Unknown Territory [Mafioso Book#3] (SAMPLE)

Chapter III: First encounters

The closet doors stood open with more clothes strewn out than inside; littering the room and the bed with a young man seated in the corner, watching the clothes flying out one by one.

"What am I supposed to wear!?" The girl pulled out a red dress, standing before the full-length mirror before throwing it onto the bed. "This is the worst birthday ever!"

Her brown tresses were all over the place as her green eyes looked around her hopelessly.

"Happy birthday?" The boy in her corner spoke timidly as she glared at him. "I'll help you."

"Please." She flopped onto her clothes. "The lunch is in a few hours and I couldn't sleep all night because of the anxiety."

"I'm coming with you, right?" The boy mixed and matched a silk blouse with leather pants before shaking his head. "To the lunch, I mean."

"Of course, Luca," The girl stood up, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "I need the moral support of my best friend, and besides, who knows, maybe we'll find someone for you."

"I hope so, Nicole."

Both spend some time matching outfits before deciding they weren't fit for the occasion. Heaving a breath, Nicole stepped away from the mess, pulling her hair out of the pony just to put it back up again. A sudden knock on her bedroom door had her give a startled jump before she went and opened it, her guard standing before her with a sleek velvet box in hand.

"This arrived for you, madam." He held out the rectangle for her as she took it inside, closing the door behind her.

"Who was it?"

"I got something." Nicole walked towards him, pulling it open as both of them gaped in shock at the contents.

The velvet box housed a four chain pearl and gold choker, a single note residing beside it.

"Happy 24th. Hope you enjoy. SR," Luca read out loud, "Sabrina Ricci?"

"No, I don't think so; I don't know that girl well enough for her to buy me a pearl choker." Nicole pulled the necklace out of its hold and held it against her neck, feeling the cold stones against her warm skin.

"Oh my God!" Luca clapped with a gasp. "I know exactly what you can wear!"

Nicole didn't get a chance to ask what, before he was shoving a short navy blue dress in her hands and sending her off into the shower. Getting washed, she put on the form-fitted pencil skirt dress. Combing and blow drying her hair, she did her makeup to be simple and elegant with winged eyeliner, highlight and blush, and nude lipstick. Once she pulled on the nude stilettos, she turned towards her best friend who had changed into a two-piece black suit with a green tie, his auburn hair pushed out of his black eyes.

"What do you think?" Nicole spun around.

"Hold on." Luca walked over to the necklace before picking it up and fixing it around her neck. "Now you're good."

Standing in front of her mirror, Nicole gathered all her hair together and looked at herself. 

"How about I tie them up?" She turned to Luca. 

"Yes, if you want to terrify people with your round face and big ears," Her best friends puffed out his cheek before stumbling back when she hit him on the chest with her clutch, allowing her hair to fall down her shoulders. 

Fixing the front of her dress, she looped her arm through Luca's before they both made their way downstairs to her father. Getting into the Lexus, they drove off to the venue of the charity lunch.