Arranged love

MIA

I WENT TO sleep by myself, and I woke up alone. Not like I expected Dillan to be home. He practically ran out of his house when he came home to find me in nothing but his shirt.

Looking at my cell, I see it’s five till six. After dressing in my clean clothes from when I arrived, I walk outside of his house, feeling the warm air on my skin. I can’t say that I missed Vegas because I was a prisoner here too. At least in Italy, I had free rein of the house, and I got to go shopping. No one knew who I was there. Not like they knew my family here. My father was always in the headlines in the US. People knew he was in the Mafia and doing illegal shit. He was arrested multiple times, but nothing ever stuck. My mom or one of my brothers-once they were old enough to drive-would go bail him out. I think the system just wanted his money. They would see an opportunity to look like they were doing their jobs while getting a fat payday.

The rising sun allows me to see the massive, exclusive cul-de-sac. I was asleep when he brought me here, so I didn’t get to see the house from the outside. Four houses sit in a horseshoe, but the houses are far apart. They’re surrounded by a tall rock wall with a black iron gate with a golden K in the middle. A guard shack sits there with their security. In the center of the houses is a big clubhouse.

I’m not sure which house I’m going to. Stepping down the six stone steps, I see a car enter the gate at the other end of the property. It’s a white sports car that pulls into the first house to my right. The driver’s side door opens, and a redhead steps out. She looks over at me and pushes her big, square sunglasses up to the top of her head. “Mia?” she calls out.

I lift my hand and give an awkward wave as if there’s another woman standing outside of Bones’s house that could possibly be named Mia.

She gets back in her car and starts it up. I stop walking and watch her back up, and she comes over to the front of his house and opens the passenger door for me. “Get in.”

I slide inside and reach out my right hand. “Mia,” I introduce myself nervously.

Her eyes look down at my hand, and I think she’s about to laugh at me, but instead, she grabs it, then pulls my body across the center console and hugs me. Her short red hair smells like peaches. “I’m Jasmine.” She pulls away.

I nod. Thought so. She was the blonde in the photos from when they were in high school. Or maybe they were from college. I couldn’t tell. But she was also at the hospital, sleeping on Nite’s shoulder when I arrived.

“Well, Mia, it’s nice to meet you.” She throws the car in gear and drives around the half circle back to the house she was originally at.

“You too.”

Getting out, she looks at me over her shoulder. “Do you know any of the girls?”

I shake my head. “Just Haven.” And I don’t even know her that well. Luca brought her home to Italy once. I loved her immediately but never got to see her again. Not until the hospital yesterday.

She gives me a smile. “She won’t be here today. But I promise we’re harmless.”

I enter the house with her, and she calls out, “The life of the party is here.”

We make our way to the kitchen, and I see a woman standing at the stove. Her dark purple hair is up in a messy bun. She wears a pair of denim shorts and a white tank top. She takes a quick look over her shoulder-her ice-blue eyes meeting mine-and she smiles. A piercing of diamonds hangs from her nose. “Good morning, ladies.”

“April, this is Mia. Mia, this is April,” Jasmine introduces us. “Grave’s fiancée.”

I nod at her. “Hello.”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

“Hey, make yourself at home,” she says, going back to her cooking.

“Where are Emilee and Alexa?” Jasmine asks, tossing a strawberry into her mouth while leaning against the large island.

I stand awkwardly over by the table, wanting to offer my help but also not wanting to overstep. I’m not sure if these women have invited me because they feel obligated or are just truly interested in getting to know me.

“Emilee should be here any moment. Not sure where Alexa is,” she answers.

“She’s probably still in bed. She was up at the club late last night.”

“Yeah, Grave and I went up there to help her and Cross with a few things. But the Kings ended up having to go to the Airport,” April adds. “Grave didn’t get home until almost four. He was home long enough to shower and took off for Kingdom.”

“I’m here! The party can begin.” A brunette enters the room, and I know who she is. She’s in the pictures with Bones that I found. And she was with another one of the Kings at the hospital. My eyes catch sight of the diamond on her finger, telling me she’s either engaged to one as well or already married.

“About time.” Jasmine grabs a bottle from the brunette’s hand. “Let’s drink. Mimosas all around.”

“Hi.” The girl comes over to me and reaches out her right hand. “I didn’t get to properly meet you the other night.” She smiles shyly. “Emilee.”

“Mia.” I reach out and shake it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I wish it was under better circumstances. I’m so sorry about Luca. Have you spoken to Haven?” she asks.

“No.” I sigh. “I don’t want to bother her.” She knows I’m here and will contact me if she needs me.

Emilee nods.

“Speaking of here,” Jasmine wipes her mouth with a napkin. “Where have you been?”

“Jasmine. That’s none of our business.” April scolds her, swatting her arm with a spatula.

“What?” She jumps back, laughing. “You’re all thinking the same thing.”

“It’s all right.” I give her a soft smile. “I’ve been in Italy.”

“All your life?” Jasmine asks

“For the most part.” I pull out a chair and sit down at the table.

Jasmine grabs a jug of orange juice out of the fridge and pops the cork on the champagne she took from Emilee. “And you came back because of Luca?”

“Yeah.” I look down at my hands. All these women are obviously very close with Haven and Luca. I don’t want them to know that I’m the reason he’s in a coma. “I had called Luca, and she answered, telling me what happened to him.”

“Speaking of what happened …” Jasmine speaks, pouring some drinks into flutes. “Does anyone know if the guys found out what they wanted at the Airport?”

Emilee shakes her head. “I was asleep when Titan returned, and he was gone before I woke up.”

“I spoke to Grave before he left this morning,” April states, piling some bacon on a towel-covered plate. “They confronted a guy who the Mason brothers were holding, but it just wasn’t what they wanted to hear.”

The door opens again, and then a bleach blonde enters the kitchen. She has her hair up, pieces falling out everywhere, dressed in a Kingdom T-shirt with black sweatpants on along with what I’m guessing is her makeup from last night. She’s got a cross tattoo on her inner wrist that looks like it’s on fire. I notice she doesn’t have a ring on, and I didn’t see her at the hospital the other night.

“What the hell happened to you?” Jasmine laughs, looking over at her.

“I’m exhausted.” She falls into one of the chairs at the table. “I haven’t been to bed yet.”

“Mia, this is Alexa, Cross’s girlfriend.” Emilee introduces her.

I nod. The cross on her inner wrist now makes more sense. I bet it has to do with Cross. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Her blue eyes meet mine and soften. “I’m so sorry to hear about Luca.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, pushing some loose hair behind my ear awkwardly.

Every time someone mentions his name, my chest squeezes to the point it’s hard to breathe.

Alexa’s cell phone rings, and she pulls it out of her pocket. “Hello?” She answers, placing her elbow on the table and her face in her hand. “Fuck,” she hisses. “I forgot. I’ll head there now.” Hanging up, she drops her phone to the table.

“What is it?” Jasmine asks.

“I forgot that the contractor was going to be at the club today. I’ve got to go-”

“I’ll meet him,” she offers, walking over to her. “Go home and get some rest. You’re going back tonight after Cross gets off, right?”

Alexa bites on her bottom lip for a second and then nods. “Yeah. Thanks. It shouldn’t take him more than twenty minutes. He just wants to go over a few changes that we made. There’s an extra set of updated drawings there for him to take.”

Jasmine rubs her back, and Alexa lays her head on the table. Jasmine looks at me. “Want to go with me?”

“I …” Pausing, I can’t make myself tell her no. She just offered up my freedom like it was nothing. As if anyone can get in a car and go wherever they want.

“She’s not supposed to be seen in public,” Emilee reminds her.

“It’s not public.” Jasmine rolls her eyes. “It’s a club. That’s closed. Not like it’s a Saturday night and the place is packed. The contractor isn’t even going to think twice about her being there.”

I stand from the table and nod my head. I want to get out. Even if it’s just to be alone somewhere else. Bones doesn’t own me no matter how much he thinks he does. So what if he paid ten million for me? I’m not for sale. I am allowed to have a life and make my own decisions. And I’m starting with this one. “I’d love to go.”