Page 97 of Arturo's Temptation

I hadto admit even though Bella had been on my mind the whole damn night, I was having a good time. And without anymore interruptions from bellends like Harry, or Henry or whatever his fucking name was, we were all free to let our guard down.

Truth be told, I'd never had fun like this before. The Hamilton’s had been a different breed. They were all business and no pleasure. Despite all being graduates of Harrow school and then Oxford University, they were the lowest of the low. But with Lorenzo and the team it was different. They saw themselves as one big family, and despite who Lorenzo was, he still liked to have fun and wind down with the guys. And I had started to realise it was nice to be a part of it.

Needing a breather from the pissheads inside, I stepped out into the back alley for a smoke.

“You good man?” Josh asked from the fire door.

“Yeah, just needed a minute,” I lit my cigarette, inhaling deeply.

“It was her, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I knew exactly what he meant and he knew it.

“I wasn’t born yesterday mate.” He closed the gap between us, letting the door slam behind him. “I saw the way you acted with her that evening, you can’t hide your feelings.”

Fuck.

“Shit…” I sighed, taking another inhale of my cigarette. “Is it that obvious?

“Like a bear in a tutu, mate. You’re in trouble.”

“Fuck, I know! But I can’t stay away from her.” I sighed, pushing my palms into my eyes. “He’ll try to kill me when he finds out.”

“True. But does she make you happy?” He asked, cocking his head to the side.

“I don’t think I’d know what happiness was even if it slapped me across the face.” I sighed as he nodded, but waited for me to finish. “But I do know how she makes me feel when I’m with her… and I don’t want it to end.”

“Then fuck who her father is! Live in the moment, and enjoy one another. Whatever happens, happens. You’ve had a shitty life, mate. Don’t give up your first shot at happiness in years just ‘cause you’re scared of the consequences.” He smiled, inhaling his own cigarette.

“Since when did you get so bloody wise?”

“I’ve always been wise, I just never needed to use it on you.” He draped his arm around my shoulder, “Now, are you going to sort out that rowdy lot, or am I getting the bouncers in?”

“They’re absolutely trollied, aren’t they?”

“The blue haired one? He’s a live wire!” Josh couldn’t contain his laughter, “Jay’s been trying to drag him off the bar for the past fifteen minutes while the kid sang about how he had the biggest cock in all of New York.”

“Oh, fuck,” I let my head fall back, taking a deep breath of the fresh evening air. “There’s a reason he doesn't drink, and that my friend, is why.” We both let out a chuckle as we headed inside to round everyone up.

Two hours later…

“Lorenzo Ricci, you have got to be kidding me?!” Ana stood at the foot of the stairs, folding her arms in annoyance.

“Evening,mi amore, don’t you look sexable,” he drawled.

Sexable… right…

“You’re absolutely fucked!” she huffed, but she couldn’t hide the laugh tugging at her lips.

“Not yet, but here’s hoping,” he winked.

“Oh yeah? I’ll fuck you if you can walk up the stairs in a straight line,” she demanded. I grinned. Damn, at least I now knew where Isabella got her sass from. Anastacia’s a wild card.

“Help me, Arturo,” he asked, gripping my shirt tighter as I tried to remove his arm from me.

“Alone, Lorenzo,” Ana tapped her foot impatiently on the marble floor as we stifled giggles like a bunch of teenagers.

“Sorry, old man. Looks like you’re on your own with this one,” I said, stepping back with my hands held high.

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