Page 28 of Prince of Malice

“Oh I know it was good for you. Trust me.”

“Shut up,” he says as he slaps my chest with his palm.

“Alright, alright.” I laugh. “Was this… Was this the right thing to do?”

Luca looks me in the eyes and hesitates. “I… I…” he stutters and looks around. “I need to go.” Luca’s big blue eyes go even wider as he lifts himself from my chest, panicking and pulling his pants up around his waist.

“What? Why?”

Luca doesn’t say anything. He just continues to struggle to get his clothes on in the cramped car.

“Luca?” I demand. My voice resounds around the back cabin, startling him to a halt.

“I’m sorry,” Luca utters. He looks at me, “I need to get back. My dad will realize how long I’ve been out and start to check on me.”

“Yeah,” I murmur. “Sure…” I grab my jacket from the floor and sling it around my shoulders. “What did you tell him you were doing?”

“Huh?”

“You borrowed the car and came all the way out here. What did you say?”

He zips his fly back up and fastens hisbelt around himself. “Oh, right. I just said I had to go pick up a friend who got himself into trouble…”

We stare at each other.

“I should probably get back to him.” He pushes the door beside me open and gives me an awkward smile.

I shuffle myself out of the back seat.

Stepping out onto the alleyway’s asphalt, I give Luca one last look through the rear window of the car while walking back to Angelo’s car. My hand rests against the door handle, not quite ready to open it. I keep watching Luca through the windows as he shifts around in the back seat, getting his clothes back to normal as much as he can. Finally, he switches the key in the ignition, and pulls the car out of the alley as he heads off down the street.

He just left. For the second time, he leaves me all alone.

I shake the overbearing thoughts away, gripping the handle of the car door with too much force, and yank it open. Dropping myself onto the seat, I slam the door shut behind me. Still reeling from everything thatjust happened, I just sit there staring blankly forward.

Fists clenched, I slam them against the steering wheel, letting out a frustrated grunt as they impact against the leather.

I can’t believe I let him do that again.

Somehow it feels worse this time. I don’t know if it’s because I was the one to initiate or because we went so much further than before. Maybe it’s both.

I wish I could forget about him, and push any thoughts and feelings for Luca far from my mind. It would be better for me and my family. Making what we have into anything more could not only tear me apart but also decimate what little cooperation the Rossis have with the Valentis. My mom will kill me if I’m the one that messes this up for everyone.

I have to forget about him. Move on.

But I can’t. I just can’t manage to forget about him. Even before tonight, he was on my mind almost constantly. I just couldn’t admit it. But now…? Now I’ve done more than just admit it. There’s just something about him. He just has some kind of pull. He feels like a magnet; no matter what I do or where I go, I always seem to be drawn to him one way or another.

If I’m going to be pulled toward him, is resisting it even worth anything? Or should I just give in and let myself go to him?

It doesn’t matter right now. Dwelling on it and beating myself up over it won’t change the fact that I’m in a high-profile car in the middle of downtown Montcove after fleeing the scene of an illegal street race that I won, in some random alleyway after hooking up with the son of one of the city’s most renowned crime bosses.

How did I get myself into this?

Angelo!

I had completely forgotten about him.

Fumbling around for my phone tucked away in one of my pockets, I take it out and frantically dial his number.

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