Page 41 of Isabella

“Sounds good,” I say with a wave. Before Massimo walks away, his gaze slides over to Liana who’s staring at her phone intently. Almost as if she’s purposely trying to avoid what’s going on at the table.

His lip curls up into a small smirk—so small I might’ve imagined it—before he walks away.

I draw my attention to Lux who raises a curious brow at me.

Okay, now I know I didn’t imagine that.

Liana sets her phone down and brings her attention back up to Lux and me. I raise a brow at her.

“What?” she asks, feigning ignorance.

“Oh, don’t even,” I say. “Do you know Massimo Bonetti?”

“Don’t we all know whotheMassimo Bonetti is?”

I tilt my head and give her an exasperated look. “You know what I mean.”

Liana’s silent for a few seconds, fiddling her thumbs before she rolls her eyes and says, “Are you sure you want to go on a date with him? He’s just… he’s kind of known as a manwhore. The douchebag brings a new girl into the boutique every other week.” She scrunches her nose. “It’s disgusting.”

“Isn’t that how most of the men in our world are?” I shoot my gaze over to Lux and quickly follow that up with “Except for Teo, of course.”

Lux laughs and says, “Oh, no. I know exactly the type of man Teo was before me. He should be included in that.”

That causes us all to laugh.

“And that,” Liana says, gesturing to Lux, “is why I’ll avoid an arranged marriage for as long as possible.” Bringing her attention back to me, she says, “But seriously, Izzy. Are you sure you want to go on a date with Massimo? After everything that’s been going on?”

“I thinkbecauseof everything that’s going on, I need to go on this date. I need to get my mind off Nicco and our past, and Massimo might just be the guy to help with that. He was a perfect gentleman at the gala, plus I think it’d be nice to be taken out on a date. It’s been years since I’ve been on one.”

“Well, that is one way to get your mind off Nicco, but are you sure this is agoodidea?” Liana asks.

“Yeah, Izzy. Nicco’s been pretty damn persistent. I don’t know him very well, but this might just push him over the edge,” Lux says.

“It doesn’t matter. Nicco doesn’t have a say in my life anymore. He lost that right a long time ago,” I say, a warm smile playing on my face. “I’m going to go on this date with Massimo, and I’m going to have a damn good time.”

26

NICCOLÒ

I’ve tried texting Isabella everyday since the pizzeria, begging her to talk to me, but every time, she blocks me. I’m going on my sixth fucking burner phone. I didn’t want to have this conversation with her via text, but I’m all out of fucking ideas.

With none of the pleasantries—because I know she’ll know it’s me and I don’t want to give her a chance to block me before saying what I need to say—I send a text off to Isabella.

Me: The girl at the pizzeria is Dante’s cousin. She’s visiting from Chicago… not Italy. She’s not who you think she is. Please just let me explain.

My text goes through, and knowing Isabella the way I do, she has her phone on her, so I wait a few minutes before attempting one more text to see if she blocked me.

Me: My dad never had a prospective wife for me. It was all a lie. We need to talk, Isabella.

My heart hammers in my chest while I wait to see if the text will show delivered. After a few more seconds, the words show up under the message, and I let out a sigh of relief.

She didn’t block me.

I wait to see if she responds, but she never does. I’m about to text her again when my other phone rings.

“Hello?” I answer.

“You have an update?” my dad says on the other line.

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