Untangle Me

Chapter 24

Giada

"Mister Vince!" a deep, raspy voice interrupts us before I can react to Vincenzo's words. My head whips around to get a look at the stranger, my composure momentarily gone, just as Enzo starts leading me further into the room.

He looks to be in his forties, his black hair streaked with grey and his wrinkles shining through a bad Botox job. An older woman is on his arm, smiling politely at me before taking in Enzo.

Enzo whose hand is still on my back as he parades me around. I crane my neck to finally look at him and when I do, my poker face is put to the test.

Because the man is smiling. Not ironically or in a mean way, nope. Smiling pleasantly.

Enzo.

Smiling.

"Robert, it's great to see you," he greets the man before turning to the woman. "Maya, looking as lovely as ever."

The woman blushes, her smile widening as she brushes him off. Meanwhile, I am about as visible as the breeze outside. Only the skin-to-skin contact with Enzo is proof that he's aware I'm still here.

I don't know what to do. Like, do I interrupt their conversation and introduce myself or am I supposed to be arm candy for the rest of the night?

Deciding against starting a public war with Vincenzo just yet, I take a look around instead. Welcome back, is what he had said. The word rings through my head like an alarm, shaking the walls that keep my memories from me but never quite breaking through.

He's messing with me, right? I'd remember if I had been here before.

The night goes on in a flash of suspicious sideways looks in my direction and many business talks on Enzo's part. I don't pay much attention to him but stay focused on the crowd with racing thoughts. I zone out multiple times, only ever coming back when Enzo squeezes my waist gently or applies more pressure to the small of my back.

Since I've been following the man all night without much thought, I don't realize we're heading for the doors until the cool night air envelops my burning skin. I take a deep breath even as goosebumps run over my body like a thousand ants. Then I meet the dark brown eyes that have been avoiding me all night.

"Are we leaving?" I ask. He's stopped walking right next to the door and his hand is no longer on me. It doesn't look like he's in a rush to go anywhere.

"No," he simply states, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "Just needed a break." With that, he lights his cig and takes a long drag before exhaling with his eyes closed as if ten pounds were just lifted off his shoulders.

An unfamiliar feeling sours in my stomach.

"You look awfully content for someone who's turning his lungs as black as his soul right now," I snap, crossing my arms like a preschooler as I level him with a glare. No idea why I'm so triggered right now. Like, what do I care if he dies of lung cancer or whatever?

Enzo merely looks amused at my outburst and takes another drag. I grit my teeth. "There, there, Cucciola, there's no need to worry about me," he teases me.

"Did you just call me a dog?" I demand, my temper quickly coming to an overboil. I've kept my silence all night but he does not want to push me right now.

"Puppy, actually." The man has the audacity to smile that infuriating smile of his.

"I am not your pet!"

"Really? With the way you've been behaving all night? And then there are the other similarities; getting on my nerves instead of being quiet, check. Barking at bigger dogs because they haven't yet been put in their place, check. And finally, drooling all over me, check," he trails off and I know he's just gaslighting me.