The Italian

This is one fucked-up situation.

I close down my computer, pack up my desk, and make my way downstairs.

I’m supposed to be going to the gym but a bar of chocolate seems much more enticing.

I walk out of the building and glance up to see a black Ferrari parked across the street. Rico is standing beside it, his behind resting on the door. His eyes are locked on me.

My heart skips a beat at the sight of him. Just go and speak to him. Be an adult.

I cross the road and approach the car. “Hi.”

“Hello.”

The wind blows my hair around, and I tuck it behind my ears. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

We stare at each other. “Why?”

“I want to talk to you.”

“No, you don’t, Rici, you want to scream at me.”

“You can’t blame me for being angry. After the night we spent together, I wake up to that.”

I cross my arms in front of me. “I’m know, I’m sorry.” I sigh, disappointed in myself. “I don’t know what came over me.”

His eyes hold mine. “Can we get a drink?”

“I guess.” I gesture up the street, and he falls inline beside me. The two of us walk in silence until we get to a bar and restaurant.

We take a seat and the waiter comes over. “What would you like to drink?’

Rico gestures for me to order first.

“I’ll just have a mineral water, please?”

He frowns subtly. “I’ll have a blue label scotch, please.”

“Sure.” The waiter leaves us alone.

Rico’s eyes hold mine as he waits for me to speak… so I don’t.

“Well.” He opens his hands to me. “Start talking.”

I shrug.

“You obviously have things to say. Say them.”

This is it; the moment I know I have to be completely honest or I have to cut my losses and walk away. I can’t keep harboring this resentment toward him.

“You really hurt me when you left me in jail. It’s not something I can forget so easily. And it wasn’t in a lover kind of hurt, it was a humanity hurt kind.”

He drops his head, taking a moment to himself.

“I thought we were friends,” I whisper.

“Bella, I couldn’t deal with you and the drug thing back then. My whole world had collapsed. I was battling many demons—too many to name.”