Page 2 of Stealing His Christmas Present

“So?” Mom asked.

“I like it,” I said.

Her lips spread into a wide smile. “I knew it!”

“Are you okay?” Stella asked, her smile fading.

“Yeah, sure.” I forced my lips into a smile.

Still, I glanced toward the window.

Was Pablo out there somewhere? In Spain? Or was he dead?

It was something I was never going to find out, and it was better like that.

***

AS STELLA, MOM, ANDI were in the car and on our way home, I leaned my head against the window. No matter how much I wanted to stop thinking about Pablo, I couldn’t.

I thought about him so often it was probably not healthy, but I couldn’t help it, and I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it because they’d get worried for nothing.

It was so easy for my mind to whisk me away into a memory.

Back in Spain.

Back at college.

I was so happy then. For the first time ever, I wasn’t holed up in my home. For the first time, Stella and I got to pretend we were just regular college students.

Normal people.

Sure, it was a private college for rich kids, but it didn’t matter. Being a mafia princess sucked because I usually couldn’t go anywhere on my own, and I couldn’t hang out with normal people because there was always a risk something bad might happen.

We had guards, but they were pretending to be students too, so they couldn’t always be around us, especially when Stella and I were in our dorm room.

I’d befriended some girls, and they invited me to a party. Even though common sense told me I should stay in my room, I ignored it.

We were miles and miles away from home.

No one knew who I was because we were using fake identities. Going to a nightclub to party with plenty of students couldn’t hurt, right?

I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do something like that. It was a unique opportunity.

For once, I’d be free.

Completely free.

Normal.

When I entered the club, a thrill surged through me. It was amazing.

The lights. The music. The people.

I danced like I’d never danced before, shaking my hips and raising my arms up.

Then my gaze lifted to a pair of eyes that were so dark I thought they’d swallow me whole.

Strange energy overcame me as his eyes held mine and then traveled my body.

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