019

Caterina.

"Surprise!!"

I had the widest grin on my face as I rang the doorbell, the words tumbling from my lips just as the door swung open to reveal Alicia, my closest... no, best friend.

For a moment, she simply stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief before she let out a gasp, her hands flying to her mouth.

I had no warning before she launched herself at me, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.

There was no day Alicia didn't text me even when I didn't reply.

"You crazy, reckless idiot!" Alicia exclaimed, half laughing, half crying. "I was going to kill you for agreeing to marry that butt of a man the moment I stepped out of the country, and then allowed yourself to be taken by another idiot before I could come back!"

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle, hugging her just as tightly. "Yeah, I know. Life's been... complicated."

Really complicated.

Alicia pulled away then, just enough to look at me. Even with all my years of learning how to school my features, her sharp brown eyes could detect anything.

"Are you okay?"

For the first time in a while, I felt warmth spread through my chest.

This was what I needed... a moment to just exist without the weight of everything else crushing down on me.

"I'm fine," I said, stepping into the apartment as Alicia practically dragged me inside, already talking a mile a minute.

She had come for me.

Multiple times.

She didn't know where the estate Luca resided in was located specifically, and all her methods of knowing didn't work. But that didn't stop her.

Alicia found Alessandro, and she made sure he understood her message.

If anything happened to me, he was next.

We spent hours catching up, laughing over stories from the past, just thinking about old times.

Honestly, I think she delayed asking about the inevitable because she was just relieved to have her friend back.

The whole saga could wait.

"So, he came to me, and he wanted..."

My phone buzzed on my thigh.

I barely spared it a glance at first. It was probably a notification about the whole ongoing stuff. Despite the fact that everything was gradually dying down, some people took it as a personal mission to talk about it.

It wasn't just some notification.

Luca.

Not only did he have my number, but he also saved his contact in on my phone. The name glared back at me.

Luca Romano.

What could he want?

Did he want to break the deal and force me back into that house?

"Is everything okay?" Was what stared at me when I opened the message.

Why was he texting me? And more importantly, why did he care?

Asshole.

He couldn't even let me enjoy my freedom in peace.

No!

I wouldn't think about him or talk about him. I locked my phone and set it aside, determined to focus on Alicia. But just as I was about to return the conversation, another buzz.

This time, there was an attachment.

"Don't click on it. Do not do that." My mind seemed to roar.

I clicked on it.

I was pretty sure my poker face was gone at this point because I could barely suppress my laugh. It was a picture of Luca's office, which was a complete disaster.

Files, papers, and documents were scattered everywhere.

I remembered this.

For some weird reason before I left, I had snuck into his office and made a mess of everything, just to get under his skin. It also gave me the opportunity to discover something I never would have guessed about him.

Luca Romano wore glasses when he worked.

I was yet to discover why I found that detail so endearing, but I did.

"Don't bother me, you creep." I texted back.

"Who's got you smiling like that?"

Oh, shit!

I had forgotten where I was for a moment, and now Alicia had this big smirk on her face.

"No one," I tried my best to say it casually as I set my phone down again.

Alicia arched a brow. "Uh-huh. Liar."

I let out a soft sigh because I knew she wouldn't drop this.

"It's Luca."

Alicia's expression darkened. "Luca? As in Luca Romano? The same Luca Romano who stole you away from your own engagement party? The same one who's all over the news with you?"

"That would be the one."

"Why is he texting you?"

How was I going to... you know what? There's no need.

"He... has my phone number, apparently."

Alicia folded her arms, leaning forward with a knowing glint in her eyes. "And?"

With a sigh, I gave her the rundown... Luca's deal, my father's debt, Alessandro’s betrayal. Everything.

By the time I finished, Alicia was seething.

"That bastard! I swear, if I ever see Alessandro, I'm kicking him so hard he won't be able to reproduce. Ever."

I snorted. "Please do."

Alicia shook her head, then narrowed her eyes. "But back to the more interesting part… You’ve been smiling a lot, Caterina. And checking your phone like a girl with a crush."

Oh, no.

I nearly choked. "Excuse me? A crush? On Luca? Absolutely not."

"Uh-huh," Alicia drawled. "You sure? Because you were grinning like a fool when you texted him back."

"I was not."

"You so were."

I rolled my eyes at her, but before I could argue further, another text came in. This time, it was a video.

I knew I shouldn't have clicked on it again, but I did. And I regretted it immediately.

Luca. Shirtless. Working out.

There was no reason whatsoever for my mouth to go dry, no reason for my stomach to do an annoying little flip.

The way his muscles flexed, the sheen of sweat glistening on his skin... it was unfair to every heterosexual woman for a man to be this attractive.

Damn him.

I quickly locked my phone so I could pretend I hadn't just seen what I did. But Alicia was watching, and her smirk widened.

"Oh, now I need to see what just made you blush like that."

"Shut up."

"Come on, show me!"

"Absolutely not."

Alicia burst into laughter. "Oh, you’ve got it bad."

"I do not!"

"You’re literally drooling."

"I am not."

Alicia cackled, shaking her head. "Look, I’m just saying… if the attraction is there, why fight it? The media already thinks you two are together, and if you’re even remotely interested, you might as well just..."

"No!"

"...have some fun."

I groaned. "Alicia, I am not sleeping with Luca."

Alicia shrugged. "Your loss."

She walked towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water so she could grill me some more after, giving me time to glance at my phone again.

Luca’s name still lingered on the screen.

I had no idea what possessed me, but before I could think twice, I typed out a message.

"Miss me that much, Luca?"

I barely had time to set the phone down before his reply came in.

"You wish, amorino."

Okay, this was kind of fun.

My mouth was kind of hurting now due to how wide I was smiling.

"Come pick me up if you miss me so much."

This time, the response took a little longer.

"Be ready in ten."

Oh, no.

I hadn't actually expected him to take the bait.

But the longer I stared at the message, the more shivers ran down my spine.

Damn it.

Maybe Alicia was onto something.