25. Allegra
Chapter 25
Allegra
The past…
I t’s been eight days since my birthday.
Eight days since I last saw Dante.
Eight days since he gifted me with a love bracelet.
Eight days it has been encircling my wrist.
Glancing down at it, I run a finger over the band, smiling. I still can’t believe Dante went to the trouble of buying it for me. It must mean something, right?
Just as I think that, my phone chimes, alerting me to a message.
Snatching it up off my nightstand, my heart flips when I see Dante’s name on the screen. It's not unusual for Dante to send me a message or check in with me, but this feels different. I’m proven right when I swipe the screen open, and find his words are a little…flirty?
Dante: Principessa, I will be joining your brother in The Hamptons this evening. I hope to see your gift where it belongs.x
A thrill runs through me, and I shiver, my heart beating at an unnatural speed. My fingers tremble as I try to type out a response. In the years I have known Dante, he has never messaged me to tell me he will be visiting. And he has definitely never kissed me. I also love how he calls me by a pet name? Couples call each other by cute names and I like being called princess.
I want to be Dante’s princess.
Me: I want to see you. Alone.x
I hit the send button before I can question my reply. It's bold of me, but I want to talk to him, tell him how I feel and hopefully move forward in our relationship. It's presumptuous of me. For all I know, Dante still sees me as an annoying little sister and the message he sent means nothing. Just a courtesy text. God, I hope not. Dante is now within my reach, and I will be damned if I don’t act on it.
My phone chimes again, stomach dipping in anticipation. I suck in a breath, not wanting to look at the screen but knowing that I have to. Squeezing my eyes closed, I take a deep breath before opening them and glancing down.
Dante: I don’t know if that’s a good idea…
Nausea swarms in my gut at his reply. Though he has left it open ended… or am I just being delusional and reading too much into this. Fuck, I don’t know. This back and forth, the tension between us, is all too much sometimes. But I wouldn’t change it for anything. I may not be experienced with men, but I am sure over our last couple of interactions, Dante has been showing romantic interest in me. The gift. The way he looked at me at my birthday dinner. The message. It is all adding up to one thing.
He likes me.
I am sure of it.
My fingers race over the screen, typing out a serious, albeit flirty response.
Me: It is. Don’t turn back now. You know you want to. I know you want to. Just give in to what is meant to be…
Okay, I have gone from zero to a hundred, but I can’t bring myself to care. I was going to make a conscious effort to be honest with Dante tonight. Looks like I am starting now.
Chewing my bottom lip, I hold my phone waiting for him to reply. Two minutes pass, then five, then ten before I give up, dropping my phone down on my bed. Maybe he is just busy or I did read this all wrong and go too far.
I groan, flopping down on my pillows.
Though I may have just ruined our friendship, I can’t bring myself to regret what I said.
At least Dante now knows that my feelings toward him aren’t familial, but romantic.
A knock at my door wakes me from my sleep.
Groaning, I search for my phone to check the time. 1:00 a.m. Groaning, I realize that I must have fallen asleep and missed my chance to talk to Dante. But… my gaze snaps to the closed door, hope building inside me. Maybe it's him.
Clambering off my bed, I pad across my room, pulling my door open in the next second.
All the air leaves my lungs when my eyes land on Dante. His dark hair is mussed, lips tipped up in a lazy smile. My gaze rakes over him and oh my god. In black pants and white dress shirt, undone at the collar, he looks like every woman’s wet dream. I hate that other women have seen him like this. He should be for my eyes only.
“Can I come in?” he murmurs quietly.
It’s only then I remember that he is not actually supposed to be here. In my bedroom. Alone. I swallow.
“Where are Papà and Nico?” I whisper, my eyes wide as I glance down the hall.
Pushing me back, Dante steps inside after me, closing the door behind him. “Downstairs. Your papà wanted to talk to Nic privately. I told them I was going to bed,” he smirks, stepping closer.
My heart rate kicks up, hammering against my rib cage so hard, I’m surprised it doesn’t break through. “You shouldn’t be in here,” I say dumbly.
Dante chuckles. “You wanted to see me. Alone.” he adds, throwing my message back at me.
I nod, feeling a little dazed. I’m not sure whether it’s Dante’s presence and his unique smell or the fact I just woke up.Maybe it’s a bit of both. Or maybe, I’m still asleep and this is all a dream.
Reaching down, I pinch my bare thigh, flinching at the sting and confirming that I am very much wide awake.
“What if Nico catches you in here. Or worse, Papà.” I don’t know why I am trying to get rid of him when all I have wanted for as long as I can remember is this moment alone with him.
“They won’t. Now tell me what you wanted to talk about,” he prompts.
My throat suddenly feels dry. Can I do this? Tell Dante how I feel? I have to. I may never get another chance to do this.
“I love you,” I blurt out before I can stop myself, my eyes widening in pure shock that I just said those three words out loud.
Dante’s eyes round and he stills. His chest rising and falling is the only indication that he is still breathing. I wring my hands together. Fuck. Maybe I should have eased him into this. When he still doesn’t move or say anything after a good five minutes, I speak again, wanting to break the silence.
“Say something?” I whisper hoarsely.
That snaps him out of whatever trance he was in. He searches my face, raking a hand through his hair as he exhales a weary breath.
“Fuck, principessa,” he mutters.
“I know,” I say lamely.
He steps forward cupping my face and pressing a kiss to my forehead. The smell of whiskey tickles my nostrils as I breathe him in, then he pulls back to look at me. “You’re so young. Beautiful. Innocent. I don’t deserve your love.”
I shake my head. “You do. And you have it. Always.”
He blows out a breath, releasing my cheeks and taking a step back. My face falls, panic gripping me. “I need to go. But we will have this conversation again. When I am sober.”
And with that, he turns, pulls the door open and leaves.
All the while, I stand there, frozen to the spot and wondering what the hell just happened. He didn’t respond to my declaration of love, but he didn’t reject me either.
That is surely a good thing.
Right?