Chapter 312
Lorenzo looked like he’d walked off a movie set—sharp, rugged features carved just right. His glasses had hit the ground in the fall, and now those icy, deep eyes sliced through the dim light like a knife. Anyone tight with Sebastian wasn’t exactly the cuddly type. Throw in that tattoo peeking out from his collar, and the guy screamed trouble—like a flashing red flag you couldn’t miss.
Ella went stiff under that energy, too freaked to even blink, just standing there like a spooked animal. Lorenzo’s eyes tightened, giving her a slow, cold look-over. Macro grabbed her wrist, laying on the sarcasm thick. “Oh, come on, girl, where’s your class? Grabbing a dude’s belt the first time you meet? Might as well pull his pants down and get straight to it!”
“I—I didn’t mean to!” Ella sputtered, scrambling to explain herself. She couldn’t believe what Macro just said. She wasn’t trying to flirt or anything. Macro eyed her iron grip on the belt and frowned. Jennifer, meanwhile, was just as thrown. Seeing Ella hooked onto Lorenzo’s belt—of all things—left her frozen, mouth hanging open.
Ella’s panicked eyes shot to Lorenzo. “I swear, I didn’t mean it! I’m so sorry, so sorry—” she rambled, words tumbling over each other. Macro rolled his eyes. “Then let go already, genius!” He added, “What’s your problem? Apologizing like crazy but still holding on like a leech?”
Ella met Lorenzo’s stare—those deep, killer eyes—and her heart kicked into panic mode. Her brain just shut down, blank with fear. “Sorry,” she mumbled again, voice shaky as hell. Jennifer finally snapped out of it, blinking at the disaster in front of her. She jumped in, grabbing Ella’s hand. “Alright, alright, you’ve said sorry a hundred times—let go already!”
Ella blinked, out of it. “Huh?” Stephanie had seen Sebastian’s car roll up but hadn’t spotted him inside, so she’d gone out to check it out. One step outside, and there was Lorenzo, down on one knee in the snowy muck, with Ella’s little pale hand latched onto his belt like it was her last hope.
Her eyes bugged out. “What the—?” “Ella, what are you—?” She started, then stopped, totally floored. Stephanie showing up snapped Ella back. She jerked her hand away like it was on fire, her face lighting up red—bright, tomato red. “I didn’t mean it,” she muttered, dying of embarrassment. She wanted to disappear, maybe melting into the snow.
Lorenzo got up, brushing off his wrinkled clothes slow and smooth—like he was too cool to care. His face was all grumpy, and without a word, he turned and headed for the house. Sebastian saw Stephanie and frowned. “Why’re you out here? You’re not even dressed for this cold.”
Stephanie pulled her coat tighter. “You weren’t coming in, so I came to see what’s up.” She started toward Ella, worried. “Ella, you good?” Ella’s face was blazing, red as a stoplight. She jumped up, dodging Stephanie. “I–I got to go. Bye!” she blurted, head down, booking it like she’d just robbed a bank.
Stephanie watched her go. “Uh… what?” Jennifer hustled after her, heart still pounding. The people around Stephanie were wild—especially that guy. His stare could freeze a pond solid. Macro grinned at Stephanie, all sly and poking fun. “Stefi, your friend’s got some nerve, huh?”
Stephanie scrunched her face. “What’re you talking about?” Macro cracked up, howling. “She almost yanked Lorenzo’s pants off in front of everyone—ha!” Stephanie’s eyes went huge. “What?” Ella hadn’t made it far enough to dodge that. Macro’s words tripped her up, and she stumbled, nearly face-planting into the snow again.
Lorenzo spun around, locking Macro with a glare so icy it could’ve cut through metal. That usual cocky, carefree vibe he rocked with Macro? Gone. Now he looked straight-up dangerous. Stephanie’s lip twitched. She glanced at Ella hightailing it away, then flicked her eyes to Sebastian.
“No way she’d do that,” she said, dead serious, brow all creased. Sebastian reached over, messing up her hair with a lazy grin. “You’re really buying Macro’s nonsense?” Stephanie shot Macro a dirty look. “Keep talking like that, and you’ll die alone, you get me?”
She groaned inside. She’d never met anyone who could run their mouth as shamelessly as this guy. Unreal. Macro shrugged, smirking. “Hey, I’m just saying what I saw. No BS here.” Ella’s little slip had almost turned Lorenzo’s belt into a front-row striptease, right?
Stephanie wasn’t having it. “She slipped, alright? Lorenzo was just close enough to grab.” Even without watching it happen, she could figure it out. It wasn’t some wild move—when you’re falling, you snatch whatever’s nearby. Pure reflex. Ella just happened to grab the most awkward thing possible.
Macro opened his mouth to push back, but Sebastian shut him down with a cold, sharp stare. “You’re clowning on Lorenzo now?” Back in Fiorenza, everyone knew the deal: Lorenzo could talk smack, but you didn’t dish it back. Anyone stupid enough to try was begging for a midnight beatdown—bag over the head, no chill.
Macro pouted, mumbling. “I didn’t even say that much.” Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’ve said more than enough.” When this guy got going, it was like he wanted you to sink through the floor. Macro gave her a weird look, then clammed up. Whatever, he thought, ‘should’ve been born mute. Less hassle.’
Inside, Stephanie’s slippers were wet with melted snow. Sebastian glanced down, then at the butler. “Why’s the porch still a mess?” The ground outside was a thin sheet of ice when they’d stepped out.