Roses & Ruin

Chapter 90 (Lexi)

        London was an excellent time. Better than I expected when first learning I was going with Mia and Domani. Honestly, I like Mia. She's sweet. We're a bit at odds when it comes to things we have in common, but she's growing on me the more I see her. 

And with what's ahead of me I think I'll be seeing her a lot. One, because I'm joining the Italian crew with this arrangement. Two, because of my wedding. And three, because of work.

        At dinner on our last night in London we got to talking about work and Mia said she wanted me to meet Karl. She said she saw how positive people reacted to my pictures, and that's exactly the energy he's looking for when picking a muse. 

She thinks he could get me in at fashion week if I impress him. And I'll do everything in my power to be sure I'm not a blubbering fool when meeting a fashion industry idol as big as he is.

        As much as London was fun, as soon as I touched down in New York again all my problems stayed right at the door where I'd left them. Walking into the Petrov house was not a feeling of getting home after a busy trip. It's dreadful. And I have to face Enzo now that I'm back. 

He texted me an apology that I never responded to. And the wedding...god, the wedding is in just under two weeks.

I haven't heard from Anthony since that text I sent him about the sunset. It was lame. I shouldn't have sent it. He responded, but it was a short lived conversation and I haven't heard from him since. 

 I refuse to think about any of this until I adjust back to the New York clock. Until then I still consider this my extended vacation. I plopped down in my fluffy bed and got some much needed rest.

-

        I had a very mysterious message from Anthony tonight telling me we 'needed to talk'. If I had to guess this is going to be about the other night and how we had sex again when we said we wouldn't. He's going to pull the same old speech about me being his cousin's 'soon to be wife'. He'll say we can't do this anymore, and it'll ache just the same as it always does when he pulls this crap on me.

When I face Lorenzo Rizzo it'll be to grab him by the balls and tell him if he ever puts a hand on me again, husband or not, I'll kill him myself. 

        I won't let Enzo have any kind of sexual relationship with me, so unless I'm committing myself to life long celibacy I am going to be having sex outside of my marriage at some point. I wish Anthony would lose his conscience and let it be him.

But I know he won't. He's just as bothered with this wedding as I am. If I bring it up he scowls. But now he wants to talk. So he said he'd send a car for me, and that my father okayed my leaving. I'm more confused now than ever. 

They must think I'm going to see Enzo. That's the only time security isn't attached to me when leaving.

-

        I was surprised when the final destination was Anthony's apartment. For some reason I thought we were meeting for coffee or something like that. I figured if he wanted to give me this speech about us needing to stay away from each other he'd want to do it in a place that doesn't have a bed less than ten feet away. 

He's clearly got more restraint than I do. All my body wants is him inside me again.

        When I got to his front door I knocked, and when the door opened I gasped. I almost dropped my cell phone right out of my hand. That's how startled I was to see Anthony mangled up this way. "Oh god, what happened? Was it Enzo?" I asked him, rushing inside the house without invitation.