Code of Honor (Spontagio Family 1)

My face heats as I think about how hard he had me come. I’ve never been able to achieve anything like that on my own, which makes me wonder if I’d been doing it wrong all this time.

Sighing, I try to ignore the emptiness in my chest. Thinking about him isn’t going to help get me through the next few days. I need to block him from my mind and focus on what’s important: my dancing. I don’t have time for guys anyway. The more I say it, the more I begin to believe it. There is no room for boyfriends in this profession. All my time and focus needs to be on ballet, and a boyfriend would compromise that.

In the end, I’d have to choose between him and ballet because there isn’t room for both.

Chapter 15

Pietro

A twinge of guilt washes over me when Stefanni’s name flashes on my screen. I’d made it clear to her that I’m only interested in friendship with her, but she just won’t let up. I’m at the point where I think it’s best for both of us if I avoid her.

The worst part is having to find myself another coffee shop to spend my days in. The only other one near the studio is one I’m afraid Lucy will go into because it’s literally right across the street.

After watching Lucy go into the studio, I walk up to the coffee shop to check it out. Once inside, I see it’s actually pretty nicely positioned for what I need to do. Not only that, but there’s a back door that exits onto the street behind. If I see her coming across the street, I can make a fast getaway.

Satisfied, I order a coffee and pancakes, and then take a seat near the back. I pull out my laptop and get to work.

It’s close to five when I finally finish for the day. Closing my laptop, I watch as students begin to leave the studio. Lucy is one of the last to leave. She’s holding her phone. Texting, maybe? I eye my phone, hoping to see it light up with a message, and when it doesn’t, a wave of disappointment hits me.

Why should she have to contact me? I’m obviously the one with the problem.

I watch her as she crosses the street and enters her building. Slowly, I gather my things and pay up my tab. I don’t want to go home, and it’s starting to rain. Without thinking, I walk into the first bar I pass, and order myself a Scotch. The bartender pours my drink, then pushes it across the bar to me. I sit down on the stool and down the drink in one gulp.

“Hit me again,” I mutter. I’m so frustrated with myself and the only way I can think to deal with this right now is with alcohol. After my second shot, I’m already pretty tipsy. I don’t drink that much, so when my aim is to get drunk, it’s a pretty short process. By my third round I’m starting to see double. I glance at my phone and realize I’ve been sitting there for over an hour. Shit, where did that time go? My inability to process time makes me question whether I’ve only had the three drinks. I slide off the stool, deciding it’s best for me to go home and sleep it off.

Outside, my phone rings. My stomach lurches and I answer, convinced that it’s Lucy. I don’t even consider what kind of impression me being drunk will leave on her, because I’m so desperate to hear her voice.

“Lucy?” I gasp into the phone.

“What? Pietro, it’s Giovanni. What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, shit. I thought you were someone else,” I mutter. I stop and lean against the wall, rubbing my head. I don’t want to speak to Giovanni right now. Only Lucy. “Um, I have to go.”

“Hold up, you’re not going anywhere. Is Lucy all right? Why did you think I’d be Lucy?” he asks me, confused.

“I thought she might call,” I mutter, vaguely aware that

I should get off the phone as fast as possible.

The state I’m in, who knows what I’ll let slip?

“Did you need me for something?” I ask, trying to shift the conversation.

“Need something? Pietro, what I need is someone I can trust to look after my daughter. You’re obviously drunk. How can you keep an eye on her safety when you can barely talk?”

“I can talk just fine,” I retort, slowly dragging each word out. “After watching her all day, and ensuring she got home safely I had a few drinks to unwind. I didn’t realize that would be such a problem.”

“It’s a problem when it interferes with what I’m paying you for,” Giovanni growls. I swallow a laugh. He seriously expects me to watch her twenty-four hours a day? He’s being ridiculous. “Go home and sleep it off, Pietro. I’ll call you tomorrow when you’re lucid.”

Annoyed, I shove my phone back in my pocket and continue my stagger home. Who the hell does he think he is? Part of me wants to call him back and tell him exactly what Lucy and I have been up to, but I’m not that stupid or drunk.

As I near Lucy’s building, my heart pounds. I’m ten seconds away from walking up there and pounding on her door, begging forgiveness. But I don’t. What stops me is I don’t want her to see me like this. I’m a mess.

Snap the fuck out of this miserable hole you’re digging yourself into. You want things to change? Man up and change them.

Chapter 16

Lucy