A Touch of Sin |18+|

34

ALANI

"You're coming out with us tonight, right?"

I held the phone to my ear, listening to the sound of Silvana's voice and the rustling background noise of her office. She had called me to wish me a happy birthday, which lasted all of twenty minutes before she finally settled down.

I swear that girl is always at work but never actually working. When I didn't answer question—too busy trying to think of an excuse—Silvana repeated herself.

"Alani," she blurted, immediately grasping my attention. "You're coming out with us tonight, right?"

"I already have plans," I murmured, packing in the last of my clothes. Valerio had asked me to prepare an overnight bag, but that was all he mentioned. No location, no dress code.

Nothing except 'Pack some clothes unless you're planning on staying naked'

I heard Silvana suck in a small but dramatic gasp and I could just imagine her clutching her chest in pure bewilderment. I grinned, sitting down on the edge of my bed as I waited for the influx of questions.

"Wait, what?" She stammered. "With who?"

"Someone," I said curtly, shrugging my shoulders even though she couldn't see me. I wanted to tell Silvana about Valerio, but I wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

Silvana was a good friend, but she couldn't keep secrets for shit and I was scared she'd run her mouth.

She paused. "A man?"

I sucked my lower lip in my mouth. "Mm-hm."

"Wow," she breathed. "Really? Is he hot?"

"Girl," I swooned, letting myself fall onto the mattress and I stared at the ceiling. "You have no idea."

Silvana giggled. "Okay, he's hot but is he good to you?"

Valerio was more than good to me, and I couldn't stop thinking about him from the second I woke up.

It was as if our confessions the previous night put a spell on me and I couldn't divert my thoughts to anything that wasn't him. Valerio had me feeling all giddy inside when he wasn't even around, and that's how fucking far gone I was.

I missed him already, as fucked up as that sounded when it had just been a few hours since I last saw him. Was I obsessed? Most likely, but I didn't care.

"He's amazing," I whispered, full heartedly meaning it.

"I'm happy for you, Alani," Silvana said, and I could hear the sincerity of her voice. "Honestly. It's about time you found someone who treats you the way you deserve. Enjoy the rest of your birthday, okay? I'll speak to you soon."

"Thank you for the call, Silvie. I'll speak to you again," I said and pulled the phone from my ear, ending the call with a press of a button.

Immediately, another call came through and I was expecting it to be my mother but relief flooded through me when I saw that it was Valerio. I loved my people, I really did—but the energy it took to maintain the multiple conversations on my birthday was draining. Especially the ones with distinct and nosy relatives who popped up every now and then.

With Valerio, I didn't need to try.

"Bella ragazza," Valerio said, the smile in his voice loud and clear but the Italian rolling off his tongue almost had me swooning right there. "Are you ready?"

"I am," I said, pushing myself off the bed. I had a small and black dress on—the only thing lacking was my heels.

"Good, because I'm outside," Valerio said and a second later a knock emitted from the door. I grinned, fully standing up to rush to my living room.