She nodded timidly.
“You are far more important than anyone else in this restaurant. Or anywhere.” He finished.
For once in her life Adelina didn’t feel like the helpless heroine. She felt like an empress, like she could rule the world with this man at her side.
???
Adelina was tipsy off the wine she had had at dinner when Lucian pulled onto Brown’s campus. Lucian walked her into the building, stopping when they got to her door.
He leaned in, pressing her to the wall.
“Thank you.” He told her.
“For what?” her heart was racing with him so close to her.
“For a nice night.”
She nodded, but her mind was focused on his lips. She wanted him to kiss. To kiss her with passion like he did that first night. Before arrangements and family obligations.
“Good night, bella.” He whispered.
Adelina pushed open the door to her dorm room to be greeted with a scream.
“Gemma?” she shouted, her heart racing.
Lucian was in front of her in an instant, bursting forward to check the scene.
“Damnit, Addy!” Gemma shrieked, pulling her lavender sheet up to cover herself.
It took Adelina a second to comprehend what she was seeing. Her roommate was naked except for the bed sheet with a man she vaguely recognized with her. Joey Mendola.
“Oh my god.” She threw her hand over her ey
es. “I’m sorry Gem, I didn’t realize.”
“I put the bow on the door!” Gemma shouted.
Caught up in her moment with Lucian, Adelina didn’t even check the doorknob for the bow, their sign that the other one had company in the room.
“I recognize you.” Lucian stated to the boy with his hands covering himself. “You work for Gian DelGado?”
“Oh god,” Gemma groaned.
“Shit.” Joey said. “Uh, yeah.”
Lucian nodded calmly. “Does he know you’re fucking his little sister.”
Joey groaned. “Shit.”
“Yeah,” Lucian nodded, “Didn’t think so.”
Joey looked like he was going to vomit.
“Put your clothes on, kid. Meet me outside.” Lucian told him before turning to Adelina. “You, my drunk girl-“
“Not drunk.” She protested.
He smiled down at her. “Get some sleep, bella. I’ll see you soon.”