Stella (Book One of Dark Souls Series)

Ricotta

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tribunale- a place to discuss a civil or criminal case with a judge.
*~*

"I am surprised you do not have a house in the States," I teased Adonis after we paid the cab driver.

He grinned. "I do, but I do not have one in Ohio. I hate this place."

I took in my surroundings. "I have never been here," I said quietly.

Since it was June, it was pretty hot outside. The sun seemed to beam right over us.

We were standing outside of the Hilton Columbus Hotel. We were right in the middle of Ohio. Mr. Veretti reserved a suite at the best hotel in the state for us.

I looked around to see that we were overdressed. Everyone around us wore jeans or sweatpants. I looked at Adonis who was on the phone with the receptionist of the hotel. His expensive suit that fit his body in such an attractive way smelled of money. His vintage aviator sunglasses gave him a certain aura that did not fit in Ohio.

I wore a bright red pantsuit that "coincidentally" matched his undershirt. I remember rolling my eyes at him when he came downstairs this morning. He'd only grinned as he fastened a single button of his suit jacket.

"Hanno venduto la nostra suite a qualcun altro," Adonis mumbled when he hung up the phone.

(Translation: They sold our suite to someone else.)

I had zoned him out while he demanded to talk to the concierge, manager, and Paris Hilton. I chuckled at his mistake of thinking she was the one over the hotel just because her name was in the title.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked him as I continued to look around.

The street was busy. People were rushing about and children were playing. I found myself scanning the area for Eva. Stefano told me she lived in the capital of Ohio which is why Mr. Veretti reserved us a suite ten minutes away from the tourists' attractions and the only private school in the area.

He was on my side when it came to bumping into Eva "coincidentally." Stefano and Adonis were against it and said that it could interfere with the case.

"Father specifically asked for a two-bed-suite," he answered. "They got the dates mixed up, so someone has our room. It happens to be the last room that has more than one bed."

I pulled my shades down. "It is hot, we should go inside," I whined.

"If we go inside, we will have to get a room with one bed."

I looked at him. "We shared a bed in Tuscany," I said.

The heat was getting the best of me. I was agitated because of it, but I was taking it out on him because he was being impossible.

"And I had to prove my strength to myself. I don't think I can do it again."

"Aww, I'm sure you can, Big Guy," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to follow me into the hotel.

"Salve, avete camera disponibili?" I asked the receptionist while taking my shades back off.

(Translation: Hi, do you have a room available?)

"Mr. and Mrs. Veretti?" I heard a male voice behind me.

I turned around to see a man around my age. "We are not married," I said to him.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Adonis falling miserably at hiding a smirk.

"Right this way," the concierge said.