Chapter 12: A problem named Thomas

Aria’s POV

All guests for the charity had to stay in the hotel overnight. I wasn’t avoiding Romano.

I was simply choosing not to be in the same room as him.

There was a difference.

At least that was what I kept telling myself as I wandered through the hotel the next afternoon carrying a book I hadn’t actually read in twenty minutes.

My thoughts kept drifting back to the dinner night.

To Enzo.

To the way his expression changed when he heard my surname.

To the strange conversation I had overheard afterward.

None of it made sense.

And whenever something didn’t make sense, my brain refused to let it go.

“You look like you’re trying to solve a murder.”

I nearly jumped.

Thomas stood a few feet away holding a cup of coffee.

I hadn’t even heard him approach.

“That’s concerning.”

His smile appeared immediately.

“That you look like you’re solving a murder?”

“No.”

I crossed my arms.

“That people keep sneaking up on me.”

“Maybe you’re distracted.”

Unfortunately he was right.

Thomas fell into step beside me as we walked toward the gardens.

Unlike Romano, Thomas was easy.

Easy to talk to.

Easy to understand.

Everything about him felt relaxed.

Normal.

Which was ironic considering he came from one of the wealthiest families in Italy.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“That answer is always a lie.”

I sighed.

“Romano says the same thing.”

Something flickered across his expression before disappearing.

“Does he?”

I nodded.

Thomas looked amused.

“I already like him.”

I laughed.

“That’s dramatic.”

“No.”

His grin widened.

“I think it’s reasonable.”

The gardens stretched around us as we continued walking.

For the first time in days, I felt myself relaxing.

Not completely.

But enough.

Enough to breathe.

Enough to forget that my life had become a disaster.

Enough to pretend I wasn’t trapped in a fake engagement to a man who made my heart behave strangely.

“You’re smiling.”

I looked at Thomas.

“What?”

“You’ve been smiling for the last five minutes.”

I immediately stopped.

His grin grew.

“Interesting.”

“Don’t.”

“Oh, I’m definitely doing it now.”

I groaned.

“You and Dante would get along.”

“That’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to me.”

I laughed again.

A real laugh.

And for a moment everything felt normal.

Unfortunately, that was the exact moment Romano appeared.

I noticed him first.

Standing on the terrace overlooking the gardens.

Watching.

His expression was unreadable.

Thomas followed my gaze.

“Oh.”

I immediately knew that tone.

“Oh what?”

His smile turned dangerous.

“Nothing.”

That was a lie.

I knew it.

He knew it.

Romano definitely knew it, because the second our eyes met, something shifted.

The atmosphere changed.

Not dramatically.

Just enough.

Romano started walking toward us.

Slow.

Calm.

Terrifying.

Thomas looked delighted.

Which was concerning.

By the time Romano reached us, neither of us had spoken.

“Thomas.”

“Romano.”

The greeting sounded suspiciously like a threat.

I looked between them.

“You two are exhausting.”

Neither answered.

Instead they continued staring at each other.

Like two men preparing for war.

Over absolutely nothing.

Eventually Thomas smiled.

“I was just stealing your fiancée for a while.”

Romano’s gaze moved toward me.

Then back to Thomas.

“You should return what doesn’t belong to you.”

The words sounded casual.

The meaning didn’t.

Thomas laughed.

I suddenly wanted to leave.

Immediately.

“Okay.”

I stepped between them.

“Whatever this is, stop.”

Neither men looked remotely embarrassed, which somehow made it worse.

Thomas eventually raised both hands.

“Fine.”

Then he turned toward me.

“We still have dinner tomorrow?”

I blinked.

“Dinner?”

“To thank me for rescuing you from these people.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“That isn’t what happened.”

“Close enough.”

Before I could answer, Romano spoke.

“No.”

Thomas looked at him.

“No?”

“No.”

I stared.

Thomas stared.

The audacity was almost impressive.

“I don’t remember asking you.”

Thomas sounded amused.

Romano didn’t.

“You didn’t but she’s mine.”

The tension immediately returned.

I rubbed my forehead.

“Why are men like this?”

Neither answered, again, which was answer enough.

Eventually Thomas laughed and stepped backward.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Aria.”

Then he walked away, leaving me alone with Romano.

Wonderful.

The silence lasted exactly four seconds.

“You seem comfortable around him.”

I looked up.

There it was.

The jealousy.

I almost smiled.

“Are you interrogating me?”

“No.”

“Good.”

A pause.

“Because it sounds like you are.”

His jaw tightened.

Slightly.

Barely.

Enough for me to notice.

“I don’t trust him.”

That surprised me.

“Why?”

“I just don’t.”

“That’s not a reason.”

“It is for me.”

I stared.

Romano stared back.

Stubborn.

Impossible.

Annoyingly attractive.

I hated that last part.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m usually right.”

“You don’t even know him.”

“I know enough.”

The argument should have continued.

Instead something happened.

The wind picked up suddenly.

A strand of hair blew across my face.

Before I could move it away, Romano reached forward.

His fingers brushed my cheek.

Everything stopped.

The conversation.

The air.

My thoughts.

All of it.

His hand remained there for half a second longer than necessary.

Neither of us moved.

Neither of us looked away.

I became painfully aware of how close he was.

Of the way his eyes had darkened.

Of the fact that my heart was trying to escape my chest.

“Romano…”

His name came out softer than intended.

His gaze dropped briefly to my mouth.

Then returned to my eyes.

And suddenly I knew.

If neither of us moved—

He was going to kiss me.

The realization hit like lightning.

Fast.

Unexpected.

Terrifying.

My breath caught.

So did his.

The distance between us disappeared.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Then—

“Am I interrupting something?”

We jumped apart instantly.

Thomas stood several feet away holding two glasses.

A completely innocent expression on his face.

Liar.

Absolute liar.

He knew exactly what he had interrupted.

The worst part?

His smile.

Because he looked entirely too pleased with himself and Romano looked ready to commit murder and I considered helping. Thomas casually handed me one of the drinks.

“You forgot this.”

I stared.

“I never ordered a drink.”

“I know.”

His grin widened.

“I improvised.”

Romano’s jaw visibly clenched.

The realization hit me all at once.

Thomas had done that on purpose.

Every second of it.

And judging by the look on Romano’s face—

He knew it too.

For the rest of the afternoon, neither men behaved normally. Not that either of them had been behaving normally to begin with, Thomas stayed close and Romano stayed closer.

The entire thing became increasingly ridiculous.

And somehow…

I found myself smiling.

Because for the first time since my wedding disaster, since Luca, since everything…

I felt alive again.

Which should have been comforting; Instead it was terrifying.

Because the more time I spent with Romano… the harder it became to remember this marriage was supposed to be temporary.

And that was a problem.

A very big problem.

One I wasn’t ready to face.

Not yet.