After Vinnie left, I was given the most unexpected news. We have a dinner with the Ferrante family. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, the universe piles this on top of me. I didn't want to hear more about that family, much less see them. I'm getting ready with tears of anger brimming in my eyes. I wish I could tell them that I don't wish to go anywhere, but that'll lead to some kind of fight with mom and that's even worse than dining with the Ferrantes. The despair I feel is palpable. I don’t know how I’m going to get rid of these people. I want to go back to my old life where I didn’t even know them. As I apply blush to my cheeks, I try not to cry. There’s nothing worse than to feel like your life is out of your control. I have no say in what I do. It’s like my life doesn’t belong to me. I have to sit through dinner and endure the man that has been stalking me for weeks, and nobody understands why I don’t want to. Not even my closest friends. Again, they’re not to b
Once the Ferrante family leave, things start to get heated. Mom is going on and on about my drinking habits. I ignore her as I finish my dessert. She thinks I embarrassed the family with my actions but if I have to be honest, I think her despair is more embarrassing than my drunkenness will ever be. Nobody says anything to contradict her. Not dad or Mary, or even me. It’s not that I don’t say anything because I’m afraid of starting an argument. It’s that I’m exhausted, mentally and physically. So while she screams about my lack of cooperation, I finish my chocolate malva cake. It’s delicious. “Answer me!” she exclaims. “You want your sister to be associated with your bad behavior? You want the Ferrantes to think that we’re all just like you!?”I can’t help myself. I scoff. “I couldn’t care less about what they think. I don’t have to act like someone I’m not just to please them. I’m sick of them. And I’m sick of this!”Mom glances at dad angrily. He sighs and says to me, “Laura, you
Luca picks the man up like he's picking up a child and begins dragging him out. People make way for them to pass and give them suspicious looks. Nobody says a word. On impulse, I follow him. I don't want to stay here alone. Technically, following him isn't the best choice because he didn't even talk to me, but it's better than being harassed again. Once we get outside, he doesn't stop there. He keeps walking down the sidewalk and then makes a sharp left. I don't even know how he's managing to drag this man behind him and look like he isn't putting any effort whatsoever. I hesitate before following him into the dark alleyway. There, he drops the man like a sack of potatoes. He groans and rubs the back of his head. As he does this, he attempts to sit up but Luca kicks him down. He groans and stays on the ground. I'm standing at the mouth of the alleyway and am watching them from what can be considered a safe distance. Luca reaches inside his pocket and retrieves his phone. He says i
LucaI watch Laura walk away feeling more confused than ever. What does she mean by that? What am I supposed to know?I have no idea. The way she looked at me just now convinced me that she doesn't hate me as much as she initially did, not anymore. After I saved her tonight, I suspect that the dynamic of our relationship will change. It's not that I did this on purpose. I couldn't even if I tried. My presence at the Rose Prick tonight was purely coincidental. I was there to seal a deal when I saw her struggling against that man. Afterward, everything went black. I didn't think I'd feel the way I did. I’m curious about her, and she’s certainly the only woman that has ever made me this curious, but I think it’s safe to say that what happened tonight has surpassed curiosity. I’m still furious even though I just left her at her house and know she won’t be getting into any more trouble. It’s a feeling that I can’t control no matter how much I try to convince myself that everything is fi
MAN FOUND DEAD AT ROSE PRICK. I close the newspaper as soon as I see this headline. I close it so quickly that everyone around the table glances at me. I make a point of not looking at them as I fold the newspaper and place it beside dad. I pick up my cup of coffee and drink, but my hands are shaking. I can't seem to get that headline out of my head. I didn't even read the story. I don't believe that I have to. Luca killed that man. He had him killed. And I don't know what to feel about this. No, I do. I feel awful and nauseated. I feel like I'll pass out at any second. A man was killed because of me. This isn't anything that's easy to acknowledge even in my world. I only finish my cup of coffee. I don't have much appetite for anything else. I rarely read the morning paper, so I don't know what came into me to try to read it today. I would be better off not knowing, but at the same time, that's not quite true. I excuse myself from the table and go upstairs. Lately, all that I do
Brett searches my face for the twentieth time. I hate it when he does this because he always ends up figuring out what the hell is wrong with me. He knows me too well. I'm trying to hide my emotions because hiding is easier than explaining, and I haven't told them the ugly truth about this. I gave them a flimsy excuse about last night and lied about even going to the Rose Prick. I want to forget everything associated with that place. I don't think that I'll be going back there anytime soon. My plan after leaving Luca's hotel was to go straight home, but Victoria called and I couldn't brush her off or she'd want to pay me a visit at home and I don't want that. Home hasn't been the same in a while, and I think it's best if I keep them far away from the place. Hell, even I don't want to be there most of the time. It's scary how a place that used to be my safe haven has become a place of nightmares. At least I had Mary to keep me company on most days. Now, I don't even have that. Thin
Luca As soon as the Walsh family walk into the venue, I feel disappointment spreading through me. Laura isn't with them. I greet them kindly, of course. I do enjoy their company, unlike my parents and Eliza. They would have moved on to another family by now if I hadn't expressed my interest in Laura. A more influential family. The Walshes were never at the top of their list, and I'll confess that they weren't at the top of mine either, but things changed on that fateful morning. I looked at Laura and realized that I wanted her. And I've never been one to give up easily. "You look absolutely dashing, Luca," Angela tells me. I thank her for the compliment, then gulp my champagne down. I think of asking her where Laura is, but that will be too obvious. I don't want to make it obvious that I'm interested in her, especially because she hasn't expressed any interest in me. I saw something flash in her eyes today, something that ignited hope deep inside of me. I thought that if she cam
I crawl out of bed somewhere around eleven. Although I feel low and have nothing much to do at this time of the night, I can’t stand being alone with my thoughts. I already have a migraine and it feels like my head is going to explode. I need a momentary distraction. Food, perhaps. Anything that might help me fill this void inside of me. My family isn’t back yet, which is a relief because I don’t want to see Mary even though I’m thinking about apologizing to her for the things that I said. I was unnecessarily harsh to her, and I shouldn’t have done that. I should have gotten a better grip on my emotions and not made a reckless decision to spew out everything that I’ve been desperately trying to hold in. If anything, my outburst has made things worse. Once I’m in the kitchen, I stop in my tracks by the entrance. Constance turns around to face me. She’s in her pajamas, yet she’s still here. “Couldn’t sleep?” I ask her. A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “I was actually