◇ KEL ◇ "Why are you still there?" "No— I was gonna..." The rest of my reply got cut off when I almost dropped my phone in a hasty attempt to lower the volume. I rushed out of Enzo's hotel room, my legs barely able to hold my weight. Miles' indignant tone shouldn't be a surprise, but... I just didn't expect he'd actually call me this morning. "He told you not to leave?" "No. It's not like that," I lied. Some part of my head throbbed as my brain tried to come up with a better backup lie. "Just wanna make sure he's fine. He drank too much last night," I explained, keeping my voice down as I stood alone in the dim hallway. It wasn't like I was cheating on him or anything—nothing beyond friendly gestures happened last night. Enzo would never take advantage of the situation like that. Wait. Did Miles think we're in a real relationship now? Why? He never said anything about us dating or being official. Though at times it felt like we're getting there, I just didn't know if he saw me

◇ KEL ◇  I knew it.  It was Miles on the phone.  But what and who were they talking about?  His brother?  Why?  Or perhaps Miles only called him up to warn him to stay away from me.  Again.  Then, maybe, they ended up talking about their family's most recent business deals and whatnot.   My curiosity was pushing me to ask Enzo about their conversation, but like Miles said, I should get going.  I shouldn't even be here in this expensive hotel. Or anywhere near the Tomassinis. For my own sake.   Quietly and with some hesitation, I approached Enzo as he stood still on the balcony, the faint sunlight not doing much to lighten up the atmosphere in this part of the city.  "Hey."  Enzo turned to regard me, his phone no longer stuck to his ear.  He put his phone away and just waited

◆ MILES ◆ The Falco Estate  Umbria, Italy   "You're not coming to the party?"  I asked the question before sitting next to my older cousin in his favorite patio, minding the dark half-circles under his light blue eyes and the semi-permanent scowl on his mouth.  After that awfully long travel by car, I should be the one sulking and making faces, but I caught Ricchar at a bad time today.   Well, he was still working despite being stuck home all month long.  Perhaps Ricchar was more stressed than usual by his current responsibilities in the family business.  Plus, Cloe being pregnant and mostly bedridden for the time being...    "Cloe doesn't want me to leave," Ricchar muttered, his eyes busy on his phone.  His outfit today was a simple black tracksuit with white stripes on the unzipped front, not very "businessmanly" like his usua

◇ KEL ◇ "So? Did he sign it or what? He's not replying to my emails anymore. Sonuvabitch ghosted me." I giggled at Gaia's fairly incensed reaction. It was my fault—I didn't tell her about the last conversation I had with Enzo, about that loan payment agreement I asked Gaia to revise. Well, in all honesty, I didn't want to talk to her about him at all. That last time I decided to hang out with him ended on a profoundly baffling note. Lately, I couldn't think of much else besides his cryptic goodbye that day. I just didn't know if Enzo really meant what he said...that it would be the last time we'd see each other. That he would never bother me again. It triggered a mini anxiety attack for me. I never told him he was being a bother, and I didn't know why he said that. "Sorry. He's just real busy these days," was my excuse. Hopefully Gaia didn't think I totally wasted her time and effort because Enzo repeatedly and blatantly refused to sign that contract. "So he didn't sign it?" "No.

◆ MILES ◆ These fucking cockblockers...  What else do I gotta do just to get laid tonight?  I sighed and glanced at my phone, minding my bodyguard's lax gait as we approached Ricchar's office. Niccolo kept my guitar solo ringtone blasting through my phone's speakers as I stepped into my cousin's private study room.  The distinct scent of dusty old books and some vanilla-smelling bourbon filled the room.  I declined Niccolo's call just to make my phone shut up. Behind the hardwood desk crowded with paperwork, Ricchar sat back in his black swivel chair with his headset snug in his ear. A scowl wrinkled his lips.  He looked busy talking to someone on the phone.  The deep furrow in his dark brows and his unusually peremptory tone told me he wasn't in a better mood at all. I stood by the door while Alessio sat in one of the c