21. Luna
TWENTY-ONE
LUNA
For twenty-four hours Luna had been unable to take her eyes off the ring that still sat in the little black box. It stared back at her, glittering when the light hit it. She hadn’t even bothered to take it out, too afraid it would somehow slip onto her ring finger as if it had some kind of magical powers.
Actually, maybe it did. The moment she put it on, it transformed her from Luna Kingsley to Luna (almost) Vitali. The thought sent a nauseous wave over her.
“It’s not going to disappear if you keep glaring at it,” Blair told her.
“I’m not glaring at it,” she said. “I’m just looking.”
“That’s all you’ve been doing. Do you not like it or something?” Cecilia asked. “I think Valerio would be willing to buy you another one if you wanted.”
Luna shook her head and closed the box. They were waiting for Gianna to get there, all wanting to take advantage of Valerio driving Luna to school. She hoped he didn’t mind the additional guests on their ride. It had been raining all night and had yet to stop, so the ground was covered in mud and none of the girls felt like going to class soaking wet.
“The ring is beautiful, magnificent. I mean, the diamond is huge. Who wouldn’t want it?” Luna said.
“Then what’s the problem?” Blair asked.
“The moment I put this ring on, everyone knows I am engaged. It’s like a flag is getting waved and that’s all anyone will know about me when they look at me,” Luna huffed.
“Why does that bother you so much?” Cecilia asked. “I’m sure everyone already knows you guys are engaged. I mean, news spreads like wildfire on campus.”
“Not to mention you signed the contract yourself. You had to have known this was coming,” Blair said.
They were both right. Of course they were. “I know.” Luna sighed. “But we just had our first real date. It’s like we’re skipping a million steps and rushing into marriage when we should be getting to know each other.”
Before either of them could respond, the door opened, and a huffing Gianna entered, shaking off her umbrella. “Your fiancé is an asshole. He parked across the street, claiming he couldn’t get into the garage, so I had to walk in the rain.”
“That sounds like a legit problem,” Luna said.
“Well it would be if he hadn’t driven into the garage as soon as I got out,” Gianna said, crossing her arms. “I don’t understand how I’m related to that freak.”
“Hey, that’s Luna’s future husband you’re talking about,” Cecilia said, laughing, only to stop when Luna shot her a glare.
“Can we stop using those types of words?” she asked.
“What’s the issue?” Gianna asked. “Was the date bad?”
“No,” Luna said, keeping it short. Her mind flashed the images of that date. It wasn’t bad at all.
“He gave her the ring,” Blair said.
“What?” Gianna screeched. “Let me see!”
She extended it to her, watching as Gianna opened it in a hurry. “Now this is a ring,” she said, her eyes practically glowing. She took it out of the box, going to put it on her finger.
Luna snatched it from her. “You can’t put it on.”
“Why? You won’t,” Gianna said. “I want to see how a rock that size would look on my finger.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s my ring,” she said, placing it back into the box and closing it.
“Oh, so now you want it.” Blair gave a pointed stare.
“Just because I’m hesitant to wear it doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong to me now,” Luna told her, crossing her arms.
“Well, the date must have been really good since he gave you his mother’s ring,” Gianna said. “She kept it on lock and key when she was still alive, never wanting Cesare to get his hands on it.”
Luna’s eyes widened. “This is his mother’s ring?”
“Not her wedding ring. It was passed down from her grandfather, so Valerio’s great-great grandfather,” Gianna said.
“That was actually sweet of him,” Cecilia said. “That means he wanted you to have something special.”
Luna swallowed hard. “Yeah.”
She placed it into her bag, having every intention of giving it back to him. She couldn’t take something that important from him, let alone wear his mother’s ring. If she lost it or if anything happened to it, Luna would feel destroyed, especially if that was all he had left of her. She would never forgive herself.
She could settle for any ring at the jewelry store, something less meaningful so it wouldn’t matter if it got lost.
“Let’s go before he leaves us walking in the rain,” Gianna said, opening the door.
Blair snorted. “He’ll leave us, but take his bride.”
Luna was the last to walk out of the apartment, taking smaller steps than everyone else. They made their way into the garage where Valerio was already waiting with his car running. A smile lined his lips when he saw Luna, but she couldn’t return it.
His smile fell. “What are the rest of you doing?” he asked.
“We’re Luna’s cargo,” Gianna said sarcastically.
He rolled his eyes, walking up to Luna. He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Good morning,” he said.
“Morning,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind them coming since it’s raining outside.”
“Only for you.”
He opened the passenger side door for her, letting everyone else fend for themselves as they all packed into the back of his car. Valerio got in, placing his hand on Luna’s thigh as he began to drive. Her cheeks turned red, knowing her best friends saw the movement.
“So, Luna got back pretty late on Saturday,” Cecilia said. Her tone was mischievous and Luna could see where this was going. “I wonder why.”
She turned around, her eyes telling her to shut up.
“I wasn’t aware she had a curfew,” Valerio said.
“Since she’s marrying you and we’re her best friends, I think it’s only fair we are compensated in some way,” Blair said. “For example, I like going on yachts.”
“Oh, me too,” Gianna said. “And vacationing in Italy.”
“Don’t you already get all those perks?” Cecilia asked.
“Yeah, but I want to be included.”
“Keep this up and I’ll kidnap Luna so none of you see her again,” Valerio told them.
She slapped his arm. “Be nice.”
He looked over at her. “I only want to be nice to you.”
Luna sunk into her seat at the awws that erupted from the back seat. He was being sweet now, but just the other night he had fucked her mouth and made her suffocate on his cock.
And then he gave her the ring.
The same anxiety filled her again. He pulled the car into the closest parking spot next to the building she had class in. Luna turned around, motioning for the girls to get out of the car with her eyes.
“We’ll see you later then,” Blair said, knowing what Luna was going to do. She was sure they all knew, which was why they hurried out of the car.
It was silent in the car for a moment. Luna turned to look at Valerio, who had his gaze tied to her bare ring finger. She covered up her hand quickly.
“You’re not wearing it,” he said, flicking his eyes back up to hers.
She sighed. “It’s not all why you think.” She reached into the bag, pulling the small black box out. “You didn’t tell me this was your mother’s.”
“Why does that matter?” he asked, leaning back in his seat. “I would have told you eventually.”
“If something happened to it, like if I lost it or damaged it in some way—” She shook her head. “Is this the only thing you have left from her?”
“It is the only thing I have left from her. That’s why it means so much to me and why I want you to have it. She would have wanted me to give it to you,” he said, grabbing her hand that held the box.
“But maybe you should hold on to it. I can get any other type of ring. Seriously, I don’t need this one,” she said quickly. “And I know this isn’t a romantic marriage, so maybe she wanted you to save it for someone you loved like that.”
“I don’t want you to have just any other ring,” Valerio told her. “And this isn’t just a contract. You know my feelings, and if she was still alive, she would have also understood my feelings for you. It has never felt like just a contract to me, Luna. I’ve never treated it as such, and I won’t start now.”
She had to look away, too intimidated by the intensity of his gaze. His authenticity and rawness made her uncomfortably vulnerable.
Quickly it was becoming more than just a contract—he already knew it, but it seemed like she was finally getting the memo.
He sighed. “Do you not like this one?”
“No!” she shouted, looking at him again. “I love it. I mean, look at it. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
“Then it is yours,” he said. He leaned closer to her. “You’re going to be my wife. This ring is just as much yours as it is mine.”
“Are you sure?” she asked again. “I won’t be offended if you decide to take it away.”
Valerio rolled his eyes, kissing her to shut her up. She responded, missing the feel of his lips against hers. It had only been a couple of days and already she was starving for him. He pulled away. “The ring was made for you,” he said. “There is no one else more worthy of wearing it.”
Luna let out a shuttered breath. “Okay, I’ll wear it.”
Valerio took the box, opened it carefully, and grabbed the ring. He set the box on the dashboard, grabbing her left hand in his own. Luna watched in a daze as he slid the ring onto her finger, the cold silver touching her feverish skin. It fit her perfectly, as if it truly was made for her hand.
Luna flexed her hand, feeling out the weight of the ring. She didn’t wear rings usually, so it was different. Not bad, just different.
She expected to feel transformed, different, dreadful, but she felt none of it. The butterflies still swarmed her stomach, but it was more about what the moment signified than anything else. She was officially an engaged woman—well, at least to anyone who now looked at her finger and could figure it out.
Valerio lifted her hand, pressing a kiss on the ring. He looked up at her, his eyes darker than before. She saw that same possession swirl in his eyes from before, only this time he had something physical claiming her as his.
“Perfect,” he muttered. “Absolutely perfect.”
A chill erupted up Luna’s spine. One moment she felt like she was losing her mind and then Valerio showed up and suddenly she was completely calm. It made no sense to her.
A knock on the car window was the only thing that took them both out of their daze.
Valerio rolled down the window, allowing Dante to lean in casually. “What are you lovebirds up to?”
“What the fuck do you want, Dante?” he asked.
“I have class like everyone else on campus,” Dante said. He lifted his hand to wave at Luna. She rolled her eyes, waving back.
“Since when do you attend class?” Valerio asked.
“Speaking of class, I have to go,” she said, gathering her bag in her hand. Valerio turned off the car, pushing Dante away so he could open his door and walk with her. “You don’t have to walk me,” she said, closing her door behind her. “Plus it stopped raining.”
He grabbed the umbrella from her hands, opening it and holding it over their heads while the light drizzling continued. “I have to head that way anyway.”
“You don’t have a bag or any books with you,” Luna said, her eyebrow raised.
“He keeps all his knowledge in that big ass head of his,” Dante said, laughing. It turned to a cough when Valerio smacked him in the stomach.
He grabbed her bag, holding it in one hand while he held the umbrella in the other. Luna walked close to him to avoid the drizzle of rain still falling. The stares from people on campus startled her, but that was the effect Valerio had on people. He made them stop and look.
“Did you invite her yet?” Dante asked Valerio, walking beside the couple. “Or can I do it? I already called dibs on inviting the others.”
“Invite me to what?” Luna asked.
“My birthday party next weekend,” Valerio said, almost sheepishly. “It’s not a big deal.”
Her eyes widened. How did she not know his birthday?
“Of course it’s a big deal,” she said. “Isn’t it your quarter-life crisis?”
“I hope I don’t have any crisis at twenty-five,” Valerio said.
“So are you coming? I’m throwing the party, so you know it’s gonna be good,” Dante said. “We’ll have fireworks, drinks, food, and strippers.”
Luna’s head snapped over at that word. “Strippers?”
Valerio shook his head. “I already said no to it.”
“How can you have a party without some sort of entertainment?” Dante asked, groaning in protest.
She eyed Valerio suspiciously. Was it his idea to have strippers? Was that why she hadn’t been invited to it sooner?
“If you want strippers, get strippers,” Luna said, a fake smile on her face. “Don’t let me stop you, especially if you had plans to get them anyway.”
“I never agreed to it because I don’t want it,” he said. “When we went over it this morning, I shut it down immediately.”
She nodded, feeling embarrassed. What was the sickening feeling that built up inside her? It felt murderous, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was such an ugly feeling. One that left her wanting to grab Valerio and make sure everyone knew who he belonged to.
Was she jealous ?
She couldn’t be. To be jealous meant she considered Valerio hers, which she wasn’t even sure that she did. Sure, things had definitely shifted since their date, but still, she couldn’t already be feeling that way. It was too soon. She hadn’t even known when his birthday was, for God’s sake.
They were outside the building already, but Valerio grabbed her hand, stopping her from going inside. “I swear I don’t want anything to do with Dante’s plans and I’ll make sure nothing like that happens. I didn’t even want the stupid party, but him and Allister were already planning it before I could tell them I only wanted dinner with you that night at the cabin.”
There it was. In a second, Luna’s heart was melting once again. “I wouldn’t mind still doing that. We have an entire weekend.”
He smirked. “I think you’re starting to enjoy spending time with me, my little moon.”
“Little moon? What is that? My new nickname?” she asked, letting out a small laugh.
“I think it’s fitting. You’re able to brighten up my darkness like no one else.” The grin on his face made him look so much younger and eased all the worries that usually overtook it.
“That’s cheesy, even for you,” she said, her grin matching his. It was cheesy, but she couldn’t help but like the nickname. It was from him and sounded damn good leaving his lips.
“Have a good day. I’ll text you,” he told her. “Make sure you answer.” She took back her bag, ducking under the cover of the building while he closed the umbrella and handed it to her.
“No promises,” she said.
He rolled his eyes, wrapping his hand in her hair and pulling her lips to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes. Every kiss left her completely breathless and wanting more. This had to be an addiction at this point.
She pulled away with a small smile. “I have to go to class.”
“Go, before I change my mind,” he muttered, slapping her ass when she turned around to walk away.
She looked back at him one last time, swirling the ring around her finger and disappearing past the doors.