Page 89 of Vicious Intentions
“Kind of, yeah.” She gives me one of her soft, knowing smiles. “You know who sent you this piano, don’t you? It’s the boy you’re always texting, right?”
I don’t offer my sister a reply. Not like Stella needs one to know she’s hit the nail on the head.
She may not know I’ve been talking to Raffaele on and off for years, but she does know about the second phone I go to great lengths to keep hidden. She’s smart enough to connect the dots and realize it’s not just for scrolling through the internet.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me who he is. Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Thank you.” A small smile forms on my lips.
“But do you want to talk about it? You look awfully bummed after getting such an over-the-top gift from your crush.”
Is that what Raffaele is? A crush? It feels like more.
I chew on the inside of my lip for a moment before gathering the courage to ask Stella for advice.
“Is it possible for a person to have two different sides to them? One that’s sweet and attentive, and the other kind of inconsiderate?”
“Sounds like you’ve got a Jekyll and Hyde situation over there.” She frowns. “Hate to tell you, sis, but if a guy treats you one way one day and another the next, that’s a huge red flag right there.”
“Really?” Doubt lingers in my voice. “Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m the same person I was yesterday. People change, right?”
“What you’re referring to is growth. Your crush love-bombing you one day with expensive gifts and being a jerk the next is some toxic-ass behavior, if you ask me. Not someone you should waste your time on.”
“Oh.” A frown pulls at my lips.
“Sorry, sis.” She softens a little. “Sounds to me like his mask just dropped, that’s all. Some people are like that. They show you the best version of themselves first to get you hooked, then pull the rug out from under you when they reveal who they really are. It happens more than you think.”
Stella’s words make sense, but they fail to bring me any real clarity.
This morning felt like I was talking to the Raffaele from five years ago, not the one I’ve been building in my head for almost a year. Now I’m left wondering which version is real, and whether I imagined the one that made my heart race. It definitely feels like Raffaele has two opposing sides to him, and I don’t know which one to trust.
“I’m in no mood to play piano today. I might just go upstairs and take a nap.”
“Are you sure? We could go out or something. Maybe grab a movie. Do something fun to get your mind off things. I’m sure I can wrangle Frankie and Izzie to come with us. We’ll make it a girls’ afternoon out.”
“Actually, that sounds kind of nice. I’d love that.”
“Thought you would.” She playfully bops the tip of my nose. “Go grab your things, and I’ll get Frankie and Izzie.”
“Okay.” An excited giggle escapes me, happiness bubbling at the thought of spending quality time with my sisters.
Moments like these are rare now that we’re all grown and scattered into our own lives, so I’m more than happy to savorthem while I can. With everyone staying here at the mansion until New Year’s, and Jude and Mina arriving tomorrow, there’s bound to be more than one opportunity to spend time with my brothers and sisters.
The Salvatore mansion isn’t technically our family home, but having everyone under the same roof, even just for a week, brings back that nostalgic feeling from when we were kids. It’s nice. A welcome distraction from my love life.
What love life, Anna? Raffaele is just your friend, remember?
The thought gets shaken away as I rush upstairs to grab my purse, winter coat, scarf, and gloves. Chicago winters aren’t anything to joke about, so even though the outing sounds fun, freezing to death over poor wardrobe choices isn’t on the agenda.
Just as I reach for the door, eager to find Stella, a familiar sound stops me.
Damn it.
I drop my things back onto the bed, then get the pillow to retrieve the phone hidden inside the case. Sure enough, one text waits for me.
Caro Mio:I’m sorry.
Two simple words stare back at me, and I have no idea how I should feel about them. What exactly is Raffaele apologizing for? The aloof way he spoke to me earlier? For telling me he was too busy to talk last night when in reality he had been out partying and couldn’t spare more than a few words to me? Or is he sorry for bragging about some other girl his brother Matteo has feelings for, who has somehow fallen for Raffaele instead? Because that’s exactly how it came across. Like he was taking a victory lap of some kind. It felt cold, inconsiderate, and, honestly, extremely spiteful—adjectives I never thought I’d use to describe him.
