Chapter 6 Chapter 6
REYNA
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
What the hell did I just do?
I stare at my phone as if it has personally betrayed me, even though I’m the one who deserves to be thrown into a river. I’ve switched it off, turned it back on, and switched it off again, but none of that changes the fact that I may have just committed the most embarrassing act of my life.
I accidentally followed Killian Kozlov on Instagram.
And then I unfollowed him so quickly I nearly dislocated my thumb.
“Reyna Valenti, you stupid bitch,” I mutter, dropping my head into my hands. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Okay. Calm down.
I’m ninety-five percent certain he didn’t see it. Instagram probably didn’t even have enough time to send him a notification before I reversed my mistake.
Probably.
Unfortunately, the remaining five percent is determined to ruin my life.
Because Killian Kozlov is not a normal man. He has this irritating way of noticing things other people would miss, and I wouldn’t put it past him to have a personal assistant monitoring his social media notifications twenty-four hours a day.
If he finds out I’ve been stalking his profile, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.
You know what? I’d rather marry Costa Duriolo tomorrow than be caught stalking Killian. Actually, scratch that. I would rather chew glass.
“Why couldn’t you mind your own business?” I whisper furiously at my phone. “Why did you have to be curious? What exactly were you hoping to discover? His blood type? His childhood vaccination records?”
“Are you having a mental breakdown?”
I jerk my head up.
Arabella Moretti stands beside our table, staring at me with a look that suggests she’s seriously considering calling an ambulance.
I blink at her. “No.”
“Right.” She slowly pulls out her chair. “Then why were you glaring at your phone like it just told you your boyfriend has a secret family?”
“First of all, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Exactly. Which makes this even more concerning.”
I snort despite myself. Bella grins, clearly pleased with herself, before settling into her seat. Her short, blunt blonde hair frames her face perfectly, and she looks annoyingly gorgeous for someone who just spent ten minutes in the bathroom. Some women are blessed by the universe. Others have to fight for their lives with concealer and good lighting.
Bella belongs to the first category and she also knows it.
“Anyway,” she says, stealing one of my fries, “who pissed you off?”
“Nobody.”
“Is it a man?”
“No.”
“Is it a woman?”
“No.”
“Is it your father?”
I hesitate.
Her grin fades a little. “Rey.”
“I’m fine, Bella.”
She watches me for a moment, then leans back in her chair with a dramatic sigh.
“Okay. Fine. Keep your secrets. I hope your mysterious problem gives you wrinkles.”
“Bitch.”
“Love you too.”
I laugh, and for a moment, everything feels normal again.
God, I’ve missed this.
I’ve known Bella since we were five years old. Our fathers have never particularly liked each other, but somehow, that never stopped us from becoming inseparable. We went to the same schools, shared secrets we swore we’d take to our graves, and spent most of our teenage years getting into trouble together.
Then, a few months ago, she left to further her studies in business because she’s expected to take over her father’s oil and gas company someday.
We promised we would stay in touch and we meant it, too.
But things at home became unbearable, and little by little, I withdrew from everyone. I stopped answering calls, ignored messages, and convinced myself that keeping my problems to myself was easier than explaining them to someone who couldn’t do anything about them.
Bella was one of the people I pushed away. And judging by the look she gave me earlier, she hasn’t forgotten.
“So,” she says, dipping another fry into her sauce, “are you going to tell me why you’ve been acting like a stranger, or should I start charging you for my friendship?”
I lower my gaze to the table. “I’m sorry.”
She stops chewing.
“I know I’ve been distant. I know I’ve ignored your calls and left you on read, and you didn’t deserve that.” I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “Things have been bad at home, and I didn’t know how to talk about it. I still don’t, honestly. But I’m sorry for shutting you out.”
For once, Bella doesn’t have a joke ready. She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand.
“You don’t have to tell me everything right now, Rey. But you can’t keep disappearing on me and expect me not to worry.”
“I know.”
“And if anyone is making your life miserable, just give me their name. I have a very nice collection of kitchen knives.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re actually insane.”
“I’m serious. I’ll even wear gloves. No fingerprints.”
“Bella!”
“What? I’m just being a supportive friend.”
“You’re trying to get arrested.”
“Details.”
I laugh harder, and she joins me. Then she gets up, comes around the table, and pulls me into a hug, making my chest tighten.
That is when the tears finally come.
I don’t even know why I’m crying so much. Maybe because I’ve spent weeks pretending I’m fine. Maybe because I’ve missed her more than I’ve admitted to myself. Or maybe because, for the first time in a long while, someone is looking at me like I matter.
Bella holds me without asking questions, rubbing my back while I cry into her shoulder.
“I missed you, bitch. You know I’m always here for you right?” she whispers.
I laugh wetly. “I missed you too.”
“Good. Because if you ghost me again, I’m showing up at your house and embarrassing you in front of your entire family.”
“That would be a terrible idea.”
“Then don’t make me do it.”
When we finally pull apart, she wipes the tears from my cheeks with her thumbs.
“Now,” she says, sniffing dramatically, “that we’ve had our emotional reunion, tell me who the hell you were stalking.”
And just like that, my peace is over. I groan and hide my face in my hands.
“Please don’t make me say it.”
“Oh, this is going to be good.” Her eyes light up. “Is it a man from your father’s circle? One of those old, balding men who wear expensive watches and think their money makes them irresistible?”
“Ew. No.”
“Is it…Miguel?”
I lift my head. Bella’s expression turns suspicious.
“Oh, my God. It is Miguel!”
“It isn’t!”
“You’re blushing!”
“It’s just hot in here!”
“It’s air-conditioned, Rey.”
“Well then maybe the air conditioner is broken?”
She stares at me for a second before bursting into laughter.
“Bitch, you are so bad at lying.”
I grab a napkin and throw it at her. She’s been making fun of my crush on my father’s bodyguard for years. At one point, I was so hopelessly interested in him that I could barely form a complete sentence whenever he spoke to me. Bella never understood the appeal. She kept saying I would grow out of that phase once I got older because according to her, he had the personality of a sock.
And to be honest, a few months ago I would have done just about anything to get Miguel’s attention, but now, whenever I think of him, my feelings seem distant and unfamiliar.
Which brings me back to the problem I was trying to avoid.
Killian Kozlov.
Why the hell does that man keep popping into my head?
His dark, hooded eyes. His infuriating smirk. The way he looked at me as though he could see every thought I was trying to hide.
And that deep voice of his. God, that voice is a menace.
I don’t even like him. He’s arrogant, controlling, and far too comfortable threatening people with the loss of their limbs.
Yet, somehow, my brain won't stop thinking about him.
“Rey?”
I blink. She’s staring at me with narrowed eyes.
“You just went somewhere. Where did you go?”
“Nowhere.”
“Uh-huh.” She points a fry at me. “You were thinking about someone.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Was it Miguel?”
“Seriously, no.”
“Then it’s definitely someone else.” She leans forward. “Tell me! I need some gist.”
I consider confessing that I’ve been stalking a man who is supposed to marry my sister, but shame just won’t let me. Unfortunately, Bella knows me too well.
“Wait.” Her mouth falls open. “You actually have a new crush?!”
