Chapter 1

Chapter One

F aces. I never forget one. Ever. Which is why, when I look around the lecture hall in my strategic leadership course, I notice her right away. We're halfway through the semester. They don't take new students this late into the semester.

And this chick is new.

I definitely would have noticed her if she'd been here before today. Like I said, I never forget a face, especially one as beautiful as hers. Big round brown eyes, a small button nose, high cheek bones, and lips so full and pouty my dick hardens at the sight of them.

I push up from my seat and walk over to her while pulling my phone out of my pocket. I open the camera app and stop right in front of her. I wait for her to look up at me. It doesn't take long. I then snap a picture of her face, that gorgeous fucking face.

Her eyes widen. "What are you doing?"

My lips tilt up. "Admiring the art in the room." I wink and continue walking right out the door. I send the picture through to my cousin Dante. If you want to know something about someone, he's the guy to do it.

Me:

Find out who this is. I want to know everything.

Dante:

Stalking is a criminal offense.

Me:

Good thing my pops is the country's best defense attorney.

Dante:

Second best!

I laugh as I pocket my phone. Dante's mom, my Zia Livvy, is also a defense attorney. She and my father are partners at Valentino & Valentino. It's a constant debate in the family as to who is the better lawyer. I'll always choose my father, just like Dante will always pick his mom.

Two sets of eyes look up at me from the sofa when I walk into my apartment. Two sets of eyes that don't fucking live here. "What are you doing home?" Alessandro asks while his girlfriend, Cassidy, straightens her top.

"I live here. What the fuck are you two doing here?" I grunt, walking past my cousin and straight into the kitchen. I tug the fridge open, spy the beer, and pull one out.

"Waiting for you. We had plans. Remember?" Alessandro says.

"We did? For what?" I turn around and lean against the counter, popping the top off the bottle before bringing the rim to my lips.

"We're going bowling," Cassidy answers. "With my friend, Chantel.".

Chantel, the hot little blonde. "Yeah, sorry. I can't make it," I say. I remember agreeing to this a few days ago. Now, I'm not interested.

"Why not?" Alessandro asks.

"Busy." I shrug.

"Doing what?"

"Washing my hair." I smirk.

"Riiight." Alessandro drags out the word. "Your loss."

"Not really." I chuckle.

"Hey, Chantel is nice," Cassidy is quick to defend.

"I'm sure she is. I'm just not interested," I tell her.

"You've met someone," Alessandro states.

"I meet people every day."

"You've met a girl. Who is she?" Cassidy asks this time, her eyes lighting up with interest.

"I haven't met anyone," I tell them. My phone vibrates in my pocket and my little sister's name pops up on my screen. "I gotta take this." I walk down the hall. I shut myself in my bedroom and answer the call. "Aurora, what's up?"

"Can't a little sister call her big brother to say hello?" she asks me.

"They can, but you only call if you want something or you're in trouble. So which is it?"

"Fine, but you can't tell Mom and Dad." She sighs.

I flop onto my bed with a groan before taking a swig of my beer. Whatever she's about to tell me is going to fuck up the peaceful night I had planned. The one that involved me stalking the mysterious new girl who is suddenly piquing my interest.

"What'd you do, Aurora?" I ask, already regretting taking the call.

Ever since our older brother went and moved across to the other side of the world, it's been up to me to keep our little sister in check. Which would be fine if she were a normal teenage girl. But no, my parents had to go and produce demon spawn. I actually wouldn't be surprised if my sister was the actual spawn of Lucifer. But she is my sister, and despite her crazy ass, I love her more than life itself. Which is why I always answer her calls.

"First, it wasn't my fault. Second, he deserved it," she says.

At the mention of a he , I'm up on my feet again. Leaving the beer on the dresser as I walk out. "Who?" I growl.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Enzo. I dealt with it. But it's… ah… messy," she says.

"What'd you do, Aurora? And who did you do it to?" I jog out of my apartment, barely taking time to notice that Alessandro and Cassidy have left.

"Some kid from school. He grabbed my ass in the hallway, and I reacted the way any self-respecting girl should act," she says, doing her best to avoid answering my question.

"What did you do, Aurora?" I ask again.

"I sliced one of his fingers off," she tells me. "After I broke his wrist, so he probably didn't feel it as much as he should have."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at school, in the boys' locker room," she says.

"Where's this guy?"

"He's here, in one of the shower stalls, passed out."

"Stay put. I'll be right there." I cut the call, start the engine, and peel out of my driveway. Times like this, I really fucking wish my brother Lorenzo was still around. "Call Dante," I say loud enough for my car to recognize the command.

"Calling Dante Valentino," comes through the speakers before the sound of a ringtone.

"It's been like an hour, Enzo. I'm good, but not that good," Dante answers.

"Where are you?"

"Home, working on finding your mystery girl," he says.

"Meet me at your school," I tell him.

"Why?"

"I'm heading there now. Aurora…"

"Ah, man, really? There was no one else you could call? If it involves your crazy-ass sister, it's going to be messy and probably take all night to clean up," Dante groans.

"I'll be there in twenty." I hang up. Knowing that as much as my cousin might complain, he'll be there.

When I walk into the locker room, with Dante right beside me, I find my sister with blood splatters all over her clothes.

"Are you okay?" I already know it's not her blood.

"I'm fine. Him…" She gestures towards the showers. "Not so much."

"What he do?" Dante asks.

"Grabbed my ass," Aurora says.

"Stupid fucker." Dante shakes his head before making a beeline for the stalls.

"Go to my place. Shower and get yourself cleaned up. You can't go home looking like this. Mom will lose her shit," I tell my sister.

She nods. "Thank you," she says while wrapping her arms around me.

I tug her tighter to my chest. "I'll always be there for you. No matter what."

"I know," she whispers. "Te amo."

"Love you. Now, go get cleaned up. Tell Pops you're having dinner with me so he doesn't worry," I say.

"Okay." Aurora picks up her bag and walks out of the locker room.

"Dante, clean the footage," I call out, referring to the CCTV the school has everywhere. "I'll deal with him." I stop in front of the shower stall and stare down at the kid my sister decided needed to learn a lesson the hard way. He's passed out but still breathing.