2: Meeting Mr. Rude

A V E L I N A

I stared at him, a little confused. "Wha- what?" I stuttered out, not knowing what he was referring to.

"You're not deaf," His beautiful grey eyes narrowed to slits as he grabbed my arm. I felt my skin heat up at the touch, but the feeling was immediately replaced with pain as his grip tightened. He pulled me closer to him, making sure I heard him clearly. "Who the fuck are you?"

His breath fanned over my face, the minty smell almost making me choke. I looked away, trying to pry my arm from his hold, but he didn't budge. "Get your hands off of her, Enzo." Maggie's stern voice came from the back seat, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

He instantly let go, turning around to face her. I rubbed the spot on my hand, feeling the sting. I looked back at him and saw him looking down in shame. His eyes were no longer cold and harsh, now they seemed... softer.

"Who is she?" He asked her in a softer tone and she frowned at him, looking upset.

"Don't be a brat, Lorenzo." Maggie chastised. "Avelina has been my caregiver for the past six years. She's the girl I've always told you about, figlio. Apologize to her. Right now." Maggie ordered in a firm tone.

His eyes moved from his grandmother's to my face, they were cold and unremorseful. "Oh..." His gaze lingered on my face, causing me to look away from the intensity. "I apologize. I didn't mean to hurt you." He mumbled in a bored tone, his face void of any emotion.

I could only nod, not trusting my voice.

"It's fine," I managed to croak out, looking up at him through my lashes.

He looked back at Maggie, a smile appearing on his lips. "How are you, Nonna? You seem better." He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, and she smiled brightly.

"Better with you here." She pinched his cheeks, causing him to chuckle. "How's your mother? Is she well?"

"She's okay. Busy, as always. But okay." He replied, sitting back in his seat. "Shall we?" He asked, starting the car.

I could only stare in silence as they talked, trying not to get caught staring at him. My hands gripped my seatbelt tightly, the leather rubbing against my fingers. My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating rapidly.

Why the fuck am I nervous?

I looked back up, catching his eyes in the rearview mirror. He quickly looked away. My cheeks turned red at being caught, so I looked away too, trying to distract myself by looking out the window.

The rest of the car ride was filled with their soft chatter, and the sound of his music playing. The tension was suffocating, and the awkward silence made it hard to breathe.

He was intimidating, and he clearly hated me.

What's wrong with me? Why the fuck am I nervous? He's just a boy... a hot and attractive boy.

Okay, not a boy. A sexy hotshot mouthwatering Greek God in a man's body–

Avelina! I quickly chastised myself, my cheeks feeling very hot at my range of thoughts.

I immediately felt bad for thinking about him in that way. I have Benny, my boyfriend to of two years. Okay, he wasn't as hot as Enzo, but he was good for me. The sweetest man anyone could ever ask for.

He treated me right, he respected me and cared for me. He was a good man.

I couldn't help but sneak a few more glances at the dark-haired man, his jaw clenching when he noticed.

I looked away again, this time staring out the window. The city was still beautiful, the lights of the buildings and cars making the streets glow. We passed by the Brooklyn Bridge, the sun setting behind it. I had always loved the view, it was stunning.

I let out a sigh of relief as we got to the gate of the hospital. I wanted nothing more than to leave the car and out of his intimidating presence.

We finally parked in the garage, and he got out, walking around the car and opening the door for his grandmother. She stepped out, a bright smile on her face as she thanked him.

"Can you walk?" He asked softly, his hands hovering over her shoulders.

"Yes, yes. Of course, I can." She swatted his hands away, making him frown. "Don't be silly, child."

He walked towards the other side of the car, opening the door for me. I was startled by the sudden action, not expecting it. I could feel his gaze burning into my head as I looked down, avoiding eye contact.

"Thank you," I whispered, grabbing my purse and getting out.

"No problem." He replied, shutting the door after I got out.

We followed Maggie inside the building, and the moment I saw the familiar white walls, a feeling of nervousness washed over me. I wasn't looking forward to Maggie's checkups because it was always nerve-wracking. Her health was slowly deteriorating and it was scary.

Her doctor, Dr. Anderson, greeted us, the wrinkles on his face becoming more prominent when he smiled. "Come on in, Mrs. Salvatore." He waved her in, leading her into one of the rooms.

Enzo stayed back, waiting for his grandmother to finish. We both sat down on the seats in the waiting room, our chairs a few feet apart.

My body tensed the moment I saw him cover the few spaces between us and sat impossibly closer to me. Shock waves coursed through me as our knees brushed together, the small touch electrifying.

My heart was pounding against my chest and my hands were shaking, my nerves getting the best of me. He leaned down and his lips slightly brushed against my ear, the hair at the back of my neck pricked in awareness.

"What do you really want from my family?" His breath fanned over the skin of my neck and I shivered, goosebumps spreading over my skin.

It was only then I registered what he said and I pushed away from him. "Excuse you?"