89

89
Rosa’s POV
The moment we stepped away from the living room, Emilia wasted no time. She grabbed my arm, pulling me into one of the side hallways, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.
“Okay, spill,” she said, crossing her arms. “What the hell was that back there?”
I raised an eyebrow, playing dumb. “What was what?”
“Don’t give me that,” Emilia snapped, her tone sharper than I was used to. “You and Allesio. The way you two were staring at each other like you’ve got some unresolved history. Where do you know him from?”
I hesitated, not because I was ashamed, but because I knew this would shock her. Emilia wasn’t one to overreact, but I could already see her wheels turning.
“Well…” I started, leaning against the wall as casually as I could manage. “We, uh, had a one-night stand.”
Emilia’s jaw dropped, her eyes wide with shock. “You what?”
I shrugged, trying to downplay it. “We met at a club. It was fun. No big deal.”
“No big deal?” she repeated, her voice rising slightly. “Rosa, do you have any idea who he is?”
“I know enough,” I said, keeping my tone light. “He’s Allesio. Handsome, confident, a little rough around the edges. But none of that mattered because it was one night.”
Emilia groaned, pacing back and forth like she was trying to process the information. “This is bad. Really bad.”
“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious. “Because he works with Alaric?”
“Yes, because he works with Alaric!” she snapped, turning to face me. “You don’t get it, Rosa. Allesio isn’t…he isn’t just some guy you can hook up with and forget about.”
I rolled my eyes. “Em, it’s already done. I left before he woke up. Trust me, he probably doesn’t even care.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, her voice softening, though her expression remained serious. “Allesio is bad news, Rosa. From what I’ve gathered about him, he’s dangerous, and not just in the obvious mafia way. He doesn’t let people in, doesn’t trust easily, and when he does…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It’s messy.”
I laughed, crossing my arms. “Messy? You’re describing half the men I’ve ever met. Why is Allesio any different?”
“Because he’s not like the other men you’ve met,” she said firmly. “Rosa, I’m serious. You don’t know what you’re getting into, and I’m not just saying this as your friend. I’m saying this because I’ve seen what men like him can do. They ruin lives without even meaning to.”
Her words stung, but I hid it behind a smirk. “Relax, Em. I’m not planning on marrying the guy. Like I said, it was one night. That’s it.”
Emilia didn’t look convinced. She stepped closer, her tone dropping to a whisper. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him. Don’t even think about trying to make this more than what it was.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And if I don’t?”
Her jaw tightened, and I could tell she was trying to keep her frustration in check. “Then you’ll regret it. Not because of me, but because of who he is.”
There it was-that protective tone she always slipped into when she thought I was about to make a mistake. Emilia had always been like this, trying to shield me from the messier parts of life.
“Look,” I said, softening my tone. “I appreciate the concern, but you don’t have to worry about me. Allesio and I are done. Over. End of story.”
Emilia didn’t respond right away. She studied me like she was trying to figure out if I was lying. Finally, she sighed. “I know you, Rosa. You won’t listen to me, no matter how much I warn you. But just…don’t get hurt, okay?”
“I won’t,” I said confidently, though a small part of me wondered if she was right to be worried.
Emilia gave me one last look before stepping back. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before they send someone to check on us.”
I followed her down the hall, my mind already wandering back to Allesio. Despite what I’d said, despite how casual I’d tried to play it, there was something about him that lingered.
The way he’d looked at me, the way he’d been just as surprised as I was-it didn’t feel like the kind of thing you could brush off.
But Emilia was right about one thing. Allesio wasn’t like the other men I’d met.
And maybe that was exactly why I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
“I wanna meet the girl,” I said as she pulled me into a room which I was sure was hers.
“Francesca?” I asked with a raised brow. “She’s asleep. She’s just recovering from a fever and Alaric wouldn’t let her out at certain times. Protective dad and all that shit.”
“Oh,” I answered with a nod as I plopped down on her bed. “And what of Matteo anyways? I haven’t heard you mention him for a while.”
“Oh. Um. He’s probably at work right now,” she answered curtly, avoiding my eyes. She was hiding something.
“Is there any issue between you and him?” I asked her with raised brows and she shook her head.
“Of course not,” she smiled. “There’s no issue. He’s at work.”
“Okay,” I answered with a nod of my head. “Well is he treating you well?”
“Who?” She asked with raised brows.
“Who else? Alaric of course. I can tell that you both have things going on between you too. And it’s not just casual stuff,” I replied, giving her a knowing look.
She sighed. “I’m in love with him,” she murmured, dropping on the bed an lying on it, folding her arms on her chest.
I smiled. I knew that was bound to happen. And I didn’t exactly blame her. The man was hot.
“You’re not yelling at me,” she said quietly.
“Why would I? I’m glad you finally found a man you think worthy of your time,” I shrugged. “Hope the dick is good though?”
“Rosa!” She exclaimed, slapping my hand playfully while I laughed.