Chapter 60 Sixty
Mira stared at the door.
Important to who? She still didn’t answer. Outside, Salvatore closed his eyes for a second.
Antonio was going to enjoy hearing about this.
“Mira…”His voice had become calmer. “The mayor is hosting a charity ball tomorrow evening.”
Silence.
“I have to attend.” He said, still nothing, “I need you to come with me.”
The words felt strange coming out of his mouth.
He wasn’t used to asking. He gave orders. People obeyed.
Mira finally spoke. “No.” Just one cold word.
It still made him exhale in relief. At least she was talking. “I expected that answer.”
“I don’t care,” Mira said coldly
“You haven’t even heard me out,” Salvatore said
“I heard enough this afternoon.” She shot back
That made him fall silent. After a few seconds, he spoke again. “It’ll only be a few hours.”
“No.” Mira shot back
“You won’t have to stay beside me,” Salvatore said softly. Trying not to lose his temper.
“No,” Mira said
“You can leave as soon as we’re done.”
“No.”
His jaw tightened. “Mira.”
“What?” Mira asked
“Stop saying no,” Salvatore said, his voice low,
“I’ll stop saying no when you stop asking.” Mira shot back
He couldn’t help it. The corner of his mouth lifted.
Even after everything…She still argued with him.
He had missed that in these few hours. Inside the room, Mira heard the silence outside and frowned.
Why wasn’t he saying anything?
Then…
“You sound better,” Salvatore said softly
Her brows pulled together. “What?”
“You’ve been crying all day.”
She froze. Wondering how he knew
“And now you’re arguing with me again.”
Mira stayed silent
“I prefer this.”
Something about those words irritated her even more. She stood up and marched to the door.
The lock clicked. The door opened just enough for her face to appear.
She looked exhausted. Her eyes were swollen.
Her hair was messy. She hadn’t bothered changing her clothes.
Salvatore’s chest tightened.
She looked like she hadn’t slept in days in just a few hours.
“What do you want?” she asked flatly.
For a second… He forgot why he’d come.
He simply looked at her. Making sure she was really standing there and really looking at him.Well?”
He cleared his throat. “The charity ball.”
“I already said no.”
“I know.”
“So why are you still here?”
He studied her for a moment. “Because I haven’t gotten an answer yet .”
She stared at him like he’d grown another head.
“You really don’t hear yourself, do you?”
“Clearly.”
“You’re such asshole.”She folded her arms. “You threatened me a few hours ago.”
“I know.” Salvatore said his eyes fixed on her
“You hold me captive against my will.”
“I did.”
“You said you’d kill everyone I care about if I left.”
His expression didn’t change. “I did.”
“And now…” she let out a disbelieving laugh. “…you’re standing outside my room asking if I’d like to go to a charity ball with you?”
“When you say it like that…” Salvatore says but Mira’s cuts him off.
“Because that’s exactly what happened!”
He looked genuinely thoughtful.
“I suppose the timing isn’t ideal.” He said smiling, smiling because he could hear her voice
Mira blinked. “Not ideal? Is this funny to you?”
“Apparently.”
She threw her hands into the air. “You are unbelievable.”
“I’ve been told that.”
“You seriously think I’m going anywhere with you?”
“Yes you are tomorrow .”
“Am not going anywhere with you!.”
“It starts at seven darling .”
“I said no.” Mira shot back” and don’t ever call me that.”!
“The dress will be here by noon.” Salvatore said ignoring all she was saying
Her eyes widened. “You already bought me a dress?”
“Yeah. I had one made.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “You’re such a control freak.”
Salvatore gave a small nod. “I’ve been called worse.”
Mira tightened her grip on the edge of the door. “I’d rather die than wear anything you bought or go anywhere with you.”
His expression didn’t change.
“Not on my watch, darling.” His eyes never left hers. “You’re not dying without me.”
A shiver ran through Mira before she could stop it. She hated herself for reacting to him.She swallowed hard and forced herself to hold his gaze. “I’m still not going.”
“You are.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She glared at him.
He looked back just as calmly. Neither of them moved.
Finally Mira laughed. Not because anything was funny. Because she couldn’t believe his audacity
“You’ve completely lost your mind.”
“I told you before.”
“What?”
“You make me lose my mind.”
Mira stood there speechless she didn’t have a word to say.. The hallway became quiet again.
Salvatore slipped one hand into his pocket.“You don’t have to forgive me.”
“I never planned to.”
“I know you’re still mad.”
“ Still mad “ Mira Scoff “ You don’t even deserve forgiveness.”
“I know.” Salvatore said softly
She hated how calmly he accepted every harsh word.
It made it impossible to know what he was thinking.
“I still need you there tomorrow.”
She looked at him for several long seconds.
Then shook her head “You really don’t understand.”
“What?” Salvatore asks
“I don’t even want to look at you right now.”
Those words landed harder than she expected.
His expression barely changed. But something flickered in his eyes. Gone almost as quickly as it appeared.
“I know,” he said quietly.
That answer caught her off guard. “You know?”
“I know.”
“Then stop forcing yourself into my space.”
Another silence.
Finally…
“I’ll leave you alone tonight.” Salvatore said
She frowned suspiciously.
“But tomorrow evening…”
He met her eyes. “…I’ll come back.”
Mira’s grip tightened on the door. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“No.” Salvatore answered “ I don’t know how to.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
She shook her head slowly. “I mean it.”
“I know darling and I don’t mind it.”
For a second she simply stared at him to see if was mocking her. He wasn’t smiling. He was just… looking at her.
Like he was trying to memorize her face. It unsettled her. Without another word she slammed the door in his face.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
Salvatore stood there staring at the closed door.
A few seconds later… A pillow hit the other side of the door with a loud thud.
Then another. Something made of glass shattered.
He blinked once.
Then… A small smile appeared.
From somewhere farther down the hallway, Antonio’s voice echoed. “Was that Mira?”
Salvatore didn’t even turn around. “Yes.” Says loudly
“Good.”
Salvatore frowned. “Good?”
Antonio laughed. “She’s angry.”
“So?”
“So what you deserve it.”
Salvatore looked back at Mira’s door.
The smile on his face became almost impossible to notice. “…Yeah. At least she’s talking to me.”
And the thought.. made him feel a little better.