𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 | 𝟏𝟖+

Chapter 26

A T H E N A

"But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms and if you like having secret little rendezvous if you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do then baby I'm perfect, baby I'm perfect for you"

° ° °

"Everything's okay, baby," Vincenzo murmurs in my ear while he keeps rubbing my back. As soon as I called him, he drove over to my house and picked me up. We're now in his living room, on his couch. I'm seated on his lap, his arms wrapped around me.

"You didn't see his reaction," I sob into his chest. I hide my face in the sweat-shirt he gave me and inhale his scent. My clothes were uncomfortable so he gave me his. "I-it was horrible. I-I've hurt him so much," I cry and tighten my arms around him.

He brushes some strands of brown hair off my face, and presses a gentle kiss against my forehead.

"There's nothing I can do to make this all better, tesoro," he says, his voice vibrating against my cheek. "I know," I say, sniffling. My nose is probably red and my eyes puffy.

Attractive.

"But the look he had on his face. God, Vincenzo, you didn't see his face," I say, and more fresh tears start rolling down my cheeks. 

I know I shouldn't be the one crying, because I'm the cause of it all but I just can't help myself. I really loved Chris as a friend and as a friend, I feel for him, and that I caused it. The guilt is unbearable.

I breathe in shaky breaths and try to calm myself down a little, which fails. Vincenzo continues to rub his hand up and down my back, while his other hand is resting on my lower back, holding me on his lap.

"Just give him some time," he says, "he'll get over it eventually."

You don't get that easily over heartbreak.

I mean, I know nothing about it, but I've read some pretty dramatic and sad books so I kind of have an idea.

"You hungry?" Vincenzo asks. I shake my head and wipe the tears away from my cheeks.

"No, tired," I say and realize how droopy my eyes are. All I want to do right now is lay down, close my eyes and fall asleep.

"Yeah, it's pretty late," he says as he looks at his watch around his wrist. "You want to stay over?" he asks. 

Without really thinking and analyzing his question, I nod. "Yeah," I yawn. I want to stand up, but suddenly I feel an arm snaking around my waist, holding me down.

"What are you doing?" I ask tiredly. "You should rest," he says. He puts an arm under my knees and his other one under my back. I lay my head against his chest and let him carry me upstairs.

"Sleep with me?" he asks, an amused undertone in his voice. I nod my head against his chest. I mumble something about it being fine.

I hear us entering a room, and not much later I'm being placed on a soft bed. The sheets feel like silk and they smell like Vincenzo.

"Wait a minute, bella, I'm going to put on something more comfortable," I hear Vincenzo say.

"Mmm... okay," I murmur. My head is pounding from all the crying I did, and my eyes feel so dry.

I feel the space beside me on the bed dip, and an arm pulls me under the sheets.

"You should get some sleep," Vincenzo whispers in my ear. I feel his hands go under the sweatshirt he gave me, and he unclips the bra I'm wearing.