“H-hi.” I shifted in my seat. “Did you just get here?”
I’ve never seen Rico around here much, but then again, he didn’t exactly strike me as the camp-out-in-front-of-a-hospital-room type.
“No. I went to get something to eat.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and for once, I didn’t see the sly gleam in his eyes that told me he was checking me out. “Do you want to grab some food? Carlo said you hadn’t eaten yet.”
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.” I returned my gaze to Roman. It was an automatic response, but unfortunately, my stomach rumbled loudly, sounding like an angry lion.
Rico chuckled. “Right. Come on, the others will look over him. The food here’s not so bad, and we need to talk.”
I blinked. We did?
In the end, curiosity won out, and I reluctantly released Roman’s hand, casting one last glance at his prone form before following Rico out into the hall.
“We’ll call you if he wakes up,” Carlo assured me quietly.
I nodded, my smile small but grateful.
Luckily, the cafeteria wasn’t too far from Roman’s room, and I was surprised by the wide array of foods they had here. As I halfheartedly picked up a sandwich, I was aware of Rico’s gaze on me.
I felt a little more comfortable around him now, but that was mainly because I knew he wasn’t stupid enough to do anything in a crowded place. If he was going to do anything. Besides, if anything happened, at least I was in a hospital.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” I asked, avoiding his eyes while I paid for my food.
“I figure James told you about Lexi.”
I froze, then looked at him, my eyes wide. “H-how did you know that?”
Rico smirked lazily. “He kept ranting on and on about how he was going to ruin us, and he mentioned her quite a few times.”
“You two were having an affair.” It wasn’t a question.
He blinked. “You sound awfully sure of yourself. You still believe everything James said?”
I lifted my chin up. “Well, I saw the picture.”
Rico’s eyes sharpened. “What picture?”
I gulped at the look on his face. Uh-oh. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Well, it was too late to back down now.
Slowly, I reached into my bag and pulled out the picture I’d picked up from the Fioris’ bathroom floor.
Rico immediately snatched it from me, a scowl taking over his face. Roman’s signature expression. My heart panged at the thought.
“Where did you get this?”
I took a small step back, almost causing a passing woman to spill her soup. “In the bathroom at—at Thanksgiving.”
He stared at it for a moment, then shook his head. “Of course. I’m such an idiot,” he muttered. “I should’ve guessed.”
Since he didn’t look like he was going to kill me, I ventured asking him the question I was dying to have answered. “Where were you?”
Rico didn’t look up. “What?”
“Where were you?” I repeated. “You just disappeared, then you came back just as suddenly. Were you…I mean, everyone was so worried.”
He snorted. “Right.” He caught my gaze again, and I saw that sly gleam again. For some reason, it actually made me feel better, because at least it was something familiar. “So you know about how Lexi and I had an affair.”
I was slightly caught off guard by how bluntly he put it. “Yes.”
“And I assume you know James thinks I raped his cousin.”
I coughed. “Yes.” A pause. “Did you?”
Rico narrowed his eyes. “What do you think?”
I was so not in the mood for guessing games. “If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking you,” I answered flatly.
He smirked again. “No wonder Roman likes you.” He flicked his eyes over me. “For your information, no, I didn’t. Victor—my gang leader—did and pinned it on me.” His voice hardened. “He found out about Lexi and I and decided that was the best way to punish both of us. Since I was forced to leave the country, I couldn’t take care of her—though he actually did me a favor, considering she turned out to be a bit of a…"
“Bitch?” I offered. “Slut? Gold-digger?”
Rico startled me by bursting into laughter. It wasn’t quite as warm and velvety as Carlo’s, but it was nice nevertheless. Huh. Who woulda thunk it?
“I suppose there’s no love lost between you two.”
“Uh, well, she tried to seduce my dad and break up my family. I’m sorry if I don’t feel all warm and fuzzy towards her,” I said flatly.