25. Alessia
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ALESSIA
“ H e was fucking pissed!” Caroline says as we pull into her driveway. I’m still fuming at how he came in acting like he fucking owned me. I’m also fuming at how my body betrayed me and was on fire the moment he wrapped his fucking hand around my neck.
Slut .
She nudges me and I snap out of my daze, looking at her. “What?”
“Text me when you get to your apartment.”
“Ehh, I’m going to my parents. I skipped family dinner.”
“Oh shit...that’s not good.”
“Caro…what’s going on with you and Justin? He looked just as mad as Astor, if not more.”
“Ehh, we’re just feeling things out.”
“Lie.”
“I know. Text me when you get home.” She gives me a mischievous smile as she walks to her apartment.
I want to go back to the club and see what Astor did to that guy. I’d say it was my fault that he grabbed me, but it wasn’t. Caro and I were just dancing, and he invited himself into it. The next thing I know, he was trying to plunge his tongue down my throat. When I pushed him off, he immediately went to Caro. I know Astor probably killed him. Honestly, I probably would’ve, too, if he had tried anything else.
Go home. Now.
I roll my eyes at the memory of Astor telling me to go home. I decide that I’m going home, but not the home he thinks.
When I get to my parent’s, it’s about 10:30 p.m. I try my best to be quiet when I open the door, just in case my parents are sleeping.
“Hi, honey! What are you doing here?”
“Oh. Hi, Mama. I thought you’d be sleeping.”
She laughs and kisses my cheek.
“And you weren’t at dinner tonight, why?” my father says coolly as he strides towards me with a glass of amber liquid in his hand.
“I went out with Caro to celebrate finals. I’m sorry.”
“Your mother is going through every hoop to make sure your wedding , that’s happening in seven days, in case you forgot, is perfect. The least you can do is pick up the fucking phone and let her know you won’t make it. She sat here waiting for you, while you were out doing God knows what, in a fucking dress that I’m sure no one’s daughter, especially my daughter, should be wearing.”
I open my mouth to argue, but my mom pulls me towards her, looking over her shoulder at my father.
“It’s fine, honey, did you and Caro have fun? And you look beautiful, ignore him.”
“Yes, Mama, I’m sorry I didn’t call.”
“Are you staying the night?” I nod and she smiles, directing me towards the stairs.
“Great. We can iron out the last bit tomorrow. Don’t you worry about it.”
When I get into my room, I head straight for my balcony; the whole reason I came here tonight. My balcony is the only thing that makes me feel like the world is quiet around me. It’s the only place I feel like no one can shake me. Most of all, it’s my place. When I’m out here, no one bothers me. They let me have my time.
I look over and wave at the bodyguard who’s placed outside of my house and he gives me a curt nod.
The sigh that comes out of me is long and deep. I miss Astor, and as pissed as I am that I hadn’t seen him in two days, I was happy to see him in one piece. I didn’t, however, expect how my body reacted to his touch. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I did not expect him to grab me like that in front of Caro and Justin.
Not knowing what, or who , had his attention these last couple of days is starting to taunt me.
I lean my head back and inhale the smell of the pool water as the light breeze washes over me. I close my eyes and let myself drift off. It’s cold out, but the alcohol from earlier is doing its job of keeping me warm enough.
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been asleep or if it’s because my nostrils are no longer filled with chlorine, but replaced with the masculine smell of smokey citrus. My body has come alive and sleep is no longer what is on my mind. I keep my eyes closed, even though my body is screaming to see him.
I take another deep breath, annoyed that he’d even bother me out here. He was the only one when we were younger who would come out here with me, but that stopped a long time ago.
“I told you to go home.” His voice slices through the cold air and the hairs on my neck stand to attention. I keep my eyes closed and I fucking ignore him. “Come here,” he continues.
“Leave me alone.”
“Last chance, Alessia. Come here .”
“No—” He yanks me by my arm and pushes me onto his lap.
“Your first mistake was thinking you had a choice. Your second mistake was letting someone else touch you. And the icing on the fucking cake was coming here instead of home.” He kisses the side of my neck and I move away from him. I don’t get far before his hand is around my neck. I can’t fight the lethal groan that comes out of my mouth.
“I haven’t seen you in two days, Alessia. And when I do, you’re wearing something that I for sure plan on burning tomorrow.” He tightens his grip and I tuck my lip in my mouth. “Why’d you go to my club? Was it to make sure I saw you?”
Yes .
“I don’t care about you.”
“Lies. You could’ve gone to any club you wanted, but instead you went to the club you know I own. You did it to make a statement, you did it to piss me off.”
“I don’t care about you,” I repeat. He chuckles, loosening his hold around my neck.
“So, you don’t care about what I was doing these last two days?”
“Or who you were doing,” I spit out. He raises his eyebrow and I know when he starts rolling up his sleeves I’ve fucked up.
Good .