◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ I leaned back against my desk as the last minutes of my lunch break ticked away. It was Tuesday again. I was starting to hate it as much as my Mondays were torturously busy. "Better to be busy than have too much time on your hands," my father used to tell me. Most days I wished he got killed by one of the Tomassinis' hitmen. On some days, I would recall the things he taught me as I was learning the ropes in the family business. I sat back and stared outside the large windows, the sky gray and cloudy, a stark contrast to the weather back in Livorno. Spending my weekend on the beach with family, Adreana, and our colleagues wasn't a terrible idea. But it didn't really make me feel better about seeing Kel again. And because I was a petty bastard, I even tried to make her jealous. Twice. My first attempt was when I introduced Adreana. The second time, I snuck my arm around her waist, then murmured sweet nothings to her lips while they all watched. Good thing I conv
Rome, Italy ◆ LORENZIO ◆ "Boss, ETA's 15 minutes if we take the shortcut." Sitting behind the wheel and wearing a leather jacket, Lele glanced behind to regard me after switching gears. The road signs said we weren't too far from the airport. Olive trees and oleanders seemed to flourish in this part of the region. Lush greens and some old alders lined the roadsides. The drive had been smooth the past ten minutes. No road accidents or any other nuisances so far. We'd reach the airport earlier than Mykaela thought. "What shortcut?" I looked up before my fingers got busy on my phone again. "The new shortcut Marco was talking about." Lele drove the SUV past traffic, speeding up to avoid getting stuck with the rush hour crowd. We had to borrow Alissa's SUV, and she'd instructed two of their security staff to escort us after we bid goodbye to her and Rafa. With Mykaela's help, we made sure that Alissa's cosmetic surgeon friend would stay in the estate to strictly monitor Rafa's condit
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ Ten past five. Okay. I was still kinda on time. She hadn't called me yet. Meaning: Adreana could still be busy in her office finishing up backlogs. She wouldn't be upset if I turned up an hour late. Like the first time, she didn't want to go to the gynecologist by herself. I understood why. A simple visit to the doctor's office could trigger some bad memories and past traumas. Back when she was still living with Joachim, to be specific. That abusive bastard. It would be best if I accompanied her to Dr. Moretti's clinic today. I only had myself to blame if she dealt with another anxiety attack while alone in a public place. It could be traumatizing to her in more ways than I could imagine. My phone buzzed in my pocket as I headed toward the elevators with Alessio. I checked my phone and suppressed a scowl. Ricchar's name stayed on the screen. We just had lunch a few hours ago. The heck did he want now? "Yeah?" I pressed my phone to my ear. "Did she actually read
◆ LORENZIO ◆ "Negative." "Yep." I sighed and glanced at Mykaela. The doctor we just saw confirmed it himself. Verified it twice with a blood test and a scan, just minutes after he asked us why we suspected I got her pregnant. Now we had real proof after he gave us all the information we needed. Of course that alarming test result last night yielded a false-positive. Mykaela and I had been careful all week. About two weeks now, actually. Back in Rome, I wouldn't even hug her or kiss her on the lips. Not just because other people were watching, my prying best friend included. I was merely trying my best to keep my hands off her. I had to practice caution. Sedate my urges. It would be a huge issue if we ended up having unprotected sex again. Like our first time. Bollocks. I could vividly recall that night, as though it happened just hours ago. That night was just...so...intense. Like nothing I expected. I didn't even ask for permission before I took her to my room. Then we kissed
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ She said give or take 15 minutes. Yet still no sign of her. Did we have to wait for another half an hour? I scrunched up my nose at the sterile scent around us, mostly the smell of rubbing alcohol. I sat with my left ankle on my right knee, feeling the nerves kicking in as Adreana and I waited in this small white-walled consultation room. After performing the transvaginal scan she suggested last time, Dr. Moretti assured us that Adreana's test results would be available in 15 minutes, then left the room with her clipboard. The doctor must be busy with another phone call. Her desk clock said it was almost seven in the evening. We'd probably be done with everything before eight. I glanced at my companion. Her fingers drummed nervously on her thigh. She'd been avoiding my eyes from the moment we walked into this room. Adreana scrolled through her news feed, pretending to be busy with her phone, which I understood. Nothing about these doctor visits were relaxing. I sa
Grand Luxoria HotelFlorence, Italy ◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆ The hotel room felt stuffy, the air heavy with unspoken words, the tension around us palpable. Adreana and I sat on opposite sides of the bed. The ceiling lights were off, but we switched on the bedside lamps from the moment we decided to have a quiet dinner alone in here. Tossing my tablet beside my thigh, I shifted uncomfortably against her pillow, unable to look her in the eye. We just had dinner. The room still faintly smelled of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. We barely spoke during our private meal, but I couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk to me. It was a relief that she even agreed to have dinner with me. "You okay?" I cleared my throat, my voice only a bit louder than a mumble. "I'm fine." Wearing an oversized shirt and black leggings, Adreana resumed typing something on her laptop, working on backlogs again. The faint noises of her fingertips hitting the keys and the clicks of her mouse filled the awkward sil
◇ MYKAELA ◇ The night was still. The soft glow of the yellow bedside lamp cast a warm, inviting atmosphere all over Lorenzio's bedroom. I preferred to study in his guest room where I could spend hours and hours reading in total peace and quiet. But tonight, I would stay in here until he fell asleep. I wanted to keep an eye on him in case Rafa or Leandro called him again. I sat beside his desk, alone and surrounded by thick textbooks and my recent notes, consumed by the intricate details of my professor's chosen specialization this week. The rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall echoed in my ears as I stared at the paperbacks splayed before me. For about four hours now, I'd been trying my best to concentrate and check off some items on my to-do list. But the other side of my brain kept distracting me, constantly imagining the impending storm that could sweep through my life in the next few weeks. Or months. I wouldn't know for sure. As an adult, I only met Ilya once. I didn't know
◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆I flumped down in my chair and glanced around the quiet patio beside the backdoor to my kitchen, a glass of red wine in hand, squinting at the sun as it dipped below the horizon.Beside me, my cousin unbuttoned the top part of his shirt and sat back in his chair, savoring his own wine. "Good stuff?" Ricchar mumbled, breaking the comfortable silence."This one's not too bad.""Yeah. Just don't tell Cloe.""Duh..." I glanced around. The soft glow of the evening enveloped us, casting long shadows that danced across my backyard. I hadn't been here in months. I kinda missed it. The peace and quiet. The remoteness. The total privacy. "Don't want your hormonal wife to spank me, too.""Stronzo." Ricchar chuckled.I looked behind. Next to my dimly lit kitchen, Alessio seemed engrossed in his first Hacking 101 class with Niccolo, both of them wearing dark t-shirts and sitting at my rarely used dining table."Heard anything about your Pappa lately?" Ricchar asked when th