Page 14 of My Italian Roommate

The heat rises inside me and my shoulders tense.

“If you so much as breathe in her direction, I’ll end you,” I snarl.

“Always so violent. You need to relax a little. Take that sweet pussy for a ride so you can drop your testosterone.”

I grab him by the collar and pull his face up close to mine then shove him backwards. We stumble into the table behind us, causing the couple sitting there to rise and move to the side. No one disrespects my girl, especially this piece of shit.

“You want to go right here? Let’s go. You don’t know when to shut your mouth so I’ll just shut it for you. You ready?” I shout.

Tony sees the commotion and rushes toward us.

“Not here, not now. We can finish this after I beat you on the track tomorrow,” Dylan straightens his tie and turns his back on me. Nobody turns their back on me so I stomp forward and grab him by the shoulder. He turns to swing at me but misses. I raise my fist but Tony grabs my hand.

“Let’s go. We’re going outside to get some air,” he tells me. “If you keep this up, they’ll disqualify you tonight. No race tomorrow. That son of a bitch will win if you aren’t there. Don’t you think he knows that? He’s trying to get you shut down so he can steal the race.”

I turn and see Mallory standing wide-eyed and pale as a ghost. I walk to her and take her by the hand. “It’s alright, little girl. Let’s just go get some air.”

Tony walks us to the back door of the ballroom. “Go out this way so you don’t run into any press,” he says then leaves us.

“I thought you were going to kill him,” Mallory tells me.

“I would have but Tony’s right. Dylan is trying to get me riled up so they’ll disqualify me. I don’t want that to happen but I would risk it to defend you.”

“No, we can’t let him win. You need to beat him tomorrow. I love that you would do that for me but I want you to win that race,” she wraps her arms around my neck and I lift her off her feet. I press my lips against hers and kiss her wildly.

“You’re right. Let’s get back in there and get this over with,” I tell her.

We return to our table, and after a few awkward stares from the other partygoers, the attention of the room turns to the racing commissioner who is on stage giving a speech and thanking our sponsors.

Tony slips back to our table and sits down beside me. “We all good over here?”

“For now. If he comes back, I can’t make you any promises.”

“Mario, look at this beautiful girl you have here. You two have a nice dinner and maybe dance a little. You get up on stage and smile. Then you take this beauty home. That’s how this night should go. That’s how you really get under that piss ant’s skin.”

I can’t help but smile at my well-meaning coach and mentor, but the fact still remains. Mallory won’t be disrespected by anyone. I will not let that happen.

Tony leaves us and Mallory reaches across the table for my hand.

“So, are you going to dance with me or what?” she asks.

“You want to dance, little girl?”

“Yes.”

“I guess I can’t say no then. Let’s go, princess.”

I take Mallory in my arms and spin her around in a circle. How could anyone this perfect actually, truly exist? This girl is doing things to me. Even in the middle of the dance floor, I stare at her, and heat snakes through my belly.Mine.

Dinner is served, and by this time, I’ve all but forgotten that Dylan McGee exists.

“Do you know where the restroom is?” Mallory asks, looking around the room.

“I think it’s in the corner over there. I’ll take you,” I answer and get out of my chair.

“You don’t have to. I’m a big girl,” she smiles.

“No, you’re not. You’re tiny and I insist,” I help her out of her seat and lead her to the lady’s room.

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