I don't know how long Gia and I stood staring at the men that we had hoped so desperately, wouldn’t show, but the only thing that pulled me back to reality was Harry throwing his arm over my shoulder. “Ivy, baby,” he said with some excitement, “your father sent me to find you. He needs a word with you.” I saw Max’s eyes drift to his arm that slide around my waist. His eyes swirled with an emotion I wasn’t sure I knew and his jaw was clinched.
“Maxie,” Sienna’s whining voice drug his eyes from where they were burning into me, “I want to go find Arianna.”
He nodded to her before looking back at me, “yeah, babe, let's go do that,” he leaned toward her, eyes still looking at me. I refused to let him win so I didn’t look away as his lips landed on hers. As the kiss deepened though, I couldn't stand it anymore. Sienna may not be as bad as Arianna but she was very much a close second. I heard their steps draw closer to me but didn't look up until they were passing me. Max’s
Before Gia could even open her mouth, there was a knock on the door. I look at Gia through the mirror but she avoids my eyes and walks to the door. I squint my eyes and the question on my lips dies when Nico and Max walk through the door. I shot to my feet, “No!” I said stomping toward them, “no, no, no,” I look at Gia with my arms folded over my chest but she only looks at her feet. She knew this was going to happen. “Traitor,” I said under my breath. “I’m sorry, Ivy, but..” I held up my hand to stop her talking. “I said Nico could come, not his big cocky friend,” my eyes grew huge when I realized what I said. The embarrassment got even better when Max started to chuckle from beside Nico who was red in the face from holding back his laughter. “We never did get that far, Princess. How would you know?” Max raised a brow and I glared at him. Nico couldn’t hold his laughter anymore and burst out laughing but stopped when Max’s words seemed to settle in h
MAX I sat watching as Ivy pulls the guy towards the stairs. He wrapped his arm around her waist and it looked like they not only knew each other but that they had been much closer than that, which made me feel uneasy and I wasn’t sure why. I sigh sitting next to my best friend and his future bride as their faces finally separate. “Do you know that guy?” I ask Gia. She looks toward the stairs just as Ivy and the guy disappear. “Looked like Marcus. One of her ex’s, sort of,” she shrugs and turns back to Nico and starts talking to him. I don't like the feeling in my chest so, I look around for someone to take my mind of it. My eyes sweep past the bar and notice a cute blonde watching me. I lock eyes with her letting her know that I notice her and I am coming her way as I stand up. “How about a drink or a dance?” I ask her as I arrive in front of the bar. I lean a little trying to look casual. “How about a shot and then we can dance,” she s
I woke up with one of the worst hangovers I have ever had. “Why?” I whined to myself. Pulling back the blankets, I notice that I am in my bed which isn't that shocking. I always seem to get home no matter how much I drink. What is shocking is that I am in my pajamas. I don’t remember putting them on. I do remember Max carrying me out of the club though and if he is the one that changed my clothes, “I will kill him,” I finish my thought out loud.“Ivy?” I hear Gia’s voice before my door opens. “Good. You are up,” she smiles wide at me. I groan and ask her to stop yelling. “Breakfast is almost over and everyone is wondering where you are.”“I said to stop yelling,” I whisper at her. My head is pounding. Gia laughs and runs toward me bed jumping on it. And now I’m going to be sick. “Please,” I beg her, “calm down.”I receive a giggle in return and I gla
MaxI watched her walk into the room and was shocked that she looked so well. I was sure she would have a hangover but, she looked like she slept well and had no trouble getting up. I on the other hand, slept like shit because I couldn’t get how she felt in my arms, when I carried her to her bed last night. I had laid her down and wanted to crawl in beside her more than I should have but, Gia had taken over which I know was a much better idea.She walked past me without looking at me. I could see her eyes fighting to look at me from the edge though and I smirked a little. Maybe she is as affected by me as I am her. She grabbed a pair of ear plugs and started to put them in her ear before a guy walk up behind her and puts his hand on her shoulder. She turns and I take in her profile. She smiles wide at him and then damnit, she hugs him... tight.The guy is about the same age as us and the way she talks to him with her hands flying and
I walked into the house and saw my mom in the entry way, a vase full of flowers in her hand. She smiled wide at me. She was always so excited to see any of us. My face must have told her that something was wrong because her smile dropped. “What is it?” She asked, setting the vase down on the table that sat in the middle of the entryway. “Men are stupid and aggravating,” I growled. Mom laughed and I sent her a glare. “I’m sorry, honey,” she held up her hands in surrender but I could still see her smirk. “I know then men in this family are especially stupid and very aggravating.” She walked closer to me and put both hands on my arms, rubbing them like she always did when I was younger. I didn’t like hugging much so that was her way of comforting me. “What happened?” I sighed, “the bastardo, Max, he... ugh!” I guess I wasn’t over it, even a little. I walked toward the living room, I heard mom behind me so I didn’t even bother to stop walking. “We did what dad as
Max I walked into the gym that was owned by the family with Nico. I liked to workout whenever I have some down time. Which lately has been a lot more but I have been distracted with all my thoughts about Ivy lately and haven't been since I got to America. Nico hits my arm and nods across the room. I look in the direction he indicated and stop breathing. Ivy is in the ring that is in the center of the gym, sparing with another girl. She looks amazing in her tight spandex pants and sports bra. I know that if I keep watching the rest of the gym will know that I am enjoying watching her bounce around the ring. “Max? Maximo Ricci?” I hear someone say my name which drags my attention away from Ivy and her bouncing. “Joe?” I say when I look at who said my name. Joe and I were really good friends most of our lives. We had known each other since birth and we got into trouble a few times together but our mothers were friends and that made it so
I watch Max hitting the bag like it someone that he wants dead. What is going on with him? Deciding that it isn’t my problem, I turn and walk toward the locker room, waving to a few people on my way.I pull the zipper on my gym bag and grab my phone then my towel. I send a quick text to Gia asking if she wants to meet for lunch before getting out of the shower. The warm water runs over my shoulders and I can feel them start to relax. I sigh and turn, grabbing the soap and try to wash away my thoughts that are turning to Max along with the sweat I worked up from sparing with Ethel. I try to think about that instead. I think about what I did wrong and what I could have done better. Then I think about how the room felt different suddenly when he walked in. “Damnit!” I shout before turning off the water and grabbing my towel to yank on. I swear I can’t seem to stop thinking about him since her got to America. “This is stupid, Ivy,” I scold myse
I don’t know if it’s because I’m nervous or because I hate how high the neck is on the dress that Gia made me wear tonight, but I can not stop pulling at it. It is a cute dress, for Gia. She threw it at me the second we got to her house after lunch. Then she shoved me out the door as she yelled for me to have fun on my date. “It’s not a date,” I remind myself, reaching for the door of the restaurant. I’m late but my nerves are making that fact the last thing on my mind.“Welcome to Squisito. Are you meeting someone?” The hostess, who’s name tag reads Heidi, greets me.“Um, yes,” I take a breath to steady my nerves. I don’t even think I was this nervous when we were kids and he was my first kiss. Great thing to think about right now!“First date?” The hostess breaks in through my thoughts. “Don’t worry, you look amazing,” she smiles.“Thanks. I