“I’ve been…” Missing you, like crazy, Christian. “Fine, thank you. And you? You look well,” she commented, her heartbeat still pounding in her throat. Her chest felt light. When were they going to cut the casual chitchat and get to the heart of why he really wanted to see her? At this moment?
“More screwed up than you can imagine, Arianna.” Christian’s tone was flat.
Arianna froze. Now that wasn’t what she was expecting to hear from Mr. Christian-Got-It-Together-Romero. “Wh-what?”
Christian paused in front of the glass elevators on the floor. “We need to talk, Arianna. Now.”
* * *
Christian didn’t think this moment would come. But it did, and in this moment he didn’t know if he was coming or going. His blood pumped hard in his veins. And like hell, his emotions were zigzagging all over the place, fired up. His gut was telling him that Arianna was in deep trouble and she really needed his help. Romero men always protected their people—lovers, wives, girlfriends, and associates. Period.
Moments later, Christian sat opposite Arianna on the private roof-top patio of her hotel suite and office overlooking the crystal blue sea. He would finally get a chance to confront her about her bizarre behavior. She’d told him that she loved him and wanted to spend her life with him. Heck, her body was screaming it every night they’d made love. Then…it all ended, and she told him it had nothing to do with him.
WTF?
“So, are you going to tell me what’s been going on?” Christian interrogated. His tone was a bit more clipped than he had intended, but hell, this girl was the closest thing to him and she just ripped out his heart without so much as an explanation. Things were going so well for them. What the hell had happened? Almost a year of being a couple. They were so good together, the chemistry, the love, the hot sex, the connection. Then, after he’d introduced her to his family and all was going well, she cooled off. No explanation. He’d asked to meet her mother, since he’d already met her father, but she just turned cold and told him it was better that they didn’t see each other anymore. He wouldn’t even have bothered to try talking to her now if it hadn’t been for her sending him mixed signals, like sending him “likes” on his social media posts and dropping subtle hints that she was still interested in him.
Something was metaphorically eating her up inside, bothering her, and he wanted to know what the hell it was—or who the hell it was that terrified this poor girl so that she backed away from a chance at genuine happiness. There wasn’t anything in this ever-loving world he wouldn’t do for Arianna. He’d told her that many times. He thought he showed her that by his actions. Even now, being here after what she did to him—to them—a month ago. He could tell she still wanted him but something was holding her back and he wanted to know what the hell it was. He thought that was reasonable.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Christian,” she said in a low voice that hinted at nervousness. He could always tell when she was nervous. Her eyes were fixed on her tall glass of pina colada that was just delivered by the waiter. His own glass was barely touched. Whenever she cast her eyes down, didn’t make eye contact with him, he knew then that she was hiding something, lying to cover up something. Whatever it was.
“I think you do.” His eyes narrowed.
Watching her pouty, soft lips was hard as hell and made him hard. She was one heck of a kisser. So sweet, so tender. She didn’t even have any experience before they’d met. She’d been too busy being a straight-A student and helping out her family to find time to date.
God, she was beautiful. She captivated his eyes and his heart the moment he first laid eyes on her at the Romero’s Annual Diamond Ball in Mayberry Hill a few years before. His uncle Toni Romero, the famous real estate mogul and philanthropist, hosted the special black tie affair every year, which also donated millions of dollars worth of scholarships to deserving students to start up their own businesses and further college educations.
Arianna had donated a generous gift from her family business, the Duponte Resorts. They hadn’t really gotten close until much later. She was so genuine. A breath of fresh air. So different from all the other women he’d met over the years. She was young and ambitious like Christian and she didn’t mess around. She was serious-minded and kind-hearted. She loved her family and that meant a lot to him. He was a family person. They’d dated almost a year before he finally went ring-shopping with his cousin, Carl, to hunt for the best ring for his darling sweetheart.