Page 17 of Already His

Chapter 10

Mia

Sunday rolled around, and I got ready for my cousin’s First Communion.

Simone Masteiri came to pick me up in his Lancia. This was my life now, I’d better get used to it. On the way to the church, he put his hand on my knee, and I almost bolted.

“Your father invited me for dinner later, but I was thinking, we should go out the two of us if you’re feeling better,” he said. I’d cried off the date the night before, citing illness. I nodded numbly.

“Sure, if you want.”

“Great,” Simone said, steering the car into the church car park. My phone rang in my bag, and he glanced at it.

“You should get it,” he said. I shook my head, worried it was Elliot.

“Really, Mia don’t let me stop you. I always hate it when people don’t answer when you call,” he muttered, concentrating on reverse parking. I picked up the call and Elliot’s voice sent a wash of warmth across me.

“Mia sweetheart, how are you?”

“I’m fine. Well, I’m at church, but other than that… fine. How was your trip?”

“Uneventful. I missed you,” Elliot said directly. I glanced at Simone, paranoid he might hear. I couldn’t think of a reply to that, so I held my tongue. The silence stretched between us. “Mia, what’s wrong?” Elliot asked. I shook my head, forgetting a moment that he couldn’t see me. The car had stopped, and I got out, gesturing to Simone that I had to step away. I went to the corner of the car park where a big tree threw shade across the asphalt.

“Nothing, not really. Look, Elliot, you really don’t have to do this. Call me, check in on me. Yes, it was my first time, but I’m not going to go all bunny boiler on you,” I said in a tone that was as close to normal as I could manage right now.

“What are you talking about Mia?” Elliot asked curtly. I swallowed his demanding words.

“I’m talking about the fact that we had fun, and now… it’s over.” I said.

“Over? Are you kidding? Where are you?” Elliot’s incredulous tone shifted to one of resolve.

“It doesn’t matter, we don’t need to talk in person, anyway, I’m with someone else. He wouldn’t like it if you showed up,” I said, feeling like I was hammering the final nail into the coffin of the sweet dream that was Elliot Winter.

“You’re with someone else?” Elliot’s tone was glacial, and I suddenly had the impression that he would be a terrifying man to disappoint, never mind face across a courtroom.

“Yes, a family friend my father introduced me-“

The dial tone sounded in my ear. I stared at my phone. The arrogant bastard hung up on me. Well, I guess he was entitled to, but being cut off mid confession was jarring.

“Mia! Carina, come over here!” My father was gesturing toward the door to the church. I slipped my phone back in my bag and made my way toward them. Time to smile and pretend. Nothing I wasn’t used to.

* * *

Elliot

I don’t remember ever being as angry as I was when Mia told me she was with another man. I’m a rational, logical person, I uphold the law and see that justice is done, but in that moment, if I’d been there, I would have ripped him to pieces.

I quickly ascertained where Mia was from researching Roman Catholic churches in her old neighbourhood and got lucky on my second one. There was a first communion going on inside, which I knew to be Mia’s cousin. I paced outside like a tiger in a cage, waiting for feeding time. Mia was mine, she had given everything to me, and in return, I would give her everything. This wasn’t a case of infatuation, or even falling in love… it was too far gone for that. I was too far gone. I loved her, recognised her as mine from the moment we’d met. And she in return, loved me just as madly, even if she was too confused to see it. Being outside the church I could imagine exactly the kind of confusing guilt-driven sacrifices she thought she was making to appease her father, and I wasn’t going to let it happen.

When the service finally let out, I pushed inside against the throng. I looked for Mia’s white-blonde hair and saw her standing near the altar, beside a heavyset man and an older man, who was no doubt her father. I strode down the aisle toward them and ignored the people who dove out my path.

“Elliot! What are you doing here?” Mia hissed, her eyes widening into shock as she saw me barreling toward her.

“We need to talk. Privately,” I bit out, sending an icy look at the man I could only imagine was her father’s top pick. It only angered me more to see how little he valued his daughter that he would pressure her into a relationship with someone she was so obviously uncomfortable around. She came toward me, and took my arm, pulling me away from the men, just as her father spoke up.

“Mia, who is this man?” he demanded.

“He’s a friend, and a client, papa, don’t worry,” Mia said, as she dragged me toward the back of the church. Ignoring the men’s confused and alarmed looks, I let her guide me behind the church, into a room with trestle tables, and coffee and tea debris spread over every surface.

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