Chapter 1

Celestine's POV

He is here. Lorenzo Ademaro.

I'm frozen, paralyzed in my seat, and probably staring at him like some kind of imbecile.

He is here? Why? How? When?

So many questions run through my mind as I sit there, my heart beating against my chest so loudly, I swear everyone in the room can hear it.

He directs those pale green eyes to me, and I see the same thoughts in my head pass through them. The same surprise. The same questions. Then it changes to heat. His eyes pierce through mine, and I'm helpless to stop the heat that rises to my cheek as they stay on me.

The only thing I can think about now with those eyes fixed on me is the last week we spent together at his family beach house—the heat of his breath on my face that made me feel hotter, the feel of him being inside me, making me writhe and pant under him, unsure if I wanted him to stop from it being too much or if I never wanted him to move even an inch away from me, but all that was before. Before he left me the next week. Without a word.

We must have been staring at each other for quite some time because my mother's voice cuts through the haze of my memories with that motherly edge to it. “Celestine?” She says, turning my attention from Lorenzo to her. “Do you know Lorenzo?”

Do I know Lorenzo? Hell yes, I do…did. In every sense of the word. I knew how his lips taste. Knew how his hands felt on me. Knew how his cock felt when he slides it into me and how his heartbeat sounds when I have my ears pressed against his chest as we cuddle. Something we did all the time.

He was the boy I lost my virginity to and me his. The only boy I have ever told “I love you” to. So yes, I did know him, but I'm not about to tell her that.

“No, I don't,” I lie through my teeth, making sure my face is set straight, so she doesn't see through the lie.

In terms of the worst moments of my life, sitting here in this restaurant beside my mom with Lorenzo right in front of me and acting like I don't have the greatest urge to stand up, walk over to him and give him a slap that is sure to make his head turn has to be on the top of the list.

My mom stands up, tapping me lightly on the shoulder as a signal to do the same. “This is Cade Ademaro.” She gestures to the older man standing beside Lorenzo, who I just now notice. He is a few inches shorter than Lorenzo, but he has the same jet-black hair and pale blue eyes, so basically he is just like an older version of him.

“Hello, Celestine.” Cade steps closer to the table and extends his hand to me for a handshake, which I accept. He is looking at me with that look reserved for puppies, cats, and all things adorable. “Your mom has told me so much about you.” He drops my hand, and it falls limply to my side. “It's so nice to finally meet you.” If he were an animation character, he would have stars shining in his eyes with how hard he beams at me.

Before I can think about why he seems so happy, my mom speaks again. “The man standing beside him is his son, Lorenzo Ademaro,” She informs, this time, gesturing to Lorenzo.

Trust me, I already know his name, seeing as I had screamed it out loud a million times while my nails were dug into his shoulders as I clung onto him for dear life.

Lorenzo steps forward, just one step, then he pauses.

“Lorenzo,” his father calls out in a stern voice, a warning edge to it.

He moves again and stands in front of me with his hand extended out. Now, I'm the one who hesitates as I stare at his outstretched hand like it is attached to the body of an alien.

A nudge to my side from my mom brings me back to reality and the present, with Lorenzo still standing in front of me with his hands out, waiting for a handshake from me. A jolt goes through me when my hand connects with his, and I just as quickly pull away. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Lorenzo.” I make sure my voice doesn't have a hint of familiarity to it as I say his name for the first time in… How long? A year? Oh, who am I even kidding? I have been counting every day since he left. It has been exactly two painstakingly long years with three months.

“I'm pleased to meet you too, Celestine.” Like me, his voice doesn't give away any emotion but just hearing it after so long sends a shiver down my spine.

“Hey, Lorenzo. It's nice to finally meet you.” Mom to Lorenzo.

“Likewise.” He nods his head at her, but there is a tilt to it. Is that anger?

“Ok. Let's all have our seats.” This comes from Cade who walks around the square table to my mom, pulls her chair out, and pushes it in when she settles into it. All this he does with a wide grin on his face, nearly splitting it into two halves.

“Thank you.” My mom's voice is tiny and…is that a blush?

It is halfway into our very awkward meal, at least for me and Lorenzo, who looks like he would kill to be anywhere but here. At least that's what I notice from the side glances I have been stealing at him.

“We have something to tell you guys.” Cade takes my mom's hands into his, gripping them tightly. They are very touchy. Too touchy, in fact. That's when it clicks in.

Oh my God

It's like all the wheels in my head clicked into place. CLACK! I know what they have to say before they even say it, but I can't bring myself to believe it's true. I hope it isn't.

“We have been meaning to make an announcement soon, but we thought it would be better to let you two know first.” He clears his throat, loosening his tie a bit, as though it were restricting air from entering his lungs.

No, no, no. This can't be happening.

“Well…” Another clearing of his throat.

My mom takes over, patting his hands in reassurance. “This may come as a shock, but-” I see her lips move as the words form and I hear them, but they don't register in my brain.

The words flow over my head, and I look over to Lorenzo to find him staring at our parents in disbelief.

Did she just say they are getting married? Lorenzo will be my step-brother?

I'm so fucked.