Marked by Crime Rivalry Book2 [✓]

P52

IT'S been two weeks since the dinner incident. Since the girls discovered Adriano was a lying, backstabbing piece of shit. Adriano called Teresa many times every single day, but she never answered. When she didn't, he called Georgia or Rome and even Dante but none of them would answer.

He even tried apologizing to Nina, at least through text had she never answered his call either just wanted to move on and heal her heart again.

Luciano?

He never called but sent a total of fourteen text messages and they all were sent at the same time every night. At ten o'clock reading, "Goodnight Tesoro"

She figured he was giving her the space she needed, the time since he caused the issue... again.

Teresa always smiled when she thought about the dinner. The restaurant is in honor of their relationship and individualism as their person. He gathered their family together and it was such a beautiful day, a perfect surprise but then she would frown when she realized it was only a smoke screen for the proposal.

Luciano wasn't ready to be her husband or a husband for anyone. She also knew she wasn't ready to be his wife either. Maybe they would never be ready for that big commitment, event, but she didn't want to think that way.

She couldn't and the blasting music in her ears refused to help drown out her overthinking.

She breathed out with her eyes closed as she stopped her running to a halt and rose her hands to her face in frustration. She hasn't gotten a good sleep since.

Her eyes shot open once she felt a hand on her arm. Out of instinct, she tugged away but he tugged back and she spun, her body smacking into a hard, heaving, and sweaty chest covered in tattoos.

Dante.

He smirked as he removed one of her earphones.
"I called you three times. In Lala land there?" He chuckled and watched as she removed her other from her ear. She sighed, averting her eyes and Dante frowned as he knew what was on her mind.

"I'm... I'm okay. Yeah, I'm good. C'mon" She pulled away to run again, but he tugged her back and rose his hand to cup her face. She continued to look elsewhere and once she felt his thumb brushing down near her eye, she tried to demand him to stop, to let go but he wouldn't and he removed the makeup.

Her eyes were surrounded by bags. She wasn't sleeping well.
"Dante" She warned as his jaw clenched. "Teresa, why didn't you say anything? If I'd known what happened is still bothering you, I would've—"

She interrupted.

"Would've what?" She snapped. He dropped his hand as he huffed at her attitude. Women, he mentally rolled his eyes. "I mean yes it bothers me. Adriano... I mean before all of this we were...it doesn't even matter. I'm fine. Got it?" She grabbed her earphone from his hand and took off running back towards the house leaving him staring after her in need to be there for her but she wouldn't let him.

After their showers, they were sitting on the couch, Teresa's legs tossed over his lap as he circled an ice bag over them. She smiled as he massaged her ankles at the same time. She felt a little guilty for snapping at him earlier but she hadn't wanted to talk about it anymore. Instead, she asked, "How are Nina and Georgia?"

The two have been staying together in the penthouse ever since they returned to Italy. "Emotionally? No idea. However, I've checked on them as much as I can. Nina still seems pretty hurt judging by the tissue and tubs of ice cream and fruit all over the living room. I've meant to tell you Luciano has brought their guards back. They stand post in front of the penthouse and every few hours report back to me." He grinned and she knew it was the thought of men reporting to him and not the other way around.