Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Iknew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park coming back here.
I know he hates me, or at least he wants me to think he does.
And for good reason, CJ is not the same man I left in a hotel room a few years ago.
He’s changed, hardened, or maybe he’s always been that way.
He wasn’t towards me, though. That’s what’s changed.
He no longer worships the ground I walk on. No, now he’s acting as if I’m not even in the room.
I watched him the entire night. From the corner of my eye. Trying not to make my discomfort obvious.
Well, until now. I just watched him get up and walk out with his cousin Sammie Junior. And that’s when I finally break my wall of indifference.
“Where are those two going?” I ask my brother.
“Nowhere you need to concern yourself with, that’s for sure,” Aurelio replies.
“I’m not concerned. More… curious.” I shrug, looking around the ballroom.
My parents dragged us along to the gala. For what reason, I have no idea, but here we are. I will admit the event is raising funds for a great cause, and I do love Charlotte Giuliani, the hostess—also CJ’s aunt.
I find my mum talking to Lailani, another one of CJ’s aunts, and look around for my dad, spotting him by the bar with CJ’s father. And then I’m standing. “I’m going to go hang out with Dad. He’s far better company than you.”
“Sure he is.” My brother rolls his eyes at me.
“You might want to go and see who that is Rosie is getting cozy with over there before Dad notices and paints this party red.” I nod at our little sister, who is clearly flirting with some poor, unsuspecting fool.
I feel slightly bad for throwing my sister under the bus, but I needed to get my brother’s attention away from me. Because if I don’t, he will see when I slip out of this ballroom, and he’ll follow me.
Approaching my Dad, I plaster on a smile that I don’t feel. It does nothing to fool him, though. The moment his eyes connect with mine, his face shifts from one of indifference, to one of concern.
He steps towards me, completely ignoring the fact he was mid-conversation with CJ’s dad. “Whose blood do I need to spill?” he whispers against the side of my head as he hugs me close.
“No one. I have a headache. I’m going to head up to my room.” The lie easily slips from my tongue, because admitting the truth—that I’m heartbroken, hurt, embarrassed all over CJ—isn’t an option.
I broke us. It’s my fault he hates me. Then again, that’s exactly what I wanted. For him to hate me. Because the only way to make sure he didn’t pursue a relationship with me was to make him hate me.
And now, well… Now, I’m sleeping in the bed I made. Because I didn’t want to be the one who caused CJ to miss out on something he’d eventually want. Something I could never give him. I made the choice for us, for him, because I knew he wouldn’t have.
“I’ll walk you up,” Dad says as he takes a step back and runs his scrutinizing gaze over me.
“Dad, I’m more than capable of finding my own way back to the room.” I roll my eyes. “Besides, you were in the middle of a conversation with Mr. Bianchi.”
“You’re more important than any conversation, Daniella. Give me a minute. I’m going to go tell your mother I’m taking you back upstairs.”
“Okay,” I agree, because I know there isn’t any point in arguing with my dad about this. He’s not letting me walk out of this ballroom alone.
An awkwardness falls over me as I watch my father walk away and I’m left standing here with CJ’s dad. Who I’m sure hates me just as much as his son does.
Mr. Bianchi stares at me a moment before he smiles. “Daniella, how’ve you been?”
Shit. I look around, anywhere but at him. “Good, you?” I reply.
“Busy. You enjoying being back in Sin City?”
“Well, we only got here yesterday. I also don’t plan on staying long,” I mutter.
“That’s a shame.” His words cause my face to snap to his.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I know people in this city would love for you to be around more.”
“I doubt anyone wants me here, Mr. Bianchi.”
“You’d be surprised,” he says.
My dad picks that moment to return. “You ready?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re leaving?” Mr. Bianchi asks me.
“Yeah, I have a headache.”
“Well, hope you feel better, sweetheart.”
I’m not sure how to respond to his kindness. I hurt his son. Why is he being nice to me?
“Thank you.” I smile politely and step closer to my dad.
“I’ll be back. I’m just going to walk Daniella up to her room,” Dad tells Mr. Bianchi, who nods in response.
The ride up in the elevator is quiet.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Dad asks, stopping at the door that leads to my room.
“I’m just tired. Jet lag,” I tell him.
“Okay, call if you need anything.” He kisses my forehead and waits for me to step inside the room before he turns and walks away.
Closing the door, I lean my back against it, taking a huge breath. I will the tears not to fall. I don’t deserve to cry, because every bit of pain I’m feeling right now is my own damn fault.
After a few more deep breaths, I push away from the door and head into the bedroom.
I need to get out of this ballgown and into something more comfortable.
I also need to get out of this hotel. I know my dad will be pissed if he discovers I went out after he walked me back to my room, but I’m in my twenties.
I’m not a child. I’m not going to just sit here and feel sorry for myself.
I’m going to get changed, go out, and drink my problems away. This is Vegas, after all. There’s a party in every casino somewhere.
I pull out a little black skirt and a sparkly silver bandanna top.
I remove the clips from my hair, let the blonde waves fall over my shoulders, and then I’m ready to go.
I’m going to find a club and drink and dance the rest of the night away.
It’s a shame everyone I know is in that ballroom, but I’m good at having fun on my own.
Besides, in this outfit, I doubt I’ll be that way for long.
I’ll find a warm body to use for the night. I’ll feel better for a few hours. Until morning comes, and along with it, the guilt. Even knowing that, I’m going to follow through on this plan.
Thankfully, I manage to make it out of the Royal Flush without running into anyone I know. I like being in cities where I’m just another body in the crowd. It’s freeing in a sense.
The moment I step out onto the street, I’m hit with the heat of Nevada. I love it. It’s a different kind of heat from home. Not an in your face, take your breath away kind of hot. But a nice warmness that runs over your bare skin.
I’m on the Strip, deciding which way I want to go, when the hairs on the back of my neck rise. You know that feeling that you’re being watched? Yeah, I have that. And within the same breath, I know who's watching me.
“Going somewhere?” CJ steps in front of me.
I tilt my head to look up at him. “Yes.”
“Where you going? A clothing store because you forgot to pack any?” he asks while running his glare down my very-exposed body.
I roll my eyes at him. “Okay, well, this was… whatever this was. But I do have somewhere else to be, as I’m sure you do,” I say as I step around him.
And then CJ’s arms are circling my waist and my body is being pulled down to the ground. He must have moved his hand to my head because it doesn’t hit the concrete. My back, however, does, and CJ’s body slumps over the top of mine.
“Don’t move,” he hisses out.