Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(50)

“Moving truck? Are you moving?” Livvy questions me.

“Nope.” Standing, I pull my jeans back on, attempting to discreetly hide my boner as I go.

“You know you don’t need to hide it. I’ve seen it.” She laughs.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” I tell her.

“You’re not.”

“Be right back.” I kiss her forehead and walk out to see the moving guys carrying in boxes. “You can leave it all out here,” I tell them, pointing to the living room.

“Ah, what? Why can’t they just take it all to your room?” Luca interjects.

“Because Livvy is in there, and I’m not having random men walk in on her when she’s in bed, idiot.”

He nods in understanding. “Right. How is she?”

“She’s… better,” I tell him. She’s a little better, but she has a very long way to go.

My phone rings from the bedroom and Livvy calls out, “Romeo, it’s for you.”

I walk back into the room to find her holding my phone, her hand shaking as she stares at the screen. “What’s wrong?” I ask, snatching the device from her fingers.

I see a missed call and a message notification, which can be read on the home screen.

Samantha June:



Had a great time last week. Let’s do it again soon. xx





“Livvy, this isn’t what you think. I don’t fucking know who this chick is,” I tell her.

“I do,” she says.

“What?”

“I know who she is. She’s the cheerleader we saw in the cafeteria. The one who seems to think you and her have something going on.”

“How do you know it’s the same girl?”

“Sandra told me her name was Samantha June.” Livvy shrugs.

“Look, she’s obviously nuts. I haven’t touched the girl. Ever. I promise you that.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I trust you, Romeo. If you say there’s nothing going on, then I believe you.”

“How the fuck did I get so lucky to have you?” I’m not going to lie. I was about to drop to my knees and beg her to believe me. I had every expectation of her getting up and walking out. It would be understandable. It’s what most girls would do after reading a message like that. Livvy isn’t most girls, though, and that’s never been more evident.

“You studied for classes you weren’t even taking.” She laughs.

“Worth every hour,” I tell her. “Come on, I have to show you something.” Holding her hand, I lead her out to the living room, which is now piled up with boxes of what little belongings she had in her dorm.

“What is this?” she asks.

“It’s all your stuff. You’re moving in.” I smile, hoping I’m not coming off as crazy as I sound in my own head.

“Wait. You didn’t discuss this with her first?” Luca chimes in. “Fuck, Livvy, say the word and I’ll have his ass committed to the psych ward. Actually, just blink three times and twitch your nose twice if you need an escape,” he adds.

“I… wait, do they have rooms for two in that ward? That could be a fun vacation,” she asks, her neck craned in thought.

“Yeah, you two can sort yourselves out. I think you’re both equally nuts.” Luca leaves the room, shaking his head. And Livvy stares at the boxes silently. For way too long.

“Say something,” I beg her.

“You probably should have asked me if I wanted to move in with you, Romeo.”

“I didn’t know if you’d say yes.”

“Well, yeah, that’s how questions work.”

“I just… I really want to start us. Our lives. I want this to be your place just as much as it’s mine. I want this to be our place.”

“What about Luca?” she asks.

“What about him?”

“What does he think about me living here?”

“He loves the idea,” I tell her.

“This is a lot, and fast, Romeo. What happens if, in two weeks’ time, you change your mind?”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I know that I’ve never had a reason to be a better person. I’ve never had such a strong reason to wake up every morning and fight for what’s mine. Fight for us. I know that I’ve never loved anyone, anything, like I do you, Livvy.”

“I don’t know what to say. What if I don’t want to live with you yet?”

Well, fuck, the words too fucking bad are on the tip of my tongue. But I can’t say that to her. As much as I want to force the subject of her living with me, I get that right now having a choice is imperative to her. “Then I’ll buy you an apartment in this building and you can live there,” I offer, instead of the whole I’ll just chain you to my bed image I have in my head.

Livvy’s mouth gapes open. “That’s… insane and not happening.” She laughs.

“I’m not trying to take away your choice. I should have spoken to you about this first. I didn’t think past my need to have you close to me. I’m sorry, and I totally understand if you’re not ready for this. I won’t like it, but I will do whatever you want to do, babe.”