“It didn’t look like you were going with him willingly,” Garik argued. “You were upset, and Roza was nervous of him. Roza is never nervous of anyone.”

I grimaced. “I think she was more nervous about what Ryan’s mom would do to her if she got in the way. His family owns Iron Hand.”

The color leached from the rocker’s face just as Pietro released him. “That was Anya Volkov’s son?”

“Anya Vitucci, actually,” I corrected with a shrug.

“Did you say Vitucci?” Laura’s eyes were huge as she came over to us. I should have known that even though I was speaking a different language, his name would still catch the Italian rocker’s attention. She hadn’t told me what region she was from, but I could only assume she lived in a part of Italy where the Vitucci name was revered. It wasn’t just in Sicily where Ryan’s family garnered attention. Their power stretched wide across Europe. “I met Ryan Vitucci last night and didn’t even know it?”

I liked Laura, even considered her a friend after having gotten to know her over the past week. But the starstruck look in her eyes made me anything but friendly. My jealousy felt like a living, breathing entity that was suddenly rabidly seething inside me. The smile I gave her was forced as I stepped away from her and Garik. “I need to apologize to Emmie. Excuse me.”

With Pietro at my side, I rushed over to my boss. The moment her green eyes landed on me, they lit up with relief. “You’re here.” Her eyes drifted to Pietro and widened ever so slightly. “And with a friend?”

I laughed. “This is Pietro. A friend, yes, but also my shadow. He will be with me the rest of the day to give Ryan peace of mind.”

“Gotcha,” she said with a nod. “I rearranged the schedule. Park Min Gi went on first to give you time to get here for Rossi’s interview. Are you ready? It’s going to start in about ten minutes.”

“Absolutely.” I shifted closer to her and lowered my voice. “I really am sorry I didn’t let you know where I was. I know I let you down this morning.”

Emmie caught one of my hands in a gentle hold. “Boys have the power to make us lose our minds at times. I have a daughter and a daughter-in-law who is like a second daughter to me. I get it. I was just worried for your safety. Felicity assured me, as long as you were with Ryan, you were safe. Possibly more so than when you are at home with your family.”

“He’s kind of special,” I told her, a smile tilting my lips upward unconsciously as I thought of my best friend. But he wasn’t just my best friend now. He was so much more.

He was…everything.

“Special as in, he will be Felicity’s son-in-law one day?” Emmie asked with a knowing smile.

“Miss Nova will be Mrs. Ryan Vitucci as of November,” Pietro informed her proudly.