Code of Honor (Spontagio Family 1)

She mumbles something that I can’t make out, and that makes us both laugh.

“I feel a little better,” she mumbles, gazing up at me with glazed eyes. “You’re so good to me, Lucy. What would I do without you?”

Oh God, she is getting emotional. Her eyes glisten as the tears begin to roll. Pretty soon, she is bawling her eyes out.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” she sobs, throwing her arms around me. I laugh as tears began to form in my own eyes.

“You’re an idiot.” I chuckle. “I love you and I love that you’re a total dork sometimes. This is what happens when you drink too much.”

“Excuse me, I had one beer.” I raise my eyebrows at her and she makes a face. “Okay, so maybe I lost count after that first one.”

After I help her to her bed and tuck her in, I sneak back to my room. Sighing, I undress. I have a few hours before my first day officially starts, and I’m exhausted. Not that I would have slept much anyway. I’m way too nervous to sleep.

I curl up in bed with my phone, reading Pietro’s latest response to me.

Pietro: Shouldn’t you be home tucked into bed?

Me: For your information, I am in bed. We just got back now. Bell is so drunk, it’s hilarious.

Pietro: Is Bella ever not drunk when you guys go out?

Me: I don’t mind. She’s funny and I love her. Besides, it took my mind off tomorrow for a few hours. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep anyway.

Pietro: Then I’ll keep you company.

I giggle and snuggle deeper into my blankets.

Me: I don’t want to keep you up. Go to sleep. I’ll be fine. Promise.

I press SEND, a part of me wishing I could chat with him all night. I reach for the remote and turn on the television. Infomercials blare back at me, but I don’t mind. I just need the background noise. My phone pings. I pick it up.

Pietro: You always keep me up.

I can’t describe the rush those few words give me. I have no idea if it’s all in my head, but if I didn’t know better I’d swear we’re flirting. Anticipation races through me. I read his words over and over again, sure I’m missing something, like, as a friend or as a sister tacked on to the end of his text. My fingers hover over the keypad. I bite my lip. Do I dare?

Me: That could be taken so many different ways…

I press SEND before I can back out.

Oh God. I feel sick.

Pietro: I guess it could. Maybe that was the point.

I stare at the message for a good ten seconds. This is all so new to me. I’m a complete novice when it comes to guys. I’ve kissed a few, and I let James Bilton feel me up when I was ten, but that’s it. My biggest fear is this flirting will mess up our friendship. And if things progressed even further—I blush.

God, am I actually thinking a relationship with Pietro is even a possibility? There is no way in the world that could happen. Even if he were interested, there were too many things working against us. Like my father.

I don’t reply to his message. We’re treading on the edge of friendship and something more, and I’m not sure I’m ready to take that step. Instead, I turn my phone off and toss it across the room so I’m not tempted to check it. Sighing, I roll over and cuddle my pillow. I wish he were here. I wish it were him I was snuggling up to and not my pillow.

Why do things have to be so messy?

After tossing and turning most of the night, I wake up at five. I’m not due at the studios until seven, but I get up anyway. I tiptoe down the hallway, listening to the sound of Bella snoring. In the kitchen, I put on a pot of tea and make myself a smoothie. I’m so nervous I feel sick, but I know dancing on an empty stomach is a bad idea, so I force myself to drink my healthy concoction.

I try to keep myself occupied for the next hour until I can’t stand it anymore. At just after six I get ready to leave my apartment. I decide against waking Bella. From the look of her last night, she needs all the rest she can get. I scribble a note for her and leave it on the kitchen counter, and then I grab my bag and go.

Chapter 7

Lucy