Want a sneak peek of the next Love in Color novel? Green is a standalone: Coop and Anna’s story.
Green (Love in Color #3) by S.M. West
Copyright © 2017 by S.M. West
*Subject to Change*
Anna
I will die alone. Like my mother. Banished with my first breath, I’ve lived most of my twenty-four years in confinement. Death by loneliness, or worse, is inevitable. Even so, it hurts. An ache, deep and wide, within me. My last breath will not matter. My death will come and go like my birth without acknowledgment.
My poor mother suffered a similar fate. In her last minutes of life, there wasn’t a soul to help her. No one to whisper words of love, tell her they would miss her, or that they hope to see her again in another life.
An isolated and tragic death from which came my life. Yes, tragic, indeed.
“Hey, Anna, wait up.” Nancy Carmichael, covered in ink and piercings, strolls toward me.
“Hi, Nancy. You’re looking for notes from last class?” This has become our thing. The leather strap of my tote slides down my shoulder, and I fish the loose papers out. “Here you go.”
She laughs, amused at my handwritten notes, scrawled neatly on the lined paper. I wasn’t allowed to use the computer growing up. You know, access to the Internet and all the evil ideas I might get. My notetaking is old school with paper and pen, despite the laptop in my bag, or my age.
“Thanks. I owe you.”
We’re not friends. I wouldn’t even say acquaintances. Just two women in the same class. Loners. Except where her appearance screams ‘look at me,’ mine makes me invisible, as forgettable as the beige school walls.
She surprised me when she asked months ago to borrow my notes. I foolishly thought that was the beginning of a friendship. Nope. She asks enough questions to appear friendly, but her only interest is my notes.
I don’t have friends. Never have, save for Julian and even at that, he isn’t really my friend. Circumstances forced us to talk to each other.
“I’m not sure if I’ll ever collect.” I don’t miss class. Part-time at NYU is the most exciting thing in my life. Sad but true.
“Well, know that you can ask anytime, and if I’ve got the notes, they’re yours.” She crumples the crisp sheets of paper and stuffs them into her backpack. “See ya around, Anna.”
“Bye, Nancy.”
Turning toward the exit, I wrap the silver-grey Alpaca scarf, a Christmas gift from Ma, around my neck. Siobhan Wolfe isn’t my mother, but everyone calls her Ma because she’s the motherly type.
I push the doors open, and the cold February air is a harsh slap in the face. With my head down, I tighten the scarf and secure my gloves in preparation for the walk to Evan’s, my brother.
More times than not, I have company on these walks. Evan usually has one of his men follow me, making sure I get home safely. Lucky for me, I’m on my own today.
“Anna!” A deep male voice calls.
In that moment, I regret not having a shadow. I’m not good with strangers. My stomach churns like grasshoppers have gone wild within me. Reluctantly, I peer over my shoulder in the direction of the voice.
Julian Cavallo swings the door of his Ferrari Spider shut. Rossa Corsa; roughly meaning red race. The car is an unforgettable shade of red, that’s for sure. And he’s hard to miss, too, and headed my way.
Several people stop to gawk at the spectacular car, while others, all women, do the same with the tall, lean man in his charcoal Canali suit. Sleek. Attractive.
“Ciao, Anna.” He steps onto the curb beside me.
“Julian.”
He leans in, kissing both my cheeks, not once or twice, but three times. His warm lips mark my frosty skin, and his gloved hands grip my wrists, gently squeezing as he pulls away.
“Wow, you’re more beautiful than the last time I saw you. Why did I stay away so long?” His leather-clad fingers brush my cheek, and heat rises in the path of his touch. I’m not used to compliments and have no clue what to do with them.
“What are you doing here?”
“That’s how you greet me?” He chuckles, pulling me into his side. He’s several inches taller than me. My head just reaches his shoulder. “Come let’s get in the car.”
“Julian.” I push on his chest, and he stops, looking down at me. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you. It’s been too long. Let me drive you home.” This time he’s more conciliatory.
I nod despite the unease curling around my insides. We last saw each other at Zia’s funeral more than six months ago. Since then, he’s texted a few times to say hi, but that’s it. No calls and certainly no visits. Not that I expect any.
We’ve known each other since we were kids, and at times, I wished we were friends but knew better. He only talked to me because he felt sorry for me. I was the girl locked away from the world.
He is the eldest son of Bruno Cavallo, the Don of the largest mafia family in New York. And if the rumors are true, Julian’s next in line to be the boss, and definitely carries himself like a man coming into power. He doesn’t have time for someone like me. So why is he here?
He opens the car door for me, and in a few quick strides, he’s in the driver’s seat, cranking the heat.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing. I’m just surprised to see you.”
His fingers rake through his short, brown curly hair, and he smiles at me. “I’ve missed you. With your Zia gone, you don’t come around anymore. I wanted to see how you were.”
His answer doesn’t alarm me so much as his almost intimate tone. He’s different than the other times we’ve been in each other’s company. There’s nothing between us, and he knows why I haven’t been around. My situation is well-known within La Cosa Nostra. I’m my grandfather’s dirty little secret.
“I’m fine, thanks for asking.” I smooth the front of long wool my coat for something to do with my hands while his eyes take in my every move. “Julian, I need to get home.”
“Oh, yeah.” He turns and puts the car into drive. With one hand on the wheel, he slips out of the parking spot. “So, how’s school?”
“It’s school.” I shrug.
I have a hundred questions for him like why are you really here? Are you doing my grandfather’s bidding? But I dare not ask. I’m not ready for the answers.
“Yeah, true. We should get together some time.”
My neck snaps in his direction. His eyes are on the road, his profile giving nothing away.
“What? You mean like coffee or something?” My voice is shaky, and I can’t decide if it’s excitement or panic.
I’ve never feared Julian. In fact, he’s made me feel safe, or as safe as possible with one of the most powerful men in the city wishing I’d never been born. But right now, safe is the last thing I feel. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m missing something that’s staring me right in the face.
“Yeah, like coffee or something.” He glances at me, smiling again.
The car turns onto a side street, and he slows in front of Evan’s brownstone. My stomach drops. How the hell does he know where I live? It isn’t a stretch for him to find out. He certainly has the means to. But why?
I unbuckle my seatbelt before the car comes to a full stop, and open the door. My foot hits the asphalt, and as I push up to leave, Julian’s large hand encircles my wrist.
“Hey, Anna.” His tone is deep and smooth.
“Yes.” I glance back at him, our brown eyes colliding.
“It was great to see you, let’s do this again sometime. Real soon.”
“Sure, text me.” My response is calm and even, nothing like the storm brewing within me. “Bye, thanks for the ride.”
Slamming the door on his goodbye, I twirl on my heel and sprint up the steps into the safety of my home. It may all be in my head, but I can’t shake the feeling that Julian Cavallo will be a problem.
Releasing Winter 2018 - Add to your