Chapter 2
Two
Luca
I’ve been trying to get Harper to notice me.
Walking with her after class isn’t a coincidence, especially since I’m done until the late afternoon and I either double back to grab lunch or head to my apartment.
She hasn’t caught on, at least, and it gives me a few extra minutes with her. Seeing as how we have different social circles, I never run into her outside of economics.
I’m not one to stalk her, but if I had her schedule, I definitely would run into her more often.
Ashton grabs a beer for himself from the fridge. “You want one?” he asks, with the fridge wide open. Guests are pouring into the apartment. There’s more than just a few people hanging out tonight.
Ashton Rinaldi is the king of parties. He likes to make everyone feel welcome, and that means inviting everyone he knows and doesn’t know as well. I’d be pissed, but he ends up inviting more girls than guys, so it’s not usually a bad time. There’s always someone available for a hookup.
“I met the perfect girl this morning,” Ashton says, popping the top off his beer. “Blonde hair, dark mysterious eyes, rocking body.”
“That describes what, fifteen percent of the student population?” I quip.
Ashton rolls his eyes at me. “I didn’t catch her name, but I swear I’m going to marry her.”
Ashton Rinaldi doesn’t seem the marrying type.
Probably because he lets all the puck bunnies play with his hockey stick, not all at once.
Although he’s not opposed to doing that, either, with a couple of the girls.
I’ve heard the sounds coming from his bedroom; it’s definitely not a one-on-one situation.
“You’ve lost your mind,” I say, smirking as I take a swig of my beer.
“Yeah, I probably have, but she’d be worth it.” Ashton is definitely drunk and maybe a little delusional when it comes to girls. But how could he not be when he sets his sights on someone and never gets turned down?
“And you didn’t get her number?” I ask.
“She wouldn’t even tell me her name,” Ashton grumbles. “But she clearly goes to Evergreen, so I’ll run into her.” He’s confident in his ability to convince any girl to climb into his bed, which isn’t hard, since most of the ladies do the chasing.
“Sounds like a massive crush.” I chuckle at his discontent.
I’ve never heard him talk about a girl like that, but I’m sure once he beds her, the appeal will wear.
It’s Ashton. He’s the kind of guy who, once you take the toy out of the box, he loses interest in it. He’s never bedded the same girl twice.
He snorts. “It’s not a crush.”
“Right.” I shake my head in disbelief. I could give him hell about it for hours, but I’d rather talk to the ladies.
I grab another beer and head through the house, wanting to see if Harper showed up. I doubt this is her scene, but if I’m lucky, her friend will drag her out tonight and I can spend some time outside of class with her.
But realistically, I’m not getting my hopes up.
The girl is way out of my league. She’s smart, sophisticated, and I know her type; she doesn’t date athletes. The fact that I’m a hockey player works against me. Which makes me like her even more, probably because I have zero chance of hooking up with her.
My stomach sinks the moment I lay eyes on a girl with dark hair pinned against the wall, making out with one of our teammates.
“Oh, hell no!” I hurry across the room and grab Chase Lancaster by the arm and yank him off Nova. The girl is practically a sister to me. She’s also seventeen and has no business being at our party.
“What the hell, man?” Chase growls, and I shove him away, knocking him backward several steps, into a flurry of people.
“She’s underage,” I seethe, and he throws his arms up in the air.
“I didn’t know.” He glances from me back to Nova. “Seriously?” His eyes rake over her body, wanting confirmation.
She forces a smile, and I swear she’s acting out more and more now that I’m no longer living at home. Dressed in a short black leather skirt and crop top, her midriff shows off her pierced navel. There’s zero chance her mom and dad know about that piercing.
“Come with me.” It’s not a question but a command. I grab Nova and drag her upstairs, shoving her into my room. I yank open my closet and grab a sweatshirt off a hanger, tossing it at her. “Put this on.”
“You don’t get to boss me around like Dad does,” Nova scowls, but she catches my sweatshirt in her hands. She doesn’t make a move with the article of clothing, holding my stare.
Is she fucking challenging me?
“Do I have to put it on you?” I growl.
Nova is two years younger than I am. We grew up in the same household. Her father works for my dad, the head of the Italian Mafia.
And like a sibling, my job is to protect her.
“Don’t be a dick, Luca.” Her eyes narrow. “I was having fun downstairs.”
“With Chase?” I choke on her words, coughing, attempting to clear my throat. “He just wants sex, and you’re a minor.”
“I’m seventeen. He’s only a year older, and I’ll be eighteen soon.”
I refuse to see her point. “No. You shouldn’t even be here tonight.”
“And why not?” Nova asks.
She finally puts the sweatshirt on over her head, pulling her arms through the sleeves, which at least wins my approval, but I’m not letting her stay.
“Aside from the fact that you’re underage and this is a college party?”
Nova shrugs and folds her arms across her chest. “I’ll be in college next year. Maybe sooner. I’m graduating a semester early.”
I want to be proud of her, but I’m pissed as shit at her showing up and making out with my teammate.
“And next year, you can attend all the parties that you want. I won’t stop you.”
She snorts. “Yeah, right.” A grin forms at the corner of her lips. “You’ll be just as controlling as your father. It’s in your blood.”
“I’m not my father.” My jaw clenches and I grind my teeth, seething.
My blood runs cold just thinking about the man, Dante Ricci.
He’s a murderer. A villain. The man who hires people to kill for a living, so that he doesn’t have to get his own hands dirty.
He uses people like Nova’s father for those jobs.
She plays with the hem of the sweatshirt and glances toward the door. “Neither of us want to be our parents. Please, I just need a night away from everything.” Her pleading voice is enough to make me give in, because I know all too well what she’s going through.
“You’re not driving home,” I warn her. I know the girl, she’ll sneak alcohol, and unless I play babysitter all night, she’ll end up toasted. “You’ll stay here.”
Her eyes light up, and I imagine she’s doing a little dance in her head, getting exactly what she wanted. My jaw is tight, and I clear my throat. “You can stay in my room. I’ll take the couch.”
“You’re the best!” Nova squeals, delighted with my offer.
“Next time, call before you just show up.” I’m not happy that she’s here, but I also don’t feel like mingling anymore with the girls downstairs. Besides, I’m not leaving Nova alone tonight, and I don’t exactly have a bed for a random hookup, which puts me in a bit of a tight spot.
“I promise,” Nova says with a grin and links her pinky with mine.
I grab her arm, hidden behind her back, her fingers crossed. “You’re such a brat.” Rolling my eyes, I open my bedroom door and gesture for her to head back downstairs.
Heading for the stairs, my gaze locks on Harper as she’s standing there talking to Ashton. She glances up at me and bites her bottom lip before excusing herself as she heads for the front door.
I curse under my breath, brushing past Nova.
“What the hell just happened?” I growl at Ashton, grabbing his arm. “I invited Harper tonight. Were you hitting on her?”
Ashton’s brow furrows. “What are you talking about? That’s the girl I told you about earlier. Hot. Am I right?”
It’s not possible.
Ashton’s crush cannot be Harper McKenna.
Absolutely not.
Sighing, I shake my head, chasing after Harper. She’s already outside, and the air is frigid without a coat or long sleeves, but I don’t care. I’d freeze for her.
“Harper, where are you going?” I call after her.
She laughs under her breath, wraps her arms around herself and keeps walking. The street lights illuminate the road as she hurries away from the apartment.
“Away from you,” she says a little too loudly.
Maybe she wants me to hear her? “What did I do wrong?” I ask. She’s clearly mad. Is it because Ashton was hitting on her, or something else?
Harper stops walking and spins around to face me. It gives me a few seconds to catch up, closing the distance between us. “You really have to ask?” she scoffs at me.
She can barely meet my stare, her gaze everywhere but on me. And I could be wrong, but her eyes almost look like they’re glistening, as if she’s holding back tears.
I reach out, my fingers guiding her chin up, staring into her dark gaze that captivates me and lures me in. My breath catches in my throat. “You’re mad.”
“Did you get all that from me leaving the party? You must really be a genius,” she seethes.
I bite down on my tongue. She’s got a mouth on her. I glance at her lips and then back up to her dark eyes. “Spell it out for me,” I say.
Her gaze tightens, and she sucks in a breath. “I shouldn’t have to. We’re just friends. Barely even that.”
She pulls out of my embrace, and the air is even colder than before.
“If we’re less than friends, why are you running away?” I ask.
It’s obvious she’s upset. I’m just not quite sure what I did wrong, and by the look on her face, I’m to blame.
Her tongue darts out, swiping across her top lip. I can’t stop myself; I lean in, taking a taste, desiring to silence her anger.
I expect her to pull away, to smack me across the face, yell, scream. I’m waiting for her reaction, but it isn’t what I’m anticipating.
Her lips melt into mine, and she leans closer, her fingers trembling against my chest as I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her tighter. The kiss starts out simple yet passionate, but when she doesn’t back off, I drag my tongue across her bottom lip.
Her mouth parts, granting me entrance as I deepen the kiss, and I hear the perfect sweet moan fall from the back of her throat that elicits a primal response deep within me.
Fuck, she sounds hot.
I want to hear her moan my name, listen to her panting and breathless as I bury my cock deep inside of her.
Harper pulls back, breathless.
Her cheeks are rosy and her lips swollen. She’s a gorgeous sight, and the cold air surrounds me yet again. I’d forgotten I was freezing while kissing her.
“We can’t,” Harper says and pulls her hands back from my chest. “I’m not that girl.”
My gaze tightens. “What does that mean?” I’ve never been more confused in my life.
“I know what you were doing, Luca. I’m not an idiot. You’re not bedding two girls in one night. Well, not me.”
Harper turns and keeps walking, heading down the road, leaving me standing there dumbfounded.
Bedding two girls? Who the hell does she think I slept with?
And then my mind flashes back to Nova, walking with her down the stairs, her wearing my sweatshirt. Does she think I slept with her?