Book 1
Gia Salvatore does not like to feel tied down. Tired of answering to her controlling father, she ran away the night of her high school graduation and moved in with a secret older boyfriend, glad to cut ties with her toxic family.
But four...
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"You look beautiful," he said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.
Gia rushed forward, motivated by the fact that he had not only noticed her attire but that he was openly attracted to her. She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him full on the mouth, trying to calm her own nerves more than anything else. It helped when he welcomed her kiss, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer.
"You're trying to get me killed," he smiled when they finally pulled apart. He took a step back, respectful of her space and Gia grabbed his hand, wanting to keep him close.
"Let's get married." She blurted it out without pretext. She felt a warm blush rise up on her cheeks, embarrassed at her bluntness when she saw the look of befuddlement take over his face.
"What," he questioned, laughing nervously. He let go of her hand, and took a step backwards putting more distance between them.
Gia's mind raced, trying to remember any of the reasons she had decided this would be a good idea. She was frightened, she realized, and nervous of being rejected. The butterflies did another loop in her stomach and Gia knew she had more at stake than just her liberation. She had caught feelings for Evan in the short amount of time she had known him but she saw something inside of him, a potential he had yet to tap into, a passion needing to be unlocked. She could see them running away to find themselves together, away from expectations or obligations.
"Let's make the headlines," she said, feigning confidence.
He looked at her, expression unchanging.
"Rocker Elopes with Mafia Darling," she said visualizing the headline herself. "There's no way it won't get their attention."
"This is a trick," Evan laughed nervously. He went to the windows to peek outside the drawn blinds. "Your bodyguard brings my ex-girlfriend on stage to show me up then sends you here to finish me off." He let go of the blinds and looked back at Gia.
"Go ahead and end it," he said, spreading his arms open in surrender. "I'm ready to die."
"You're being dramatic," she said, irritated he wasn't taking her seriously.
"And you're not," he replied, dropping his arms to his sides. He looked at Gia with that all too familiar sadness she had started to associate with him. "Am I joke to you?"
"Do you see me laughing?" She rushed forward, closing the distance he had put between them. She felt the tension raise around him and decided this time to keep her hands to herself.
"I don't know much about the music industry," she said. "But in my world, I'm the "It Girl".
She used air quotes with her fingers and Evan raised an eyebrow, questioning.
"Instead of having an album to promote or show tickets to sell, I'm the asset," she said, pointing a finger to her chest. "And my father's the record label." She choked up, realizing how much she was treated as a possession and not a human being; rarely having the opportunity to vent her emotions.
