growing up in the same lifestyle and attending the same private school on the Upper East Side.

“What you thinking about?”

“I can’t believe I’m nineteen.”

I elbowed her, nodding towards the vodka in her hand. “In two years, you’ll be allowed to drink.” She chuckled, though something was obviously on her mind. “What’s wrong?”

“I just feel like life is going by so fast, you know?”

I nodded. “Right. I heard you’re moving to Milan for school. Dance?”

“Yeah, ballet.”

“That’s nice.”

“Yeah,” She sighed, looking out to the city skyline. It was a beautiful night, and from the height we were at, it was actually possible to see the stars.

“Feeling homesick? I get it.”

“That too. But I just feel like everyone’s moving on with their lives… Starting a new chapter. The twins are starting high school, Kim is breaking hearts left and right, Natalia and Gìovanni are in love…”

The record scratched.

“What was that about Natalia?”

Carmen gasped, covering her mouth. “Shit. I’m not supposed to tell anyone.” She dropped her head between her hands, obviously wasted. “Promise you won’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.”

A secret.

“Natalia’s in love with Gìovanni?” She shushed me, but I pressed. “How do you know?”

“Ugh… She’s my sister? She told me.”

Natalia could have said that months ago, before we even met. I suspected that she used to have a crush on Gìovanni –before me.

“Maybe you’re mistaken,” I spoke through gritted teeth

Carmen raised an eyebrow. “She literally just came into my room and told me.”

“So why’s it supposed to be a fucking secret?” I tried to keep my calm the best I could, but my anger was starting to bubble over.

“They can’t be together.” She replied, squeezing the bridge of her nose, and waving her other hand dismissively.

“Why.”

“His parents are trying to get him to marry some girl from the Camorra in Las Vegas to smooth over a business deal.”

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