Page 77 of A Game So Reckless

“Focus on that, then. Make it a good one,ragazza. Remind this city who we are. Make them forget all about that shitshow in August.”

The rain has just begun to fall when he leaves. I stand in the doorway, looking out as Papà and two of his men get into a vehicle and drive away. The rain becomes a downpour. A wall of rushing water that turns the world into smudges of what used to be shapes I once recognized.

Darragh has business with my papà. How the hell did he go from the Titones’ most hated enemy to someone we’re working with? Does Elio know about this? I can’t imagine he’d welcome Darragh with open arms – or an open wallet – after everything that happened with Deirdre.

Is Darragh trying to intimidate me?

Is he trying to show me just how far he can force himself into my world?

Whatever his intentions, whatever his dark purpose, he vanishes just as easily as he appeared in the kitchen yesterday.

I don’t see him in my home again.

Chapter31

Valentina

“Where’s your mask?”

Curse stares blankly at me from the foyer as I come down the stairs towards him. I shake my own mask at him – creamy satin and edged with gold lace – to show him what I mean.

“It’s a masquerade ball,” I remind him. “You’re supposed to be wearing a mask. It’s a whole theme.”

Curse is in his usual simple black shirt and black pants. I roll my eyes and give up, knowing I won’t get anywhere with him. He, Elio, and I are all stubborn in our own ways. Curse is the quietly implacable one. He’d probably let me go on and on about the event’s dress code until I was blue in the face, and then he’d just open the door for me and expect me to go get in the car.

“Fine. I guess you’re not technically a guest, anyway.” Unlike Mamma and Giulia and Lucia and me, Curse isn’t attending to smile for the cameras and wave around a bunch of cash. He’s there as security.

“Ready?” he asks, watching me put on my mask.

“Yes – shit! No. Hold on. I forgot my phone.”

I hike up my skirt. It matches my mask, with the same colour scheme of cream and gold, along with a tight-fitting bodice and an ankle-length skirt with a slit up the side.

It looks fucking fantastic. But it’s not so easy to run up the stairs in it. Especially when you add in the sky-high gold heels.

By the time I reach my room, I’m kind of sweaty. I take my mask back off and use it to fan my face as I hustle across the room to my vanity table where my phone is. I pick it up and take one last look at myself in the mirror.

I’ve kept my makeup simple, considering the mask is the main event when it comes to my face. A sweep of glittering, gold-hued bronzer on my cheeks and a clear gloss on my lips. My hair is where I put the real effort in. Hours spent curling, twisting, and braiding it has resulted in a complex, voluminous, vaguely-Grecian look that even I’m slightly in awe of, and I’m the one who freaking did it. My dark hair is held in place with gold pins with pearls studded on the ends.

After adjusting a couple of the pins, I nod at my reflection and snatch up my phone. Opening my gold clutch, I go to put it in, then freeze.

The square shape of a solitary silver wrapper is nestled at one end of the clutch. The ring-like shape of the condom inside it stares at me like an eye.

I hesitate, my blood turning to lava and scalding me from the inside out.

I shouldn’t have this. Papà would lose his mind if he knew.

He’d probably have a stroke if he knew this wasn’t even the only one. I’ve got a few more hidden in my bedside drawer, as well as sprinkled in other various purses I use with different outfits. A week ago, I asked Lucia to get them for me. She’s a nurse, and she has reasons to be in pharmacies and handling medical and health-stuff like this all the time. And, unlike her sister, Giulia, I know that I can trust her not to be a lovable but unstoppable loudmouth about it. She didn’t give me a hard time about it at all.

She didn’t even ask me who I’d use them with.

My mouth is sandpaper dry when I remember my hairbrained scheme.

The crazy idea about letting Darragh take my virginity. So that I can save myself from something worse.

I don’t even know if I’d have the guts to go through with it at this point.

But I want to be prepared. I haven’t seen Darragh since that day in my kitchen, but he has a habit of popping up when I least expect him. The next time I’m alone with him, I don’t want to be caught out.

---