“Man, Valerio with a fiancée. Who would have thought that would ever happen?” Cass asked with a mischievous smirk on his face.
“I’ve always been engaged,” he said.
Luna didn’t even attempt to hide the grin that settled on her face. He wore her initial around his neck proudly, claiming their relationship to everyone. God, it drove her wild.
He kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other hand on her thigh. They chatted for what seemed like hours, telling stories about Italy and a younger Valerio. The one Luna never got to know but so badly wished she did.
Gianna gasped. “Oh my God, this is my song! Let’s go,” she said, ordering the other girls up.
Luna stood, practically peeling Valerio’s hands off of her. “I’ll be right back,” she said with a grin when he rolled his eyes.
“Stay where I can see you,” he said, kissing her.
Luna nodded, walking with her friends to where everyone else was dancing. Somehow Dante had managed to turn their home into a club and the atmosphere was perfect for her to lose herself to the music. Blair chatted with Cass, who joined them on the dance floor soon enough. Cecilia had disappeared somewhere, so it was only Luna and Gianna.
“Do you see anyone attractive here?” Gianna asked, eyeing the crowds around her. “Because I don’t.”
“I’m not going to answer that question,” Luna said.
“I can’t leave the party without someone,” she said with a frown. “I need someone to dance with at least, and I won’t dance with any of my brother’s friends.”
“Well, Cass looks available if you change your mind,” Luna said, noticing Blair wasn’t near him anymore. He was back at the table where he sat with Valerio, Zahir and a new person.
Her eyes narrowed at the blonde sitting next to Valerio, chatting with the group as if she had known them forever. She was beautiful. Her hair flowed down to her waist, her smile was sparkling white, and she gazed at Valerio with a little too much familiarity.
Luna’s heart dropped, a bitter sensation coming over her. Immediately the dress she wore felt uncomfortable. Gianna was long gone dancing with some guy now, but she spotted Dante stumbling around instead.
She made her way over, grabbing him by the arm. “Who is that girl sitting next to Valerio?” she asked, her voice holding a dangerous edge.
“Hello to you too, sister-in-law.” He hiccupped, slurring his words.
“Dante, look over there,” she said, moving his head to the side so he could stare at the table. “Who is that girl?”
“Who, Sophia?” he asked. “She’s the banging girl he was supposed to marry before you.” He let out a ridiculous laugh as if it was the funniest thing he had ever said.
Luna’s heart stopped. Her mind hyper focused on what he said, and it was enough to make her feel humiliated. Her body heated up from a deep-seated anger she had never felt before. That was the girl Valerio was supposed to end up with, not Luna.
If he had been freed from their contract, was she his second stop? The thought made her sick. She ditched Dante, walking up to the table now with quick, heavy steps.
Her hands shook, but the adrenaline was pushing through the moment she heard Sophia laugh at something Cass said. She sat between Valerio and Zahir, and even though he sat at least two feet away from her and drank out of his cup looking out at the crowd with a bored expression, Luna felt enraged. Just knowing who that girl was, knowing she probably had some sort of attraction to Valerio (because why wouldn’t she), andknowing that she approached him when Luna wasn’t there sent her off even more. Nothing could have calmed her mind at that moment.
Luna cut into the conversation between Sophia and Zahir, plastering on a fake smile. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met,” she said, sticking her hand out to Sophia.
“Luna,” Valerio said, trying to grab her. His eyes gleamed as if he was happy to see her, but she ignored him.
“I’m Sophia,” the girl said, shaking her hand. Even her fucking hand was soft and perfectly manicured.
“I’m Luna, his fiancée,” she said, shaking the girl’s hand with too much intensity. “How do you all know each other?”
“We all go way back,” Cass said with a wicked smile on his face.
Sophia gave an awkward smile. “It was nice meeting you, but I should get back to my friends.”
She stood, slipping past Luna, who refused to move from her spot. Luna didn’t say a word, just watched Sophia walk away, before turning to Valerio who already had his gaze locked on her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Luna huffed, walking away from him. She stomped through the dance floor and up the stairs, bumping her shoulder into people who refused to move. She knew Valerio was following behind her, but she didn't care. Her mind was already driving her wild with a million thoughts of how perfect of a couple Sophia and Valerio would have been. Both attractive, tall, perfectly built, not like Luna’s shorter frame with more curves and bumps than she would prefer.