ROSALINE
Russo's hand was on my waist as we walked over to our table.
"Here, beautiful" he pulled out my chair and I sat down, whispering thanks to him.
I watch as Russo walked over to the other chair and settled in.
"The entire restaurant is booked. Typical of a billionaire" I joked and he chuckled.
"Privacy is key... For now" his last two words were an indication that Russo was really thinking about the issue of us going public with our relationship.
"I know, right?" I mumbled, reaching for my cutleries as a waitress walked over. She was quiet as she poured the wine into the glasses and took a step back before looking at me with a small smile.
"You look very beautiful, Miss." She complimented.
"Really? Thank you." I smiled in return and she walked away.
"Ah, what do I do? My woman is so beautiful everyone can't take their eyes off her"
"You know I got that exact compliment from a waiter last night when I was at the restaurant with... You know who" I preferred not to mention Rick's name this time.
"Yeah, I know" Russo replied and my brows arched.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"You were looking really beautiful but I couldn't come over to tell you that. I paid the waiter to do that for me."
I felt my heart skip beats and a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
"Russo" I called, unable to stop the smile.
"You are blushing right now, love."
"And now you are making me blush more by calling me that!" I dropped my cutleries and palmed my face.
I heard Russo chuckling and I let my hands down my face, a pout on my lips.
"You are adorable when you blush"
"I am going to blow your mind with a surprise and you'll be so surprised that you are going to blush too" I said to Russo, deciding at that very moment that I was going to prepare something sweet and surprising for Russo.
"You always blow my mind without intending to do so. I can only imagine what you are going to do to me now that you intend on blowing my mind"
"Oh, I am going to do a lot" I whispered and a small smile appeared on his face.
"I will be most accepting of whatever this surprise is going to be."
"You will be. You definitely will be" I picked up my cutleries and had a taste of the steak.
"Hmm. Delicious"
"Cara?" Russo called after a few bites of his own steak.
"Yes?" There was something about the way he called my name that told me he was about to talk of something quite important.
"You are a bit disturbed by something. You met with Rick today?" He asked and I pressed my lips into a thin line.
"Uhm... I actually did. He isn't being cooperative or understanding about my feelings but you don't have anything to worry about, really. Rick would not reveal this to the public, he... He would not do anything that might hurt me. I know that." I replied and Russo's sharp gaze rested on me for a few seconds before he looked away.
"You do trust him a lot."
"We have been friends for years." I shrugged my shoulders slightly.
"And...." I trailed off a bit, picking up my glass of wine.
"Have you decided on what to do about us? Do we... Do we remain a secret forever?" I asked.
"Your hand, Cara" Russo demanded and I stretched a hand over to him.
He took my hand in his and gave it a small squeeze.
"I am not going to spend the rest of my life hiding the woman I love. The first woman I have ever loved and most certainly the last I will ever love."
"But Cara, you'd have to be strong for me." Another small squeeze of my hand.
I nodded.
"I will be."
"Good girl. Now, it might get a little bit bumpy and chaotic in a week or two."
AUTHOR'S POV
Rick walked into Dark Caster's home with a stern look on his face. A part of him told him he was doing the wrong thing but the larger part of him told him that he was doing the right thing.
He had given Rosaline too many chances to change her mind and give him a chance but she hadn't learnt anything. This time, it was better for her to learn the hard way. Perhaps if she was taught a lesson through a hard way, she would change her mind and go the right path.
"Rick, you are here." Dark Caster was seated on one of the sofas in his living room with a grin on his face.
"I was quite glad when you told me you finally have something to tell me. Have your seat"
Rick sat opposite his uncle, the hard look on his face.
"You seem to be in a quite bad mood. What's it that you have to tell me?" He asked.
"I know who Massimo is in love with"
The grin on Dark Caster's face faded away instantly.
"In love? Massimo is really in love?"
"Yes and... He is in love with his niece, my best friend, Rosaline Massimo." Rick let the words roll out of his tongue.
For the next few seconds, there was total silence in the room and then Dark Caster burst into laughter.
"Did you have a fight with your best friend and then decided to take it out on her by doing this?"
Rick sighed and gritted his teeth.
"You think I will do this because of a fight?" Rick reached his hand into his pocket and drew out his phone.
"Massimo is actually a shameless one and he is really in love with Rosaline. They are together" Rick said, hatred in his voice as he played the video.
He got on his feet and handed it over to Dark Caster.
Dark Caster's eyes squinted in surprised as he watched the video of Massimo and Rosaline kissing. It was almost unbelievable.
"How... This is really Massimo"
"Of course, it's him." Rick affirmed.
"This is surprising. But you have done very well, Rick." Dark Caster's surprise turned into satisfaction as a grin appeared on his face.
"Send the video to me. This would come in handy" He stretched Rick's pho!d back to him.
"Sure. I will send it to you but I have a request"
"A request? What request?"
"No matter what you do, please don't hurt or kill Rosa"
Dark Caster chuckled.
"I will try not to kill her but about hurting her, she is definitely going to get slightly hurt."
"Please do not kill her" Rick begged, taking a step forward.
"Well, continue doing well. If you do well, I will certainly spare her life."