by Lauren Asher
“A year?” It seems like a solid amount of time.
“A year?!” Maya screeches to the ceiling. “How could you keep this from us for that long?”
I lift a brow and wave my hands at her reaction.
She laughs. “Okay, true. But still. Keeping secrets from me is so not cool.”
I survive another ten minutes of Maya’s questions. So far, I’ve made up Chloe’s hobby for restoring cars with me, our bond over horror movies, and her preference for chocolate over candy. I’ve basically created a female version of myself that my sister gushes over. She’s so enthralled, she doesn’t realize the unlikely similarities.
“Why haven’t you ever mentioned her before?”
“Because of the way you’re acting now.” Good save, Santi.
“Mami is going to freak out when she hears about this.”
“Don’t tell her yet.” I don’t want my mom to grow attached to my fake girlfriend. The same girlfriend who has absolutely no clue who the hell I am, let alone about my family and Formula 1. That information in itself adds to my interest in her. And interest is bad. Interest leads to infatuation, and I can’t bother entertaining either.
“I’ll give you two weeks to tell her yourself. She’s on a cruise anyway so she won’t be able to rush over and bombard Chloe like I’d want her to. But if you don’t tell her, I will because there’s no chance I’m letting you get out of them meeting each other.”
I swallow back the lump in my throat. “Deal. Does that mean you are leaving Marko with me after all?”
“Yup. I think he’ll be in good care with you and Chloe.” She offers in a singsong voice.
I suppress the urge to groan. “You made that conclusion about Chloe from the one conversation with her?”
“She worked at a daycare. That’s a glowing recommendation letter if I’ve ever heard one.”
“You’re too trustworthy. Thank God Noah keeps an eye out for you and Marko.”
Maya opens her mouth to speak, but the doorbell chiming pulls us from the kitchen. My sister opens the door like she owns the place. She pulls Chloe in for a crushing hug and welcomes her to the house.
I now understand why Noah invited Chloe to breakfast because Maya’s happiness makes this crazy plan worth it. I’d do anything to banish the sad look in her eyes whenever I catch her daydreaming.
Chloe gazes at the two of us with denim blue eyes. I take a moment to appreciate how she looks in daylight for the first time. Her white dress makes her appear rather innocent, but her ratty sneakers say a different kind of story. One that shows she probably runs around and gets in trouble on a daily basis.
She’s on the taller side, and I like the way she reaches my chin. Her loose, black locks sway as she moves, resembling the night sky, with hints of navy when they shift in the light.
God. She’s gorgeous. She probably gets away with a ton of illegal shit because her beauty has the power to distract a man.
I take back what I said about this crazy plan being worth it. I’m instantly tempted to shoo her out the front door based on the way my body responds to her nearness. Blood rushes to my cock as she licks her bow-shaped lips.
Is it too late to say we broke up?
She walks up to me and offers a bouquet of flowers tied together by a tattered ribbon. The array of flowers ranges from orange to purple, mixed together with random tufts of white and green. Her smile brings my attention toward a small white scar crossing diagonally from her cupid’s bow through her top lip. “I picked these from the forest you call a front yard.”
Why the hell would she pick flowers from my yard? Is she some kind of delusional princess who walks around with a team of singing animals?
Seriously, where is this girl from and what’s the return policy?
“Interesting choice. Thank you.” I move to grab them from her hands. Our fingers graze one another, heating my skin like flames.
She rocks back on her tattered sneakers. “I thought it could liven up the place.”
Noah laughs as he walks down the stairs with Marko in his arms. “You’re going to need more than a dozen flowers for that. This guy is so doom and gloom, he needs an injection of serotonin to survive the week.”
“I think they’re lovely.” Maya fawns over Chloe.
I look down at the bouquet. The wildflowers remind me of her, beautiful in an untamed and understated kind of way. I grip them harder, forcing some stems to snap by accident. A couple of petals fall to the floor and Chloe stares at them in horror. My sister plucks the bouquet out of my hands and scowls at me.
Shit. “Are we going to keep chatting or does someone want to eat the pancakes I made?”
“Pancakes!” Marko squirms in Noah’s arms.
“With chocolate chips.” I grab Marko from Noah’s grasp. “What do you say, little guy?”
He screams yes as I throw him in the air.
I sneak a peek at Chloe, finding her mouth gaping open. “Hope you like pancakes.”
“You don’t know if your girlfriend likes pancakes?” Maya looks at me with narrowed eyes.
Fuck. I need to try harder to fool everyone. “We usually miss breakfast because we have other priorities,” I blurt out.
Chloe groans, covering her eyes with her hands. “Oh my God. You didn’t just insinuate what I think you just did.”
Noah’s stare unsettles me. “He used to love embarrassing others. Glad to see that charming trait is back.”
“Used to?” Chloe raises a brow. “I’d believe you except I’ve found him quite embarrassing in all the time I’ve known him.”
She doesn’t realize how in the forty-eight hours I’ve known her, I’ve acted more like my old self than in the past three years. It’s disarming how much I like messing with her. I don’t even know who she really is, but I enjoy the way her cheeks flush from embarrassment.
“I’m glad to know he acts like his usual self around you.” Maya smiles at Chloe in a way that has my stomach turning.
I hate lying to my sister, but what is a white lie in the grand scheme of things? Okay, more like a few lies. Starting with the fact that I’m hiding how famous Noah is and my connection to him.
Chloe walks through my house, barely attempting to hide her surprise as she takes in her surroundings. Maya distracts Noah, giving Chloe the opportunity to gape.
I get it isn’t what people expect. While the castle has a gothic look on the outside, I chose comfortable furnishings for my prison. Plush couches and fluffy carpets set a welcoming tone despite the asshole who lives here.
“Not what you expected?” I walk beside her, holding a squirming Marko.
She runs a finger across the back of a velvet gray couch. “It looks different in the daylight.”
I chuckle. “I imagine with your line of work that you don’t get the chance to appreciate it all.”
Her eyes narrow at me. “I want to punch you right now.”
I put Marko between us, pretending to cower. “No violence in front of the child.”
Her scowl turns into a small smile as she tickles Marko, making it challenging for me to hold on to him as he wiggles around.
“Clever.”
Chloe falls in line with everyone else, grabbing a plate and serving herself before sitting next to me like we do this all the time. Noah cuts Marko’s food while my sister nurses her cup of coffee.
“So Chloe, I hear you like restoring cars.” Noah looks up from Marko’s plate.
Leave it to Maya to share everything about Chloe with Noah. Where did she find the time? My sister’s eyes dart around the room, not landing on anything.
“Oh, I do. It’s my absolute favorite hobby.” Chloe looks at me with pinched brows.
I don’t bother restraining my enjoyment. A loud laugh escapes me, which results in Noah staring at me for a few seconds.
“What’s your dream car?” Maya props her elbows on the table.
“Umm. A 1967 Chevy Impala. If you throw in Dean Winchester too, I wouldn’t
be opposed.” Chloe doesn’t even stumble as she comes up with that response.
“I love Supernatural too!” Maya swoons.
“You love the guys on Supernatural. There’s a difference.” Noah smirks.
Chloe listens to Maya and Noah go back and forth, tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth in a way that isn’t meant to be sexy. The move has my body aching in ways I haven’t felt in a long while. So fucking long, instead of enjoying it, I’m wary of the attraction I feel toward her.
You know nothing about her, and everything you do know is a lie. And letting my guard down isn’t something I’m keen on doing anytime soon.
“And you said you worked at a daycare before coming to Italy?” Noah asks.
“Yes. For about four years.”
“What’s your middle and last name?” Noah eyes her.
“What is this, an interview? Do you want her social security number while you’re at it?” I interfere before Noah gets out of hand.
“That would make this process easier.” Noah shrugs.
Chloe rolls her eyes, ignoring me. “My full name is Chloe Arabella Carter. Born and raised in New York City.”
Noah pulls out his phone and busies himself.
My sister chats with Chloe, battering her with question after question. Chloe plays her part and answers every question with grace. According to her, she’s never been to a Broadway show and she had an imaginary friend until the crazy age of eight years old. Her favorite hobbies include napping because apparently, she doesn’t get enough sleep.
“Why did you file a restraining order against Ralph Williams?” Noah looks up from his phone.
I clench my fists. “What the fuck, Noah!”
“Santiago! No bad words!” Maya admonishes me.
“Fuck!” Marko offers excitedly. “Fuuuuck!”
Maya shakes her head at my nephew. “No! That’s a bad word.”
“Sorry, Mommy.” Marko shoves pieces of pancake in his mouth.
Noah frowns. “I’m not going to leave my kid with just anyone, especially if Chloe here is in danger herself. If she can’t tell me who Ralph is, then we’ll take Marko with us.”
My skin heats as my irritation grows at Noah’s dismissiveness. “So you dig into someone’s life without any semblance of privacy? Are there any lines you won’t cross?”
“You’d do the same if you were in my shoes,” he counters.
“It’s okay.” Chloe gives my hand a squeeze under the table. The contact has my skin prickling in a new way I’m afraid to give more attention to. “Ralph is my mother’s boyfriend… He isn’t a danger to me anymore, especially since I’m this far away from home. When I was a teenager, my social worker insisted on filing an order after he was caught doing something he shouldn’t have. But he never bothered me again after that. Based on how lazy he is, I think he’s more of a danger to himself.” Her laugh fails to make light of the situation.
What does that even mean? What sad fucks has she hung around because of her mother? I’m stuck staring at her like a surprised idiot. The exact kind of idiot I shouldn’t be if this is my actual girlfriend. I school my features, ignoring the urgency to pester Chloe for answers.
She and Noah lock gazes. Neither backs down as he reads her face like the emotionless robot he tends to be around anyone who isn’t family.
Chloe raises her chin and rolls her shoulders back. “If you’re concerned about Marko being with anyone, it should be Santiago. He might teach him every bad word while you’re away. And he also has terrible people skills, so I’d feel bad for Marko.”
“Hey, that’s not nice.” I pinch her side, smiling when she laughs and pushes me away.
I’m tempted to touch her again. I like the way her eyes light up and her skin flushes because of me.
Everyone joins in to laugh, and the tension dissipates.
“Please tell us how you met. Santiago didn’t bother sharing this morning.” Maya claps her hands together.
Jesus.
Chloe taps her lips with her index finger. “One day I was in a…”
“Park,” I finish for her.
“Right. A park. And I was climbing a tree.” She stalls.
“To help that stray cat,” I offer.
“Yes. That poor cat. She was missing clumps of hair and had one blind eye.” Chloe’s lip wobbles in an impressive way.
I’m absolutely captivated by her performance. Damn.
Maya leans toward us, grinning like a madwoman. “Tell me more!”
“Well, I fell out of the tree because your brother scared me.”
I withhold my laugh by sheer willpower alone. At least that part of her story is the truth.
“No!” Maya reels back.
“And then what?” Noah smiles at Chloe, clearly pleased after his little test. Asshole.
“We saved the cat and took her to a vet together. Santiago cradled it like a little baby, which was beyond cute. He definitely had my attention after that.” Chloe demonstrates the motion, making her perfect tits hike up an inch.
Fuck. Me. And she definitely has my attention after that. It’s official. Chloe needs to get the hell out of here. She’s a danger for my self-restraint, which says a lot because I have endless amounts of it when it comes to women.
“I’m surprised Santi left his little castle to go visit a park in the first place.” Noah wipes syrup from Marko’s fingers.
“Now that I know him, I’m surprised he did too.” Chloe nods. Everything she spews is absolute bullshit, yet oddly accurate. “I guess he couldn’t resist coming to my aid.”
I shouldn’t enjoy this charade as much as I do. “The shorts she wore made the rescue mission worth it.”
Chloe smacks my arm. I let out a loud laugh, enjoying the way her cheeks turn pink.
Maya and Noah stare at the two of us. Noah crosses his arms and grins at me while my sister openly gapes.
I look away, not liking the weight of their stares.
The rest of breakfast goes off without an issue. Chloe and I make a show of domestic bliss, with her drying the dishes I wash.
I jump in place when Marko sneakily lifts the leg of my sweatpants while I put away the dishes. My first dirty secret I’ve kept from Chloe comes out as Marko begs for Iron Man to help him fly.
Chloe stares at my leg. The way she blinks a few times has my stomach churning. It’s a look I immediately interpret as aversion. I hate it. But most of all, I despise how lesser than it makes me feel. This is exactly what I try to avoid by not allowing new people into my life.
Maya walks into the room and grabs Marko. “What did I tell you yesterday about Tio Santi’s leg?”
My temple throbs from the pressure. I clutch onto the counter, trying to soothe the frustration building inside of me. It’s not as if I can flip a shit in front of my sister since my girlfriend should know this basic fact.
Chloe’s gaze snaps from my leg to my face. She smiles at me in a way that has something twisting in my chest. I don’t know what to make of the expression on her face. It’s a look I want to label as appreciation, but that doesn’t make sense. But is that surprising when nothing about her makes sense?
A tiny part of me—a part so small I forgot it existed—questions if she can be physically attracted to me like I am to her. A flicker of hope fills me. It’s microscopic, yet strong enough to overwhelm me.
Chloe the criminal has devastation written all over her, and I need her to run in the opposite direction. Because now that I’ve been around her, I don’t know who’s more dangerous—her or me.
8
Chloe
For the second time in two days, I find myself trapped. Marko holds me hostage beneath a pillow fort he built with a random blanket as the roof. I tried to escape when Maya and Noah announced they were leaving, but Marko forced me to stay by promising cookies. While I could’ve said no to the sweets, his crooked smile convinced me to hang out for a full hour after his parents left for their couple’s trip.
“Marko. It’s time to let Chloe go home.” Santiago speaks from somewhere outside of our imaginary castle. The way his accent comes out heavier when he calls Marko’s name has me smiling. Who knew a Spanish accent could sound this sexy?
Marko covers my mouth with his fingers, staring at me with blue eyes similar to his father’s. “Shh. The tickle dragon hears us. I save you.”
I suppress my laugh. A tickle dragon is a new one, even for me.
Marko waves his spoon in the air, nearly whacking my face. “You don’t steal the pretty princess. You can’t eat her!”
I always wanted a man to defend my honor. But I didn’t expect it to be Marko, a four-year-old with a wooden spoon for a sword. The thought makes me giggle.
Marko’s hand muffles my mouth. “Be quiet!”
Santiago roars. Marko’s face lights up with excitement as the blanket is snatched from above our heads. ‘“Run, Chloe! Tickle dragon!”
Marko abandons me as he runs away from the fort. So much for being my savior. Santiago darts after him, making a whole ordeal of trying to wrangle him. I find myself entranced by his lightheartedness with his nephew. Laughter bounces off the walls of the house as he chases Marko through the halls as if his metal leg isn’t a problem.
Santiago doesn’t bother looking back to check if I follow them. It’s to be expected, seeing as he avoided me after his nephew revealed his “superpower.”
At first, I was shocked by Santiago’s leg. But after the initial surprise disappeared, I looked at him in a new light. The perfect idea of him was shattered in the best way. It made him more down-to-earth. Because while he looks handsome, he’s still a human with flaws. It has me interested in learning more about his story, even if he is ashamed of his leg.
The latter weighs heavy on me. His shame is obvious in the way he carried himself after the reveal, standing straighter and pretending as if I never saw his leg to begin with.
I follow them toward the front entryway where everything began last night. Santiago stands over Marko who lies on the floor, giggling from the tickles. It’s the most precious sight. My heart melts a bit more for the disheveled man.