揂 kiss for the camera??a journalist called, and before I could react Clifford leaned down and kissed me. It was only a peck on the lips, definitely nothing indecent but longer than I would have liked, and it did things to Santino抯 expression that would have alerted everyone of our relationship if anyone had paid attention.
I cleared my throat and smiled back at the camera. Guilt settled in my stomach. I felt as if I抎 cheated on Santino, but he and I weren抰？we couldn抰 be. Even if what we had now felt like a real thing, like more than just a fling, it didn抰 stand a chance against what lay ahead of us. I抎 marry Clifford, so if anything I should feel guilty toward him because what Santino and I did was definitely more than an innocent peck on the lips.
Clifford and I held hands the entire time. With only five months until our wedding, we needed to start acting as if we were in love. Neither of our families could use nasty rumors in the press.
Eventually, I pretended I needed to go to the bathroom, but in truth I went looking for Santino whom I found in the lobby, sitting on the stairs and staring down at his phone.
揝houldn抰 you be watching me??I asked with a teasing smile as I headed toward him.
揅lifford抯 bodyguards are there, not to mention your father. I prefer to stay here, away from the madness.?
I stopped beside him, leaning against the handrail.
揂re you mad??
揥hy would I be? Hmm??he murmured in a deadly voice. 揃ecause you and Cliffy are all lovey-dovey??
揌e took me by surprise. I wouldn抰 have kissed him.?
揥hy not? You抮e engaged and the future dream couple of Chicago.?
揧ou knew all of this when we started sleeping together,?I said quietly. It was an argument we抎 had so often in recent weeks. Things were becoming more strained every day. We fought constantly, and only ever didn抰 argue when we had sex.
揝leeping together. Is that all we抮e doing? Because if you think it is, we might as well call it fucking.?
I blinked and my throat became tighter. I wasn抰 sure what was happening between us. Though, that wasn抰 true. Maybe it was bound to happen, maybe it needed to happen so our eventual goodbye wouldn抰 hurt quite as much. 揧ou know there抯 more.?I sank down beside him on the step but left a bit of a distance between us in case someone caught us.
Santino grabbed my neck, stunning me. 揑 know. I know what I want. I know what I feel. And you??
I swallowed. 揑 have to marry Clifford. It抯 for the Outfit, you know that. Don抰 make me doubt my choice.?
He nodded and released me. 揗aybe this is about the Outfit, or maybe it抯 about something else. If you抮e not doubting your choice yet, it抯 probably better if you don抰 bother now.?
揥hat do you mean??
The door to the party swung open and we scooted apart, but not before the person saw us. Luckily it was only Sofia. Her eyes widened with surprise. 揑抦 sorry for disturbing you.?
I pushed to my feet. 揧ou抮e not. Our conversation is over.?I strolled over to Sofia. I could see in her expression that she worried about me. I gave her a quick smile. 揂re you heading to the restroom??
揢hhh,?she said, glancing at Santino, obviously still unsure what she saw. Santino and I hadn抰 been overly intimate but I guess whatever had passed between us had given us away to Sofia. 揧eah. What about you??
揑 need to go to the restroom too.?We linked arms and headed for the guest bathroom where we both squeezed into the room. Sofia waited for me to close the door before she said, 揙kay, how long has this been going on??
I smiled apologetically, though I felt a bit like crying after my argument with Santino. 揝ince Paris.?
Sofia blew out her breath. 揊rom the beginning.?
揧eah.?
揙h Anna. Why didn抰 you tell me??
揑t would have been too dangerous over the phone.?
揥hat about the times we met at parties??
I shrugged, feeling awful. 揑 just?I didn抰 want to tell you about something that didn抰 really mean anything.?
Sofia gave me a look that made it clear she thought I was completely insane.
Steps sounded right in front of the door and we fell silent. This was a good reminder that this was the Clark抯 house. We weren抰 safe here, especially not with a topic as sensitive as this.
揅an we meet for brunch tomorrow??I asked.
揙f course. Danilo will be busy with meeting anyway. But no more lies, all right??
I hugged her. 揑 promise.?
Sofia came over the next morning. Danilo had a meeting with Dad in his office so we could drive to the restaurant together. I was glad that she would be in town for a few more days. I needed her support. I抎 considered asking Luisa to join us but it would have been too overwhelming to brave both their questions at the same time. I抎 meet with her another time to talk about Santino. She was busy with her wedding preparations anyway, so I didn抰 want to burden her with my Santino problems.