INSATIABLE CRAVINGS
Insatiable Cravings – Episode 34
Subtitle; {Loving You Is A Loosing Game}
TAGS: Age-gap, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Drama, Tragedy and Betrayal.
Settings: United Kingdom, Russia and others.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
~ Genevieve ~
Who would have thought that a week could pass so quickly?
Not me.
One moment, Dominic and I were still in the Maldives, enjoying our last day on the beach, and the next, we were back home. Those final days in Malé were devastatingly wonderful; I wouldn’t mind reliving them a million times.
However, time travel is a fantasy; I had to return to my normal routine, and so did he—I had school, and he had work he’d put on hold for me. I couldn’t ask for more.
At least, not now.
“How was it?” That was the very first question that tumbled out of my best friend Julia’s mouth when she entered my room. No greeting, no “how are you?” Nothing. “Judging by your glow, you had a splendid time.”
That wasn’t an exaggeration at all. I always knew that happiness from a fulfilled challenge gave me that radiant glow that never goes unnoticed.
“I did have fun.” I felt it necessary to tell her for the sake of all the years we’d spent as best mates. “I also had Dominic.”
“When you say you had Dominic, what do you mean?”
Julianna Nelsons is my age, so it’s almost unbelievable that she could be so innocent, even after all these years of friendship, but somehow, she managed to keep her naivety intact. I blame her parents for that and will continue to do so until my last breath—if that’s any time soon.
I gathered my hair into a ponytail, pulling it out of my face, and gave her a ‘really?’ look, which she mirrored back with a blank expression. I heaved a resigned sigh. “I had Dominic.”
Perhaps repeating it would help her connect the dots. For someone so clever, it took her a full three minutes to finally grasp the meaning, and when she did, her mouth fell open in shock.
I waited for her to find her words with a patience I usually lacked. Jules was certainly taking her time processing the news, or perhaps she was just too stunned.
“You had s+x with Dominic Morozov?!” Her exclamation made me flinch slightly because I hadn’t expected her to raise her voice.
“Yes.”
“What?!”
“I’m quite sure I didn’t stutter, Julianna.”
“How are you so calm about this? Genevieve, you had s+x with a man ten years older than you. I mean, he’s Dominic Morozov; how did you even manage it? He’s so tall and intimidating, how are you not terrified?”
I nearly laughed out loud because her knowledge of him was so limited, it amounted to practically nothing. Her eyes would practically pop out if she discovered his darker side.
“Terrified?” I scoffed. “Dominic wouldn’t húrt me.”
The words felt natural as they left my mouth. I felt like I could trust Dominic with my life without worrying or looking over my shoulder for enémies because I knew he had my back now.
“How can you be so certain? I have a bàd feeling about this, Vie.”
What bàd thing could possibly happen?
And if something did, how bàd would it be?
It’s not as if I’m going to fall hopelessly in love with him and eventually have my heart shattered. I may be a sucker for romance novels, but I’m clever enough to understand that love of that intensity doesn’t exist in the real world.
“I don’t. I’m not a child, Jules; I know what I’m doing.”
“I certainly hope so,” Julianna replied. “He frightens me, to be honest.”
“Too bàd; he’s quite nice once you get to know him.”
“I don’t want to get to know him.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“Ah, I suspected as much.” She nodded slightly. “Are you excited for school on Monday?”
My expression instantly twisted into a grimace as those words pierced my ears. “Eww, no. Who’s ever excited for school? I know I’m not part of whatever messed-up equation that exists.”
“I am excited for school.”
“Well, good for you, genius.” I may or may not have let that slip out as a bit of sass. Jules shot me her own ‘really?’ look, and I shrugged nonchalantly. “By the way, how are things going with you and Alessio?”
“Your interest in him makes me think you might have ulterior motives,” she replied.
I feigned húrt. “Why on earth would you say something like that? I care about Alessio.”
“Do you really?”
Even without her pinning me with that piercing, disapproving gaze, I wouldn’t have been able to hold it in. A smile crept onto my face, mischief glinting in my eyes. “No. No, not really.”
“I thought as much. Christian apparently has a bit of an issue with him too.”
“No, no, no, no, I don’t have a problem with Alessio; I just don’t care enough to bother about him. How did Christian take the news, though?”
“Surprisingly badly. He absolutely detésts Alessio, especially now that we’re dating. I do wonder why he’s so miffed about it.”
Fortunately, I had a good grip on my self-control, unlike someone I could mention; otherwise, I would have blurted out the truth far earlier than intended. The pressure needs to build up for the fun to be truly worthwhile.
“Have you tried asking him about it?”
“What do you think?” Julianna replied calmly. “Of course, I asked him, but all he did was grumble things I couldn’t quite make out. What do you reckon is the matter with him?”
“I honestly don’t know what to tell you.” Luckily, my voice was expressionless enough to mask the internal amusement I was feeling. “And Sloane—how do you think she’s coping with the fact that her boyfriend is so bothered by you dating Alessio?”
“Not very well. I reckon they’ll break up, because she keeps telling me Christian has been off or rather absent-minded whenever they’re together; she says she feels like she’s a nuisance with her mere presence and feels trapped in the relationship instead of liberated. All of this is making me feel like I’ll be the cause of their breakup.”
Right, I can’t let that happen.
I sat up to catch her wandering gaze. Her face was sad, and I didn’t like that at all. “Listen here, Julianna. If they do break up, it won’t be your fault; it’ll be theirs, especially Christian’s. So, I don’t want to see you blaming yourself for something you have nothing to do with, alright?”
And because she is such a kind and considerate soul, she tried to counter my words, “But…”
Fortunately, I stopped her before any further protest left her lips. “No buts, Jules. You have absolutely nothing to do with whatever’s going on between them, alright? Just say you understand me. I want to hear it.”
“Fine. I understand you.”
“Good. I really don’t like Alessio, but if you’re happy with him, then go ahead and date him.”
Julianna’s lips turned up in a small but wavering smile. However, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. It was almost as if she was hiding something—something rather significant, in fact.
“Do you have something to tell me?”
“W-what?” My brows furrowed at her unexpected stutter, and she noticed. “No. I don’t have anything to tell you, Vie.”
Naturally, I didn’t believe her. No matter how convincing her tone might have been, I simply didn’t buy it. Something had happened between her and Alessio, and it was substantial enough for her to keep it a secret.
I knew it wasn’t anything sexual, because I knew my best friend like the back of my hand. If it were anything of that nature—which it clearly wasn’t—she’d be a blushing mess.
“You sure?” I pressed.
She blinked and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Alright then.”
Now, I had a new challenge. A rather intriguing one, if I may add. My best friend, Julianna Ember Nelsons, was hiding something significant from me, and as a very good and rather attractive best friend, what could be more enticing than uncovering what it was?
“I can’t wait to go to school on Monday.” The words that escaped my mouth sounded so foreign that they made Jules raise her brows. “What? You love school, so why can’t I?”
TBC
