★★Mariella's POV★★



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How the fuck did he get my number?

And how does he know what I'm wearing?

I resist the urge to whip my head around the restaurant, scanning for him. My hands tighten around my phone, but I school my expression into irritation instead of panic. I can feel Niko watching me, dissecting my every move.

I sigh, rolling my eyes as if it's just some overbearing father texting too much. I glance up at Niko and give him a bored look. "It's my papa," I say, my voice dripping with fake exasperation. "Just making sure dinner is going smoothly."

Niko studies me for a beat too long, his lips curving up slightly. "You sure he's not checking in to see if I'm treating you right?"

I force a smirk. "Please. He knows I can handle myself."

He hums in approval, still watching. He doesn't believe me entirely, but he lets it go. For now.

I tilt my head, flashing him my most charming look. "You don't mind if I call him really quick, do you?"

He leans back in his chair, a slow, easy grin spreading across his face. "Please," he says, motioning toward the hallway that leads to the restrooms. "We'll start with dessert when you come back." Then he winks at me.

I barely resist the urge to gag. Instead, I stand, letting my fingers graze his shoulder as I pass him, playing it cool. But inside, my thoughts are racing.

I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away, lingering too long on my ass, but I don't care about that right now. What I do care about is Leon—how the hell he found me, how he got my number, and worse... where the fuck is he?

I push open the bathroom door, stepping inside quickly, my heels clicking against the tile. The second the door shuts behind me, I pull my phone out again and type furiously.

Me: How the fuck did you get my number?

Three dots appear almost instantly.

Leon: You should be more careful. You never know who's watching you.

I grip the phone tighter.

Me: Are you here?

A pause. Then—

Leon: Look around, little princess. You'll find me.

My breath catches. I do glance around, even though I know I'm alone in the bathroom. My heart is hammering against my ribs.

Another buzz.

Leon: Don't keep your date waiting. Wouldn't want him to think you're distracted.

I clench my jaw, biting back the urge to throw my phone against the wall. Instead, I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and type one last message.

Me: You're insane.

Leon: And yet, you haven't blocked me.

I glare at the screen, but I don't respond. Instead, I lock my phone, forcing my face back into its usual unreadable mask.

Fine. He wants to play games? I'll play.

I take a final breath, smooth my dress, and step out of the bathroom. Back to Niko. Back to the act. But now, with a new problem lurking in the shadows.

Because somewhere out there, Leon is watching me.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself before slipping my phone back into my purse. My heartbeat is erratic, but I push all thoughts of Leon out of my mind. He's watching me. Somewhere, somehow, he's watching. If he wants a show, I'll give him one.

I plaster on a sultry smile and strut back toward the table, swaying my hips just a little more than necessary. As I approach, Niko's eyes darken with something smug and satisfied. I slide back into my seat, tilting my head as I rest my chin in my palm, looking at him through my lashes.

"Sorry about that," I purr, tracing the rim of my wine glass with a finger. "Papa can be a bit overprotective."

Niko chuckles, his eyes never leaving mine. "I don't blame him," he says smoothly. "If you were mine, I'd want to keep a close eye on you too."

I giggle, twirling a lock of hair around my finger. "Oh, Niko," I tease, licking my lips. "That almost sounds possessive."

He leans in, voice dropping. "What if it is?"

I smirk, but before he can push the subject further, he gestures to the small dance floor where a live band is playing a slow, romantic tune. "Dance with me," he murmurs, standing and holding out his hand.

I hesitate for a fraction of a second. My skin already crawls at the thought of him touching me, but I know Leon is watching. Somewhere in the shadows, he's burning with jealousy. I can practically feel it.

So I slide my hand into Niko's, letting him pull me to my feet. "Lead the way."

He guides me onto the dance floor, his grip firm, confident. One hand settles low—too low—on my waist, and the other clasps mine as he pulls me close. Too close. I laugh softly, tilting my head up to look at him. "Someone's bold tonight," I tease, pressing a little closer just to sell the act.

"Can you blame me?" he murmurs, his lips nearly brushing my ear. "You look like a dream."

I laugh again, but my eyes scan the restaurant subtly. Where are you, Leon? I know you're watching. But no matter how hard I search, I can't spot him.

Niko's grip tightens. His fingers brush over my lower back, dangerously close to my ass. "You're distracted," he murmurs.

I snap my eyes back to him, smiling sweetly. "Not at all," I lie, resting my hand on his chest.

Then, without warning, he tilts my chin up with a single finger, his gaze locking onto my lips.

oh..

He leans in.

Fuck.

I react instantly, placing a finger over his lips just before they reach mine. "Oh, Niko," I giggle, pulling away playfully. "I'd love to keep this going, but I really should get going."

His brow furrows slightly, but he quickly masks his disappointment. "So soon?"

I nod, stepping back and smoothing my dress. "You wouldn't want to get on my father's bad side, would you?" I tease, winking.

That does it. He laughs, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. But I'm not letting you escape so easily next time."

We both know there won't be a next time.

He takes my hand, placing a kiss on my knuckles. I force a smile, pulling away as gracefully as I can.

With that, I turn and stride toward the exit, my heels clicking against the polished floors. As soon as I step outside, the cool night air kisses my skin, but it does nothing to cool the fire still burning through me. My eyes immediately scan the area—the streets, the alleyways, the rooftops.

Where the fuck is he?

I know he's watching. I can feel it.

I keep walking, my senses on high alert, but just as I'm nearly at the car, my phone vibrates in my hand.

Unknown Number.

My stomach tightens.

I inhale deeply, forcing my expression into something neutral. Then I turn to Gio, who's already waiting by the car. "Rimani fuori per un minuto, (Stay outside for a minute,) " I say smoothly. "I need to take an important call."

He frowns slightly but nods, stepping back as he opens the car door for me. I slide in, shutting the door behind me, the interior suddenly feeling much too small.

My pulse pounds. My fingers tighten around the phone.

Then, with a steady breath, I answer.

"Leon." My voice is calm. Steady. Dangerous.

A deep chuckle greets me on the other end. Slow. Unhurried.

"Miss me already, little princess?"

"This isn't hide and seek, Leon," I snap, my voice sharp despite the hammering in my chest. My eyes dart around, searching the shadows, the streetlights, the rooftops.

A low chuckle rumbles through the speaker.

Rich. Deep. Dark.

"You make this face when you're nervous," Leon murmurs, his voice like warm velvet wrapping around my spine. "Little crease between your brows. It's cute."

I exhale through my nose, forcing my expression blank even though I know he can't see me that close.

"Careful, little princess," he continues, his tone almost teasing. "Keep rolling those pretty eyes at me, and I'll give you a real reason to."

A sharp thrill zips through me, uninvited, unwelcome. I clamp down on it immediately. Focus, Mariella.

"Alright," I say, my voice light, mocking. "You wanna play? Marco."

Silence for a beat. Then—

"Polo, baby."

My breath catches.

The way he says baby—so effortless, so damn familiar—makes my stomach flip, makes my thighs clench.

I hate it.

I hate him.

Swallowing hard, I steel myself. "Leon, stop fucking with me."

"Baby," he breathes, his voice dipping lower, like he's whispering in my ear. "I'll always fuck with you. Maybe soon, I actually will."

Heat spreads down my spine, twisting low in my stomach. I squeeze my thighs together, cursing myself.

"Over my dead body," I sneer.

Leon chuckles, dark and knowing. "Wanna bet? Keep those legs nice and wide for me, little princess."

I scoff, forcing a laugh. "Oh yeah? If you can see me, how many fingers am I holding up?"

I flip him off, waving my middle finger in the air like I dare him to tell me.

He chuckles, slow and deep. "You know, that's the second time you've given me the finger today." A pause. "You really want me to teach you some manners, huh?"

I smirk. "You know, Leon..." I trail off, voice honeyed and taunting. "For someone who acts like he's so in control, you sure seem obsessed with me."

A beat of silence.

Then, his voice drops, smooth and deadly. "Obsessed?" he echoes. "No, baby. Owning you? Now that is something worth obsessing over."

I tighten my grip on my phone, my pulse hammering in my ears. My eyes scan the dark streets, the rooftops, anywhere he could be hiding. But there's nothing. Nothing but his voice curling through the speaker, sinking its claws into me.

I scoff, leaning back against the leather seat. "That's cute, Leon. But I don't belong to anyone."

He hums in amusement. "You keep saying that, little princess, but your body tells a different story."

My breath hitches before I can stop it. I fucking hate that he reads me so well.

"Awfully quiet now," he teases, voice like silk. "Did I strike a nerve?"

I shake my head, rolling my eyes even though he can't see me. "You wish."

"Don't need to wish, baby," he murmurs. "It's already happening."

I clench my jaw. "You really love the sound of your own voice, don't you?"

"I'd rather hear yours," he says smoothly. "Especially when it's moaning my name."

Heat prickles up my spine, and I sit up straighter, forcing myself to focus. "If you wanted to hear me scream, you should've let me bring my gun."

Leon chuckles darkly. "Mariella, Mariella," he drawls. "Always so violent. But trust me, baby, when I make you scream, it won't be in fear."

I suck in a sharp breath, my grip on my phone tightening. "You are so fucking full of yourself."

"And yet," he muses, "you're still sitting in that car, listening to every word. Tell me, little princess, do you like this?" His voice drops lower. "Do you like knowing I'm watching you?"

I swallow, my skin hot. "You're delusional."

"Am I?" he murmurs. "Then why are you looking around, searching for me? Why is your heart racing?"

I don't answer.

"Come on, Mariella," he taunts. "You like a little danger, don't you? You like knowing I could be anywhere. Watching. Waiting. You're dying to find me."

I let out a breathy laugh, tilting my head. "Please, Leon. If I really wanted to find you, I would have already put a bullet between your pretty little eyes."

There's a beat of silence. Then—

"You think I'm pretty?"

I freeze, my mouth opening, then closing.

He chuckles, low and pleased. "Oh, baby," he murmurs. "You're making this too easy."

I glare at my phone. "Leon. If you keep playing these fucking games with me, I swear—"

"You'll what?" he cuts in, voice dripping with amusement. "Hunt me down? Kill me? Or..." He pauses, his voice dropping lower, rougher. "Will you let me catch you first?"

I clench my jaw. "No one catches me, Leon."

"We'll see about that." His voice is smug, knowing. "Enjoy the rest of your night, little princess. Oh, and Mariella?"

I stay silent.

He chuckles. "Sweet dreams, baby."

Then the line clicks dead.

I sit there, gripping my phone so tight my knuckles turn white. My body is tense, my skin burning.

Fucking bastard.

A sharp knock on the window makes me jump. Gio stands outside, watching me with narrowed eyes.

I take a breath, shaking off the lingering heat, the way my stomach still twists. Then I roll down the window, plastering on my best smirk.

"Everything alright?" Gio asks.

I flash him a tight smile. "Peachy."

But as he opens the car door for me, I glance around one last time.

I know he's watching.

And for the first time, I don't know if I hate it.

****

As I push open the double doors of the house, the sound of laughter and screaming fills the air. My eyebrows furrow. What the hell is going on? I glance at Gio, who looks just as confused as I feel, and we both make our way toward the living room.

The second we step inside, the entire room erupts into screams.

Luna and Iyana are clutching each other like they just saw a ghost. Santino is wrapped up in a blanket like a damn burrito, peeking out just enough to realize it's me. Meanwhile, Enzo is completely unfazed, sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone, looking like he couldn't care less if the house was on fire.

Santino exhales in relief. "Geez, Sis. You should really audition for The Ring. You'd definitely land the role." He pulls the blanket tighter around himself like I might lunge at him.

I cross my arms, popping a hip. "You guys are still watching movies?"

Luna groans and gestures at Santino. "We were watching a rom-com until someone came back from a party and begged us to put on The Ring instead." She shoots him a glare.

Iyana sighs, chewing on a Twizzler. "How was the date?"

Before I can answer, Santino reaches over and snatches the Twizzler right out of her mouth, biting off the end.

"Hey!" Iyana glares at him.

He just winks. "Tastes better when it's stolen."

I shake my head, kicking off my heels and letting out a long sigh as I collapse onto the couch. "God, finally, relaxation."

Luna smirks, tucking her legs under her. "Sooo, did you guys at least get to first base?"

Everyone groans in disgust.

"You're sick," Santino mutters, stuffing his face with popcorn.

Luna and I burst into laughter, but I wipe away fake tears and say, "Me and Niko?" I pause for dramatic effect. "Girl, please. I'd rather tongue kiss a loaded gun."

Enzo, still staring at his phone, mutters, "That's new."

I throw a pillow at him. "Screw you."

Luna wiggles her eyebrows. "So... no steamy moments?"

I pretend to think. "Well... he did try to kiss me."

Iyana gasps. "And?"

I grin. "And I did what any respectable woman would do—I dodged that shit like a professional athlete and ran for my life."

Luna claps. "You're an inspiration."

Santino shakes his head. "So let me get this straight—you went on a date with a man you don't like, got all dolled up for him, let him buy you dinner, danced with him, let him think he had a shot, and then when he went in for the kiss, you rejected him and dipped?"

I smile sweetly. "Exactly."

He leans back, smirking. "You're the reason men have trust issues."

I blow him a kiss. "And I sleep like a baby at night."

I grab a handful of popcorn and stuff my face like I haven't eaten in days. "Can we watch Divergent?" I mumble through a mouthful of buttery goodness.

The room goes silent. Everyone turns to look at me like I just suggested we watch paint dry.

I frown. "What?"

Enzo sighs dramatically. "Mari, you always want to watch Divergent." He sounds like a man who's had enough of my bullshit.

"Shut up, you're not even watching," I snap, tossing a kernel of popcorn at him.

He rolls his eyes and stands up. "Whatever. I have shit to do."

"Oh, boo, you boomer!" I call after him, chucking another piece of popcorn at his retreating figure. He doesn't even dignify me with a response, just flips me off before disappearing down the hall.

Santino stretches his legs out on the couch, looking at me with a raised brow. "Okay, but why Divergent? Of all movies?"

I grin mischievously. "Because of the plot. Duh."

He gives me a blank stare, clearly not buying it.

I sigh, exasperated. "Fine. Because of my daddy Four."

Santino makes the most disgusted face I've ever seen. "Yup. I'm out." He stands up, brushing nonexistent crumbs off his shirt. "I actually do have shit to do." He throws Enzo's words right back at me before striding out of the room.

I roll my eyes, but before I can make another snarky comment, Iyana and Luna smirk at me. Then, in perfect unison, they say, "I love Four."

We burst into laughter, grabbing our blankets and sinking into the couch as the movie starts.

"God, he could ruin my life," Luna sighs dreamily.

"I wish he would," Iyana adds.

I smirk, grabbing another handful of popcorn. "You and me both, babe."

And just like that, our night is set—Three girls, a shared thirst for Four, and a movie we've all seen a hundred times but will never get tired of.

****

The movie wraps up, and the clock strikes 3 a.m. I glance around the living room, yawning like it's my full-time job. Luna groans and stretches out, rubbing her eyes. "Alright, call me a grandma, but I need my bed." She gets up, clearly exhausted, and I can't help but chuckle.

"Same. I'm still in this damn dress; I need to get out of it." I tug at the hem of my red dress, already feeling the weight of the night pulling at my body.

Luna holds out a hand to help me up, planting a soft kiss on my cheek. "Goodnight, Mari. Get some rest. Tomorrow's another day to deal with everything."

I nod with a smile and watch as she stumbles up the stairs, heading to her room. But as I glance over at Iyana, I realize she's fallen asleep right where she sat. The couch cushions around her look like they've swallowed her whole.

I walk over, shaking her gently, a grin playing on my lips as she stirs awake with a start.

"Oh shit." She blinks, confused for a moment, then looks around, realizing the house is eerily quiet. "Where did everyone go?"

"Yeah, it's late," I say, smirking at her. "Are you planning on leaving? We do have a spare room if you wanna crash here tonight."

She rubs her face, groggily blinking up at me, and I help her to her feet. "Would it be a bother to sleep over?" she asks, her voice uncertain.

"Of course not." I smile, squeezing her hands reassuringly. "You're always welcome here."

She lets out a sigh of relief and nods, locking her arm with mine as we make our way up the stairs. "Thanks, Mariella. It's just nice to be around someone who actually cares, other than my brother..."

I give her a soft, understanding look. "You'll always have a place here."

We arrive at her room, and I push open the door. "Here you go. There's extra clothes in the drawers and hygiene stuff in the bathroom if you need it."

She smiles gratefully and nods. "Thank you, Mariella."

I turn to leave, but then stop in my tracks. A thought pops into my mind. I turn back around, leaning against the doorframe. "Hey, quick question," I say, my voice casual but my stomach tight with curiosity.

She looks up at me, her brows furrowing. "What's up?"

I hesitate for a second, then ask, "Do you, by any chance, give anyone my number out?"

She looks at me confused, almost offended. "Oh no. I would never. I was always taught not to give personal information out."

I nod, trying to mask the unease that suddenly settles in my chest. Then how the hell did Leon get my number?

She catches my expression and gives me a concerned look. "Why? Is something wrong?"

I smile softly, shaking my head. "Oh, don't worry about it. Just... something's been bothering me. You go ahead and get some rest."

She seems to buy it, nodding before giving me one last smile. "Goodnight, Mariella."

I close the door gently, feeling the weight of the night press down on me. As I walk back to my room, the thoughts of Leon swirl through my mind, the way his voice echoed in my head, "Polo, baby." I can't stop replaying his words. The way he made everything sound so effortless, so dangerous.

The second I close my bedroom door, I sit on the edge of the bed, my thoughts racing.

I wasn't supposed to be this affected by him.

I wasn't supposed to want him, not like this.

But as I lay down, my mind drifts back to the words I couldn't ignore. The challenge, the dominance, the way he made everything feel... real.

Sweet dreams to me, I think bitterly, knowing damn well I'll be awake all night, haunted by the memory of him.

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I SHIPPPP

*Team Leon or Team Gio*?

Bye, lovies! (っ◔◡◔)っ

Maddie♡