Silk & Steel: A Mafia Romance | ENGLOT - ON HOLD

Chapter 28: Aftermath

Contessa's POV:

The rhythmic pounding in my head felt like a jackhammer working overtime.  My throat was a desert, and each breath sent a fresh wave of nausea rolling through me.  Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the world to stop spinning.  Where was I?  And more importantly, how did I get here?

Memories flickered back, hazy and fragmented – a rooftop bathed in fairy lights, the sound of laughter, Enna's intoxicating gaze... and then... nothing.  

Panic clawed at my throat.  What happened after the restaurant?  Had I...?  A blush crept up my neck as a scorching memory flickered to life – the backseat of a car, tangled limbs, stolen breaths...

My stomach lurched.  Where was Enna?  And how, for the life of me, had I ended up in my own bed?

Just then, the sound of the bedroom door creaking open drew my attention.  Squinting through bleary eyes, I saw Tiffany silhouetted against the doorway, a glass of water and a packet of headache medicine in her hand.

"Oh, thank God," she sighed, relief etched on her face.  "You're finally awake.  Here, drink this."

She set the glass on the nightstand beside me, the clinking sound thunderously loud in the quiet room.  As I propped myself up on one elbow, she helped me raise the glass to my lips, the cool water a welcome relief.

I took a tentative sip, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat.  "Ugh, what time is it?" I mumbled, wincing at the throbbing in my head.

"Almost noon," she said, her voice laced with concern.  "You feeling okay?  You look like you got hit by a truck."

"My head..." I mumbled, wincing as a wave of nausea washed over me.  "How'd I get here?"

Tiffany's brow furrowed further.  "Honestly, I don't know.  I woke up this morning and you were already here, passed out in your bed. Sofia did tell me you would be hungover so..."she shrugged.

My heart hammered against my ribs.  "I... I don't remember..."  Shame burned in my throat, a scorching heat that rivaled my headache.

Tiffany's brow arched in surprise.  "Really?  You don't remember anything from last night?"

"Well, yes and no." I answered, blush coating my cheeks. "I remember some of last night...but not how I got home."

A smirk played on Tiffany's lips. "Oh really? Because from the looks of things, your night involved a whole lot more than just drinks with the boss."

My stomach clenched. "What do you mean?" I stammered, desperately hoping she wouldn't pry further.

Tiffany leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, for starters, you're still wearing last night's dress, which for one, is gross and so unlike you."

Heat flooded my cheeks as I glanced down at the crumpled dress clinging to my body. Panic clawed at my throat. "Okay, so maybe I had a little too much to drink," I mumbled, avoiding her gaze.

"A little?" Tiffany snorted. "Contessa, you look like you wrestled a hangover and lost. Besides the dress, there's the..." she trailed off, her eyes dropping to my collarbone.

"The what?" I squeaked, a dreadful feeling of foreboding settling in my gut.

Tiffany's smirk widened into a full-blown grin. "The rather impressive... hickey, shall we say?" she gestured towards my collarbone.

My hand flew up to my neck, my fingers brushing against the tender spot. A gasp escaped my lips as the memory of Enna's heated touch came rushing back. "Oh no," I groaned, burying my face in my hands. This wasn't how I wanted Tiffany to find out – especially not through a giant purple mark on my skin.