CHAPTER FIVE

He knows my name.

Alessandro Moretti knows my name.

The Prince of the Underworld knows my name.

It's been a week since he cornered me in the diner's bathroom, and he's all I can think about.

I imagine seeing a black sports car on my way to school every day, but it's all in my imagination.

I haven't seen his car following me again. I don't know if I should be relieved, but in reality, I'm just disappointed.

I don't know what the hell I was expecting, that he would follow me every day? That he will push me into a wall and do what?

Kiss me senseless?

The thought alone has my blood boiling, and I want to slap the image of him out of my brain.

The number of times I had to remind myself that I'm not that girl is completely laughable.

You see all those giggling females I thought were complete idiots wearing short skirts and tight shirts just to impress a boy? Those girls whom I, Farrah Simpson, thought had the brain cells of a cauliflower?

I completely fucking understand now.

Those girls are all hipnotized by testosterone.

The only explanation can be science.

That is the only explanation my heart and brain are willing to accept. '

"Are you okay?"I hear Sammy ask behind me.

I'm currently peeping through the only plausible window our apartment has, thinking maybe the black car is somewhere I could see it.

"Totes fine."I reply absentmindedly.

You see the word "totes"there? Not in my vocabulary.

There must be a virus in my DNA.

"Are you sure?"She keeps going on. "You have been like this for a while now. Should I call Phoebe?"

Now most people would say that Phoebe is the pretty one and I'm the brainy one, even though only two years separate us from being almost identical twins.

Now, I would definitely know if Sammy would tell Phoebe I've been acting weird and she does not know why, Phoebe would most definitely know why.

Although Phoebe might not be brainy and what society would call smart, she would without a doubt know something's up with me.

And I really don't want anyone to know.

I feel like a teenager, just gravitating her sexuality wherever it may go. Maybe I'll even go to a frat party, anything is possible with me feeling so awakened.

I turn towards Phoebe and plaster a smile on my face. "I'm great, really, maybe just a little tired."

"Okay." She answers hesitantly, but there's still doubt in her eyes.

"Do you want some coffee? I'm going to get some at that new coffee shop around the corner."

"I'm fine with instant." She shrugs. "Besides, rent is almost due, I don't wanna go over our limit."

"I have two assignments due on Friday, I need the good stuff." I hastily put on my sneakers and grab my bag. "I'll see you in a few."

I had to get away from the concern in her gaze, I can't tell her what's up with me. She wouldn't understand, right now I don't even understand. Plus, the guy I'm infatuated with is most likely a criminal.

I thought Sammy was silly in the club, but I've been going through articles about him and his family the whole week. And where there is smoke, there is always a fire.

I shouldn't waste my time thinking about him. He's bad news, but the combination of his looks and the hint of danger intrigues me even more.

I stop by the ATM to withdraw money for the coffee. This is my ritual, so I can always know how much I have left and how much I spend. I never swipe my card for purchases. Otherwise, I buy things I really don't need.

There are ten thousand dollars in my account.

Ten fucking thousand dollars!

Where the hell did it come from? Who the hell did it come from!

My heart pounds in my ear as I make my way to the coffee shop and buy two Americanos.

I've never had money, I grew up in a tattered two-bedroom house where we sometimes didn't even have enough to eat. I had a mother who didn't really give a shit either. So I started working as soon as someone wanted to hire me.

Phoebe always thought I was mad, she definitely used her looks to get by, but that's what our mother did and I was never going to be like her.

So in my entire life I have never had anything close to ten thousand dollars.

It must be some mistake, some glitch in the bank's system. It's probably going to be gone in the morning when the bank realizes its mistake. Yes, that's what it is.

Except, in the morning it's still there. I check my bank statements, the money was sent from M.Holdings.

Alessandro's surname is M. Is it from him?

It can't be, how the hell would he have my bank details and why would he send me money? We don't even know each other.

I have a shift at the supermarket after class, but I quickly run to the bank. I've never been late, so I know they will forgive my one transgression.

Luckily there's no line at the enquiries counter.

"How may I help you sweetie?" The lady behind the counter asks with a smile.

"Hi." I try to smile back, but I'm just so nervous. "I just want to enquire about a transaction on my account."

I hand her my card and she starts typing on her keyboard.

"There's an amount that was tranfered, can you see who it's from?"

The lady frowns at her computer screen before looking up at me. "The amount was sent from M.Holdings, that's the only information available on here."

"So it wasn't a mistake from the bank?" I ask. I was sure it was a mistake from the bank.

"No, dear." She smiles again and hands me my card back. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

Enjoy the rest of my day?

There's ten thousand dollars in my account, from God knows where.

I have a hunch it's from Alessandro Moretti.

The question is why?

And how the hell do I get in touch with him?