The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.67 By blood

Gabriella leaned close and kissed Harry’s cheeks.

“I like these Americano boys” she winked at him.

Harry took a step away, rubbing his eyes and staring at her all the while. He came over to me and looked down at his ring on my finger, reminding himself that he had given the ring to me, not this-this mirage.

Gabriella smiled sweetly at me and Harry and twirled a strand of her golden hair in her finger.

My stomach churned uneasily; she may look like an angel- golden hair and ivory skin and all- but there was something very, very devilish about her.

Leo laughed, breaking the silence. Aunt Lisa Marie swallowed hard and took a step toward me and Harry.

“This is your fidanzato?” she asked and she looked Harry up and down.

“Yes” I smiled weakly. The man who almost kissed my cousin is my fidanzato.

Harry stood straight and grinned at the woman, hoping to erase his mixed up entrance.

The woman moved his stray curl to the side. She squeezed his cheek and kissed them about ten times each.

“You are not Italiano, either” she whispered, almost as if by smelling Harry, she could tell he didn’t have Italian blood.

“But you are bene bello, so we can make the exception” Gabriella winked at Harry and grinned at me.

I stared at her. I felt like I was looking into some psychedelic mirror that took my body in and spurted out a polar opposite, but similar-looking copy of me. One of me was confusing enough two would never work.

Gabriella eyed Harry curiously.

Harry saw her watching him, but he turned his attention to me. He kissed my hand a few times and looked up into my eyes. Maybe I should have been mad at him for almost kissing the-the other girl, but I knew he could tell me and-and the other girl apart, it was just that he was in a hurry and she was closer to where he stood.

Plus, our personalities seemed quite distinct. This Gabriella girl reminded me of Becky- or, at least the way Becky wanted me to be; slinky and charming, manipulative but protected by the façade of an innocent face.

“Why don’t we head over to Danny’s?” Harry spoke up. “I bet he’s eager to see you all” he smiled kindly.

We all turned to him, especially Gabriella, but Harry only looked at me as he spoke.

I nodded.

“Fantastico” Aunt Lisa Marie clapped. Zayn and Harry helped Leonardo with the bags. Gabriella strode to my side casually, like we’d been friends for years and I just forgot.

She gave me her purse to carry. I took it out of hospitality, but I had a feeling being nice to her would be difficult.

“So, cugino, where did you find such an amante?” she nodded over her shoulder at Harry.  Harry slung a bag over his shoulder and the muscles in his arm rippled. Gabriella licked her lips slowly. Harry’s eyes bugled slightly, like a deer caught in headlights, and he looked away.

I cleared my throat, trying to interrupt her from mentally undressing Harry.  

She looked up at me; her bright hazel eyes were wide, eagerly waiting for me to give her some kind of formula to find someone like Harry…that is, unless she wanted to just snatch him for herself.

“I um- he’s Danny’s friend” I mumbled.

“Oh” she winked suggestively.

I fought the urge to wipe that smirk off her face. For one, it would be like slapping myself and two, I was too shy and kind to do that anyway.