“Primarily,” Christian says, drawing my full attention back, “designating you as my sister means hands off,” he says, giving me a significant look. I smile a little, liking to see his protective side. “Does it also mean I get a share in the Romano fortune?” I ask, dry, and Christian laughs, instan
Christian groans as I look down into my lap, intuiting that he’s hurt my feelings, and then he scootches closer to me. “Don’t look like that, Iris,” he murmurs, putting a warm hand on my shoulder, “you’re breaking my heart.” “I don’t want to be a burden to you, Christian,” I sigh, looking down int
We sit quietly for a long moment and I let him have his space, studying the top of his head, his thick dark hair, while he stares into his laps and processes…whatever it is he’s processing. Suddenly, he starts. “Hey,” he says, raising his head with interest. “Do you remember what we used to get to
I smirk a little, turning back to my work, turning the churros over as they turn a nice golden brown. “Do you have any chocolate in your room, Frankie?” I ask, knowing the answer already. “Of course I do.” “Go and get it – I’ll make a dipping sauce.” He hesitates for a second, but I laugh and
I sigh, inwardly, a little tired of getting friend-zoned. That’s twice in one day – in one hour – after all. I ignore it, though, gesturing for Christian to bring the next paper-towel laden plate over me. A door slams behind me down the hall. “What am I smelling?” Nico calls, walking curiously int
“What!?” Frankie gasps, staring at Christian now. “Boss, you can’t be serious –“ “Listen, I get it, she’s a great girl, she can cook – but I said hands off,” Christian says, jerking his head towards the door. “Ten laps around the block. Now.” Frankie’s mouth drops open as my eyes go wide. Ten la
I laugh a little, and I’m pleased to see the little smirk on his face, that he’s not actually that mad to have been caught. “Figure it out yet?” I say, slowly stepping closer until there’s just a hand’s breadth between us. He sighs deeply and then drops his hand from his face, looking down into
I rush into my room, slamming the door behind me, panting a little with anxiety as I spin and stare at the doorknob. What – what the hell is happening!? I attune my ears, instinctually, towards the living room, desperate to know what is happening. Even though Christian wants to keep me away from t
A small smile creeps on Leo’s lips. “Yeah, okay,” he says, relaxing back against our chair. “Our secret.” I grin at my baby, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek, because my boy can’t resist a secret.“What’s all this?”I turn to see Christian standing at the open door, peering into the dining
The danger. It’s…it’s far too poignant.My heart breaking, I open a private browsing tab on the web browser and quickly search for Craigslist in both this city and Athens, Greece. As I do my memory goes back to a conversation I had with Frankie, when he told me that this is the best way he knows for
I stand frozen, staring down at the letter as it sits on the little hall desk, my breath coming in fluttery little gasps.The words are very simple.There are vineyards in Greece as well. I’ll take you there.I read it again and again as my heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing with a mix of h
“You don’t know anything about my life,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, turning my eyes back down to the dishes. “I had no choice.”“You think you’re the only one who suffered?” Lucy whispers. “You think I wanted to be in this position? We were friends once, Iris. We were good to each other. Bu
“Mommyyyy,” Leo says, looking anxiously towards the kitchen door, shifting from foot to floor. “Hurry up! Aunt Bianca says we have to go!”I laugh, glancing down at my little boy, who looks so adorable in the private school uniform he wears to Kindergarten – crisp white shirt, navy blazer, his dark
But…was it? Was it me, missing Chris? Wanting to have yet another piece of him, even if I long denied wanting any ties to my past life?I look down, my heart heavy, not truly understanding what I think or what I feel.“I mean it, Iris,” Chris says, his voice steady and cool. “I’ll be a father to her
My heart sinks as I look Christian in the eyes – because beyond all hope, I had been praying that he hadn’t noticed that Leo is his son. But how could I have been so naïve? Leo looks just like him - dark hair, striking grey-blue eyes. The resemblance is unmistakable. I feel a wave of guilt crashing
“Yes,” he answers, a growl in his voice. “That should suit just fine.”I laugh at the irony in this and shake my head, looking away. “So now you want me to come back, to pretend as if nothing ever happened? You expect me to just accept this, the way things are now?”Christian opens his mouth to resp
Disappointment floods my chest, a sense of disbelief washing over me. “You think I would trust you again after everything? After how you treated me? You expect me to just come back and forget?”His eyes narrow, disappointment etched into his features. “You were faithless. I thought you’d be loyal. I