When The Sun Goes Down - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Twenty-Nine

But there's room for two six feet under the stars.

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Why?

                Why oh why?

                Why oh why oh why did I actually agree to this?

                Alessio and I were seated in the back of the SUV as we had been earlier in the day when he had showed up outside my apartment only this time Stacey was not upfront with Pietro who was driving.

                Alessio apparently always sat in the back and never drove.

                When we got to Stacey’s house she had insisted I come inside with her. She said it was about “work” and that she would drive me home later. I knew she really just wanted to gush over all the details of the night and how amazing Pietro was. This was the first I had really seen Stacey hit it off with someone since I had met her.

                Her face when Alessio said in perfect calmness that I was coming back to his place. Oh God. Her face. She was stunned.

                I mean, Alessio and I had hardly been friendly to one another on this, whatever this night was. She and Pietro had a fantastic date and he didn’t ask her back to their house. She was both stunned, confused, offended, and disappointed.

                As we rode along in the back now my heart was practically beating out my chest. My anxiety was through the roof. Was the car running out of oxygen?

                We took the entire car ride in awkward silence except for the occasional vibration of my phone from several texts I assumed were from Stacey. I was afraid if I looked at my messages I would fully comprehend what I was doing right now and would surely lose it.

                Then again, what was I doing right now? I clearly already had lost it. Alessio was holding my hand. What the fúck was that about? Alessio held my hand and had it resting on his lap, with his other hand he used his index finger to trace intricate patterns on the back of my hand. It was oddly calming in an otherwise bullshit situation.

                WHAT WAS I DOING IT?!

                “Home sweet home.” Pietro said and pulled the car to a halt. The calming affect of Alessio’s finger along my skin ceased immediately and my stomach dropped. What on earth was I doing here?

                “You’re pale.” Alessio mused. “Are you sweating?”

                “Shut up.” I groaned.

                “What are you so nervous about?”

                “I don’t know. You came to finish the job. Shoot me and throw me in a ditch.” Or worse, he could start speaking in Italian to me, turn my legs to jello and sweep me off my feet and then leave me again.

                He laughed. “I wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble if that were the case.”

                “Well maybe it’s some sick game to you guys.” I suggested and he pulled me out of the car and back up the beautiful steps to his mansion of a house dragging me along by the hand all the while.

                “Are you going to be sick?” He asked and pressed his other hand to my forehead. I swatted him away.

                “No. I just don’t understand why I’m here.”