Page 19 of All Your Firsts

“For real. Maybe next time.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend? First, running away, and then violence... Please tell me you’ve already made two horrible decisions but regret nothing.”

“I haven’t been able to do shit since Gage happened.”

“So he’s really back?”

“Yep. Just be thankful you haven’t run into him yet.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she says with a sigh.

I’m sure she’s upset that he hasn’t found her yet. They were best friends, and he brushed her off, just as he did to me.

“Where are you staying? With him?”

“No, he dropped me off at some friend’s house who is now my babysitter.”

“A girl?”

“No. A dick. I swear he makes me want to poke out his eyeballs.”

“Is he cute?”

“No, he’s ugly as hell and a total asshole. I mean, I get he’s helping me out, or more like helping Gage out, but fuck, is he irritating. I don’t want to talk about me, though. Tell me about you. Are you okay?”

I deflect. He’s far from ugly, but the total asshole is spot-on.

While I’m thankful for his efforts to keep me safe from my father’s wrath and the countless enemies our family has amassed, I can’t help but think that he’s being a bit too overprotective and a dick just for the sake of being one to me.

“I’m good, Ro. Real good. You’d like it here.”

Luckily for Alexa, her father is understanding and sweet. My brother, Marco’s, actions caused his and Alexa’s arranged marriage to unravel, resulting in her leaving college, where she and I had been living together until just a few months ago.

For the next few months, she’s liberated from the constraints of her future and gets to enjoy herself, thanks to her dad’s generosity. As an only child, she will be one of the pioneering female Capos in Chicago once her father and the other bosses pass on the leadership torch to the next generation of heirs. Which is badass and a position I know she will flourish in. Me, not so much. Thankfully, my brothers were born so I don’t have to take on that bloody role. Although, I think mine as a bargaining chip for one of the families is just as unfortunate.

I hear a car alarm beep and noise coming from somewhere close. I peek through the curtains as two dark silhouettes stalk to the back. Their figures are bathed in the soft glow of the motion light as they approach the guesthouse.

Vic pulls a giggling, stumbling blonde along. From his side profile, his expression is passive.

Not happy, or sad, or even mad.

Just blank.

Bored.

Vic turns around right before closing the door. Our eyes meet as he looks up at my window, and time stands still. Neither of us moves. Then, a taunting smirk pulls on his face.

What is up with that smug look?

Is it because I’m fucking Rapunzel? Stuck in an ivory tower while he’s doing whatever he’s doing? The look deserves to be smacked off his face.

“Fuck you,” I mouth to Vic before turning away from the window.

“Hey, you still there?”

“Yeah, sorry.” I shake my head.

“Can we talk tomorrow? They just delivered our dessert.”

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