Page 39 of Vendetta
‘But hedidkiss my hand when he dropped me off. Does that count? It wassoromantic.’
‘That definitely counts!’ I reassured her as I hurried past Nic’s house. ‘OK, now you can hang up,’ I said once I was safely on the other side and the mansion was stretching into the sky behind me. I turned left and my path began to wind downhill again.
‘Text me when you get in. Safe home.’
‘Bye!’
‘Sophie!’ A voice called out just as I was putting my phone back in my bag.
I turned around, feeling a familiar jolt in my stomach. Irecognized him immediately, running towards me with his hood up.
I responded with calculated calmness, trying to keep my dreadful enthusiasm from making me burst into an arms-flailing sprint towards him. ‘Nic?’
He came to an easy stop and lowered his hood. His smile lit up his face. ‘Hi.’
‘What are you doing?’ I asked.
‘You don’t sound too happy to see me,’ he noted. Small dents appeared above his brows and his smile faltered. ‘Maybe I underestimated how well you would take me chasing after you like a maniac…’
‘Why? I mean it workedso wellthe last time,’ I teased.
His expression turned remorseful but he couldn’t hide his smirk. ‘I should have learnt my lesson, right? I didn’t mean to startle you.’
‘It’s fine,’ I assured him. ‘It’s just, you came out of nowhere.’
Relief swept across his features. ‘I was about to come see you at the diner and then I saw you passing by my house so I figured I’d seize the opportunity.’
‘At least you didn’t crash into me this time.’ I clutched at my chest in feigned relief. ‘I might have had to kick your ass.’
‘How terrifying,’ he said, still smiling.
‘Hey!’ I punched his arm playfully, revelling in the familiarity that existed between us. ‘I’ll have you know I can be very intimidating.’
‘I’m sure those tiny fists are very powerful.’
I punched him again, but this time he caught my hand beneath his, trapping it mid-assault. ‘I heard you came to my house today.’ All of a sudden his expression had turnedserious, and his eyes had lost their warmth. ‘Don’t ever come to my house.’
I slid my hand out from under his, turned from him and started walking again. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t.’
‘Sophie.’ He jogged after me. ‘That came out wrong, sorry.’
‘I was just returning your hoodie,’ I replied, keeping my attention focused ahead of me as I walked. ‘It was the polite thing to do. Now I see it was the wrong decision, and before you start, don’t worry, your brother Valentino already made it perfectly clear I was unwelcome, so you don’t need to bother.’
‘Just let me explain.’ He sped up, then turned around and began walking backwards so he could face me and keep up at the same time.
I blew a stray strand of hair from my eyes and glowered at him.
‘I don’t mean your presence is unwelcome. I really like seeing you… I’m just wary, that’s all.’
‘Of me?’
‘No, not of you,’ he said, pulling at his hair. ‘Of my family. Some of them are really strange.’
So he was embarrassed. Well, that wasn’t the worst reason not to want me parading through his house.
‘I met Felice,’ I offered. ‘If that’s what you’re referring to.’
Nic winced. ‘I know,’ he said. ‘He’s very intense.’
