88
Allesio’s POV
The sound of low chatter floated up from the living room as Alaric and I made our way down the staircase. Emilia’s excitement was unmistakable, her voice animated as she greeted her friend.
“She seems to be enjoying herself,” I muttered, keeping my tone neutral even though my mind was already racing.
Alaric raised a brow, glancing at me as we descended. “We’ll see how enjoyable it is after we get her friend’s name.”
It was protocol, of course. Anyone stepping into this house needed to be vetted, especially now, when tensions with rival families were high. Even Emilia’s friends weren’t exempt.
“Do you think she’s harmless?” I asked as we approached the hallway leading to the living room.
Alaric’s face was unreadable, his usual calm, calculating expression in place. “That’s what we’re about to find out.”
I nodded, trying to shake the unease settling in my chest.
As we turned the corner, stepping into the living room, the first thing I noticed was Emilia, her face glowing with happiness as she gestured animatedly while talking to someone seated beside her.
And then I saw her.
Rosa.
My heart stopped for a second, then slammed into overdrive. What the hell was she doing here?
She looked different in the daylight-softer somehow, but just as breathtaking. Her dark hair framed her face perfectly, and the faintest smirk tugged at her lips as she talked to Emilia.
But that smirk faded the moment her eyes met mine.
Rosa froze, her entire body going rigid as recognition flickered in her gaze. The shock on her face mirrored my own, though I quickly masked it. I was good at that-hiding what I didn’t want others to see.
She wasn’t.
The surprise in her expression shifted, morphing into something I couldn’t quite place, something that sent a jolt of unease down my spine.
Alaric noticed immediately, his sharp eyes darting between Rosa and me. He stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “You must be Emilia’s friend.”
Rosa’s gaze shifted to him, and her lips curved into a polite smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “That’s right.”
“And your name is?” Alaric pressed, his tone deceptively casual.
Rosa hesitated for the briefest of moments, her gaze flickering back to me before she responded. “Rosa.”
Alaric’s expression didn’t change. “Surname?”
The air seemed to thicken as she answered, her voice steady and clear. “Smith.”
Alaric’s eyes flashed-just the smallest shift, but I caught it. And I knew he was thinking exactly what I was: Which Smith?
Smith wasn’t just a name. In certain circles, it was a title, a legacy. And if Rosa was tied to the Smith family we were thinking of, then her presence here was anything but harmless.
“Smith,” Alaric repeated slowly, as if testing the weight of it.
Rosa didn’t flinch. Instead, she stood, her posture casual yet commanding as she closed the distance between herself and Alaric. Her gaze was piercing, her smile sharp and deliberate.
“If you try anything with Emilia,” she said softly, her voice carrying an edge that was impossible to miss, “I’ll make sure you regret it.”
She didn’t raise her voice, didn’t make a scene, but the threat in her tone was clear.
And then, as if she hadn’t just promised to kill one of the most dangerous men in the room, she smiled sweetly, her demeanor flipping like a switch.
“Thanks so much for having me,” she added, her tone light and cheerful as she glanced between the two of us.
The room fell silent for a moment, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
Alaric didn’t move, didn’t blink, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind. Rosa, on the other hand, stood there calmly, her expression unreadable as her eyes briefly met mine again.
Damn it.
She wasn’t just anyone. She wasn’t just a one-night stand.
And she wasn’t going to make this easy.
“It’s nice to see you again, Allesio,” she added, eyeing me slowly. “Though I supposed to have recognized you both at the club. That was a mistake on my part, I admit.”
“We should have also recognized Romano Smith’s princess,” Alaric murmured and she took a step closer.
“It’s nice to meet you finally, Mr Castillo,” she smiled at him.
“Okay can someone tell me what the hell is going on here?” Emilia snapped, her eyes darting from Rosa, to me, then to Alaric and then back. I could tell she was very confused and it was riling her up.
“I haven’t seen your men around,” Rosa mentioned, her eyes darting from me to Alaric. “You must be very confident that no one would attack you in your house.”
Alaric shot her a tight smile. “I wish so,” he replied. “But we were supposed to make Emilia’s friend feel comfortable. We didn’t know that she has friends in the mafia, because she comfortably forgot to mention.”
“You never asked,” Emilia shot back with a roll of her eyes. “It’s not just something I’m supposed to say casually.”.
“Isn’t it?” Alaric murmured, eyes narrowed on Emilia before returning to Rosa. “She tells me you’re harmless. May I know why you’re really here? Because you seemed to know who your best friend is working for.”
“She’s here because I told her to come. Damn it. What is it with you three? Can anyone tell me what’s going on and why this sudden tension between you three?” Emilia demanded but we ignored her again.
“You have a very nice home,” Rosa said at last. “I can’t wait to meet your daughter. Emilia tells me she’s such a sweet soul.” She shot us that sweet smile once again and I found it threatening instead of nice and calming.
“You can’t with you three,” Emilia breathed out, throwing up her hands in frustration. She glared at us before grabbing her friends hand and dragging her away. I watched them disappear from our sights before turning to Alaric who had a pissed off look in his eyes.