Page 86 of Petrichor

My eyes catch Luca at the bar flirting with a cute guy. He seems smooth and full of confidence.

“Cosa vuoi bere, Amore?” Marco asks me. I’m taking Italian classes on Zoom, and Marco started communicating with me with easy phrases throughout the day to make me more accustomed to the language. My favorite word isamore, especially when he addsmioto it.My love.I feel all tingly every time I hear it.

“What I want to drink? A Bloody Mary.” He raises an eyebrow at my drink request—surely remembering that night two months ago—but still orders it as the waiter passes by our table.

“Keep it in your glass this time.” He lets go of my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulders, and with his fingers, he starts to play with the chain around my neck.

Marco shows that he has a right to me anywhere we go. All of New York City knows who I belong to by now.

“You can’t make me pay for your suit again,” I state, leaning slightly toward him.

His nostrils flare, and his eyes darken. It feels so good to know I have the power to rile him up.

“Because I always carry this now.” I turn to my bag; Marco bought me a new one since we could never find what Jerry did with mine. Three weeks, and it's already overflowing with stuff. After a few seconds—maybe a little longer, when did I get tarot cards?—I find the stain remover bottle.

His eyes glance at it before moving back to my face. His lips twitch and then curl at the corner. The crooked smile he gives me is sexy as fuck and filled with wicked promises. “Oh, I’d make you pay me back.” Luca drops into the chair next to Marco as my fiancé adds, “With moans andscreams.”

“We already heard them ten minutes ago,” Luca states before taking a sip from his beer bottle.

I feel my neck and cheeks turning warm, while Marco grunts, all proud.

“Don’t worry, Fly. It’s not the first time he fucked someone in a public place.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Thank you for reminding me about Marco’s past hookups.”

“He was with one of them when you met him.”

Marco growls, “This again?! Shut the fuck up.”

An unperturbed Luca asks me, “What’s with the bottle of detergent?”

I look down at the stain remover I’m still holding and unceremoniously toss it back inside my bag. “Just in case.” I shrug.

He doesn’t seem interested in questioning me further, but instead he points at the ring on my hand. “Is that an engagement ring?”

“What the fuck do you think?” Marco deadpans, pulling me closer to him.

“For real? Congrats!” His felicitations sound sincere as he raises his beer at us.

Marco makes a throaty sound, while I feel giddy. It’s important that his family approves of me. I want them to trust me.

“Why the ring? Everybody and their mother knows Fly is yours. The angry growly sounds you make at whomever looks at him leave no doubt.” Luca is right. Marco’s possessiveness would bother most people, but I crave it, maybe because I’ve had such a lack of affection in my life.

Luca suddenly frowns at us. “Did you just propose in a bar bathroom?”

I nod, kissing Marco’s neck.

“So what?” he barks at Luca.

“Did he kneel?” Luca asks.

“In a public bathroom?” I retort.

“Shit, why did you settle, Fly?” Luca keeps taunting Marco. “You’re a catch, while my brother here is…well…”

“Eat shit!”

“Then cook something.”

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