Page 29 of A Game So Reckless

“I’m leaving this afternoon. You two can leave first thing tomorrow,” Papà says. He adjusts his watch, looks down at it, then frowns. “I have to go. I’ll see you both when I get back.”

He’s not even out of the room before I’ve grabbed my phone and started texting my friends Giulia and Lucia Morelli.

Anyone up for getting drunk tonight?

It doesn’t take long for Giulia to reply.

God, yes.

* * *

Lucia and Giulia pull up in their cute white jeep just after the sun has set. Papà left hours ago, but Mamma’s still here, and she shouts across the whole damn house when she hears me open the front door.

“Valentina! Where are you going?”

“I’m just meeting Giulia and Lucia!” I call back, holding the door halfway open. The darkness of evening has dampened the heat, leaving the air thick at my front while the air conditioning cools my bare back.

“Who’s going with you?” Suddenly Mamma is there at the top of the stairs, hustling down like she’s trying to get her cardio in tonight.

“Mateo’s coming.”

I peer out the doorway and see that Lucia and Giulia’s cousin Mateo is indeed driving the jeep. Our family has been friends with the Morellis since before I was even born. Lucia and Giulia’s father, Doctor Tommaso Morelli, has been stitching Papà and Curse and Elio up since before they even came to Canada. Their cousin Mateo is a known entity. He’s chaperoned us places before.

But Mamma still looks a bit unsure.

“Your Papà isn’t here. I don’t think it’s the best idea.”

“We’re just going out to dance a little bit. It’s fine. I’ll be ready to leave for the cottage bright and early tomorrow.”

More than likely, I’ll be a hungover, but whatever.

“They’re waiting for me. Gotta go, Mamma!” I give her a swift kiss on her cheek before I hasten out the door. I close it before she can call me back.

“Oh my God, you look incredible!” Giulia says as I slide in the backseat beside her. Her identical twin sister, Lucia, twists around to smile at me from the front passenger seat.

“Thanks!” I say, glancing down at my outfit. I’ve got a short, white dress on with a plunging neckline. I’ve straightened my hair within an inch of its life. It falls glossy and smooth all the way down to my waist.

As Mateo drives, Giulia pulls out a flask and hands it to me. Vanilla vodka. Not my favourite, but not bad for building a little pre-outing buzz. I take a second swig, then we pass it around as the three of us catch up. I haven’t seen the Morelli girls since before all the shit with Dario went down, and they’re brimming with questions.

“So he just jumped? What, just like that?” Giulia snaps her fingers.

I don’t like lying to my friends. But I’m in too deep now to start telling the truth to anyone, so I just nod and take another sip from the flask. A glow works its way through my veins. God, this is always the best part of drinking. That first little spark that warms you up from the inside out and makes you feel like this night could turn into anything.

“What the fuck?” Giulia replies, shaking her head, making her high ponytail swing back and forth. “That makes no sense. Did he say anything first?”

I shrug and pass her the flask.

“He just asked for the ring back.”

Giulia blows out a breath between glossy lips and then collapses back against her seat with the flask cradled in her lap, as if it’s just too much to take in.

“That must have been really hard for you,” Lucia says quietly. The soft, loving concern in her dark eyes makes me feel like an ugly, tiny worm. Here she is, being all sweet and supportive and I’m lying straight to her face.

Fucking Darragh.I blame you for this.

“No wonder you want to get drunk tonight,” Giulia says, nodding sagely. “Shots truly are the answer to all life’s little traumas.”

“Amen,” I say, even though I’m not sure how many more shots I’m going to need at this rate. That vanilla vodka is going down just a bit too easy. “Where are we going, anyway? You guys said you had a place in mind.”

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