More Than a Pretty Face (Vincitore Academy 1)

If Only She'd Been Sober

The first day back to school had been a disaster.

Margherita arrived at Happy Pizza late and in utter disarray. Some of the usuals sat alone or in gaggles, including a couple of Marco's diehard admirers, who stopped by whenever they could to eat pizza at the counter making eyes at the handsome pizzaiolo. The grumpy old man was eating by himself in a corner.

Margherita tied her red apron behind her back. "What is Grandpa eating this time?" She asked, despondent.

Chiara bit her lip in amusement. "Casoeula." The typical Italian dish sounded familiar, but Margherita had no idea what went into it, except animal parts she had no interest in eating.

Chiara nudged her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Marghe shook her head. This was not the time.

It was only after closing that Margherita told Chiara the happenings of her very confusing day.

Margherita concluded, leaning on her mop. "He was fine in the morning, all goofy and childish with his stupid plastic spider and then..."

Chiara wiped tables, forehead wrinkled in thought. "Why would Luca Vincitore do that to you? Assert dominance?" She joked, kinda.

Margherita shrugged. "He's just so fucking intense. I can't bear to be close to him."

It was the second time that Re had kissed her, and this time definitely not by mistake. During both instances her senses had exploded, and it had barely been a peck on the mouth. Despite his overbearing arrogance and abuse, his lips had been soft and gentle.

Chiara tossed the sponge at Margherita's head. "Laundry Angel! Back to Earth. I don't want to know what you're thinking about, but that was so not okay. You had clearly said no."

Margherita exhaled. "I wasn't scared. I mean, at first I was, but then..." she blushed. "I honestly think he knew I wanted him to." Oh, god, she'd said it out loud. Her face felt hot, blistering.

Chiara stood akimbo, hands on her hips. Heat rose to her freckled cheeks. "Margherita, 'no' is 'no.' I don't care about what fantasies you have or enact, but unless a safe word is in place and you're role playing, 'no' is 'no.' He assaulted you. He had no way to be sure what you wanted or didn't want, and honestly, I don't think you knew either." She paused. "Do you like him?"

Margherita deflated. "I fucking hate him. He's a bully, a spoiled brat. I'm just...I can't figure out what's going on in his brain."

Chiara popped a chewing gum in her mouth, offering one to Marghe. "And why do you care?"

The question lingered in the air. Margherita refused the gum.

"He asked me if I like Lorenzo," Margherita added, changing the topic.

"Which you do."

Marghe nodded. "But why would Vincitore care? Not like either of them would give me the time of day."

"Vincitore did, apparently." Chiara blew and popped a gum balloon for emphasis, then dropped the cleaning supplies inside the closet.