Page 26 of Prideful Union
I try not to flush, but I can feel the heat on my face. “Don’t.”
She places the phone to her ear. “It’s ringing.”
“Don’t.” I grab the phone out of her hand and throw it onto the ground.
She gasps. “How dare you!”
The other women swarm around. “That was completely rude,” Isabella says.
“Yeah,” Emma and Arianna say in unison.
“You’re paying for this,” Alexandra says, lifting her broken phone. “And Santinowillhear about this.” She huffs and walks away, her entourage following her.
Shit. She’s going to call Santino, and he’s going to find out I’m missing.
I leave the club and hurry home, but when I step through the front door, Santino is already waiting for me.
“Care to explain what you were doing at a club? Without me?” he asks in a scarily calm voice.
“Can’t I go where I want, when I want?”
“No,” he says flatly.
“I just wanted to dance. Ok? And I take it Alexandria told you I was there?”
“She was. She thought I wouldn’t approve, and she was right. I don’t approve. You’re supposed to be home.”
I place my hands on my hips. “Well, you never told me that. So …”
“You’re playing with fire, Lucia.” He steps right up to me, so we’re toe-to-toe.
“I think you underestimate me. I am fire, Santino.”
He smirks. “You think you’re so tough. You won’t be once I’m done with you.”
“Why’re you so mean? I just wanted to go dancing, all right?”
“Why?”
“Because you refuse to dance with me!” My voice echoes through the cavernous foyer.
He stares at me for a moment. “I told you I don’t like?—”
“To dance,” I finish for him. “Yeah, I know. Which is fine, but don’t stop me from dancing.”
“Go upstairs. It’s dark out. You need your beauty rest.”
“Why?”
“For what’s going to happen tomorrow. I’m going to punish you for sneaking out.”
I snort. “You sound like you’re trying to be my father. Which is gross, Santino. Besides, you don’t get to stand there all high and mighty. Alexandria told me you used to date. Why didn’t you mention that to me?”
“Because it wasn’t important. It was a brief relationship. That’s all.”
“Did you break up with her, or did she break up with you?”
“Why does it matter?”
