15. Every Reason Not To #2
He sighed and tucked the gun back into the waistband of his trousers before opening the door.
“Oh, um, hello. Is… Aria here?”
I jumped up off the sofa when I heard Allegra’s confused voice and dove under his arm to get to her. “Hey! What are you doing here? And why didn’t you use your key?”
We hugged, and I pulled her into the flat as she continued to stare wide-eyed at Callum, who had retreated and placed his hands in his pockets.
“It didn’t work. Have you changed your locks?”
“Oh, shit, yeah.” I’d completely forgotten Callum had been busy sorting that while I slept.
“And you texted me a strange message earlier about doing a food shop for you, and then you didn’t answer your phone when I tried to call a million times. I got worried.” She shifted her gaze from me to Callum and back, a slow grin spreading across her face. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
Actually, yeah, but I wasn’t mad about it.
“No, it’s fine. Sorry, this is Callum. Callum, this is my best friend, Allegra.”
He held his hand out to her and shook it with a charming smile. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too. So…um, is everything okay? Why’s your phone off?”
I grabbed her hand, pulling her towards my bedroom as I excused us from Callum.
He told us to take all the time in the world since he had some calls to make and work to do on his laptop he’d brought with him.
That made me feel even guiltier about the whole situation.
He was an important and busy man, and I was a liability.
When I had Allegra shut inside my room, she immediately started bombarding me with endless questions about Callum, thinking this was a date.
“Do you really think I’d be dressed like a homeless man if this were a date?”
She looked me up and down. “So what is it then? A booty call?”
“No,” I sighed. “Sit down. I’ve got so much to tell you.”
I didn’t leave out a single detail as I filled her in on everything that had happened over the past few days. I wasn’t sure how safe it would be to tell her who my father believed Santino truly was, so I just said he was a key suspect in the shipment raids.
“So Santino Buccini is like… stalking you?”
“I think so,” I winced. “I don’t know. It’s all really confusing. Is it still stalking if you’re kind of into it?”
She snorted. “You’ve always had questionable taste in men, girl, but this… I mean, I get it. He’s got that insanely hot bad boy vibe going on, but are you actually in danger? How bad are we talking here?”
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “That’s the problem.
I don’t actually know who I’m dealing with.
Just how dangerous is he? Papi and Callum make it sound like he’s a complete menace to society, but they won’t give me any real details or proof of the crimes he’s supposedly committed.
And then Santino hasn’t exactly denied anything, but he hasn’t confessed either.
He just keeps telling me I don’t need to be afraid of him because he won’t hurt me. ”
“Hmm, but you think he’s using you to get your father to drop the investigation?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t made it seem that way, but my father is losing his mind over this, so maybe he is… Ugh, this is all so messy.” She smiled, and I narrowed my eyes at her. “What?”
“It’s only messy because you really like him, don’t you?”
“No!” I lied, then groaned. “Maybe. I’m trying not to.”
“This is such a classic case of daddy doesn’t approve, which makes him irresistible,” she chuckled.
“It’s not that.” I flopped back onto the bed. “I’m just insanely drawn to him for all the wrong reasons. He makes me want things, do things, act in a way that I never would with anyone else. I don’t understand why I can’t just… stop thinking about him.”
“He’s the forbidden fruit of your enemy,” Allegra said dreamily, shaking her head. “All the sexiest love stories are built on it. Romeo and Juliet. Hades and Persephone. Shrek.”
“Shrek?” I laughed.
“Ogres deserve epic love stories too.”
“This isn’t a love story, Ally. This is a living nightmare. It’s probably all a game to Santino. I’m his best chance at blackmailing my father, and I’m starting to realise Santino isn’t going to leave me alone until he gets what he wants. He’s completely unhinged.”
“Wait, I’m confused. I thought you just said you didn’t want him to leave you alone.”
“No, I do. I think. Yes, I do.” I covered my face with a pillow and screamed.
“Then marry nice guy Callum. He’s gorgeous, too. And rich. And he’s here protecting you like some knight in shining armour against the villain. Go be with the hero. Although villains are more fun.”
I dropped the pillow onto my lap and glared at her. “Stop it. You make it sound so easy.”
“Isn’t it? Santino will leave you alone if you’re married to another man, which means he will have nothing to blackmail your father with. Buccini will go to prison and then boom, happily-boring-ever-after like everyone else.”
I rolled my head on my shoulders before staring at the ceiling. “I don’t know if I can marry a practical stranger, Ally. Callum’s nice, but I’m not really feeling it.”
“What happened to going on one of those Married at First Sight shows? That’s worse, surely. At least you know Callum’s hot and doesn’t still live with his parents.”
“True,” I said, nodding. “I always thought I’d marry for love, but honestly, I’m not sure anymore.
Every boyfriend I’ve ever had turned out to be an asshole, a cheater, or emotionally closed off, and falling in love is just a recipe for heartbreak.
I guess I’ve realised I’m not even sure I believe in true love.
My parents didn’t work out. Most marriages end in divorce.
Maybe it’s better this way. To see marriage as signing a business contract.
Less risk. Less soul-crushing destruction when it inevitably goes to shit. ”
“Atta girl. There’s that optimism,” she teased.
I twisted my lips as I thought about whether to admit the new dilemma that was bothering me about this whole thing. “But what if there’s no spark?”
“What do you mean? With you and Callum?”
“Si. When you turned up, we were… kissing, and I didn’t feel anything. Not a single fanny flutter.”
“Ah,” her face contorted into a look of distress. “Merda. Those are important.”
“Exactly. I just have to think about…you know who…and I’m a bloody waterfall. But Callum had his tongue in my mouth and hand on my boob, and I felt nothing.”
“Well…that could come in time. Especially once you get Santino out of your brain.”
I nodded and closed my eyes. “All I know is that I can’t keep living like this. With all this stress, lack of privacy, and guilt. It’s messing with my head.”
She reached for my hand. “I’m here to support you, no matter what. You want to run off into the sunset with a sexy criminal? I’ll provide the getaway car. You want to marry a billionaire for security and money? I’ll plan the tackiest hen-do. I’m down for whatever.”
I let myself fall into her lap, resting my head on her thighs. “That’s why I love you.”
It was past midnight when she finally left after we had shared a bottle of wine with Callum in the living room. She raised an eyebrow at me as I closed the door, leaving him and me alone. My nerves heightened as I turned to see him approaching, leaning in for another kiss.
“I thought she’d never leave,” he whispered against my lips, threading his hands through my hair. “Where were we?”
In a moment of sheer panic and irritation that he said that about Ally, I ducked out from under his arms. “Sorry, I’m just…” I faked a yawn. “Really tired.”
His arms dropped to his sides, and he nodded, pressing his lips together in disappointment. “Okay. It’s late. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“You don’t have to stay all night. I’m sure you want your own bed.”
“Actually, I promised your father I would, as he still can’t get a hold of Damiano, so it’s fine. The sofa looks comfortable.”
“Oh,” I exhaled. “I have a spare room. You’ll be more comfortable in there. Let me show you.”
He followed me down the corridor and entered the small double bedroom. “Probably smaller than you’re used to, but hopefully it will be okay.”
“It’s great. Grazie.” He turned to face me again, and I stepped back out of the room.
His hand reached for my hip, pulling me close against him.
I stood rigid in his arms, and he pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
“Buonasera. I’ll check the security system before I go to bed.
I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well, and if you need anything, you know where to find me. ”