To say that Mia was avoiding me was an understatement.
However, I was satisfied. I got what I wanted: she was still here.
The idea of never seeing her again had made me lose sleep.
Now I had a month to change her mind and find out whom she was running from.
I was sure I would get all the answers I wanted.
And from the way she reacted to my presence, I sensed that I was not indifferent to her and that she too felt there was something turbid and throbbing left unresolved between us.
A longing that sought satisfaction.
I was in my usual place, drinking my Manhattan, when I saw Sebastian approaching nervously.
"Lorenzo, Mia's friend is out here. She is agitated and asking to come in. She e says it is a matter of life or death. She just wants to talk to Mia for a minute. Can I let her in? "
"Yes, take her to the last privé."
"The one closed for soundproofing work?"
"Exact. I want to hear what they say, "I decided.
In a moment, Sebastian brought Chelsea in and made her sit in the private room.
I pretended not to see her, but the red bruise near her mouth did not escape me. She had been beaten.
I waited for Sebastian to call Mia too and then sneaked over to the privé.
"Maya! What the hell are you doing here? "Mia began.
Maya ... Here is Chelsea's real name.
"I've been looking for you for days! Your family is going crazy about your escape. Nobody knew where you were. My father was convinced that I was involved in your disappearance. "
"Is he the one who beat you?"
"Yup. He is furious, but your father ... "
"Does he know where I am?"
"No, nobody knows! But I figured it out when my mother told me that you had been brought to the Pub Hero and then you had not come out anymore. They questioned Seth and he said you asked to be taken to the bus station. You lied, didn't you? "
"Yes, I paid for him and asked him not to say where I was."
"I too was desperate, but when I realized you had Seth in the middle, I thought about the only time you met him, and I concluded you were here. After all, before your disappearance, you often told me about the Bridge. I would have come earlier but I am always followed closely. Now I asked to be taken to the university with the excuse of a conference and I ran away from a side entrance. I came here as soon as I could, but I have to go back immediately. "
"You should not have. It's dangerous."
'I know, but I couldn't leave you here alone. Besides, I was terrified that Lorenzo Orlando could hurt you. "
"Lorenzo would never hurt me," Mia defended me to my relief.
"Please, don't you dare defend him in front of me."
"I don't know why you're so mad at him. He never did anything to me, and he always helped and protected me. "
"Shall I remind you of the gun he pulled out the last time we were here together?"
"Lorenzo is a suspicious guy, but he's not dangerous."
"Fuck, you're continuing to defend him! By any chance, did you fall in love with him? "
"No, I did not!"
"Do not lie to me! I've been your friend since you were six and I know you better than anyone else! "
"Ok, maybe I like Lorenzo," Mia surrendered making me crazy with joy.
"You must forget it! Now come away with me and swear to me that you will never return to this place! "
"No, I don't want to."
"I'm not asking you. I'm ordering you! "Maya shouted furiously making me want to break something and enter the room to stop her.
"Lorenzo will provide me with new ID documents. Maya, I want a new life. I want to be happy."
"Are you crazy?"
"Please try to understand me."
"You know better than me that a new identity card won't be enough to keep your father and ... your boyfriend away."
Boyfriend?!
Suddenly I felt overwhelmed by jealousy.
"You knew that, didn't you?"
"Everybody knows."
"I hate him ... I'll never be with him."
"I know and I promise that I will help you out of this difficult situation, but now come away with me," Maya pleaded.
"No, I'm staying ... I want to be here."
"Because?"
"For him."
"Lorenzo Orlando?"
"Yup. He makes me feel alive. "
"OMG! Don't tell me you went to bed with him. "
"No, but ..."
"You are out of your mind! It should repel you just to be touched by someone like him! "
"Don't talk about Lorenzo like this! Please don't tell anyone I'm here and that ... "
"What are you doing with an Orlando?"
"We just kissed."
"Shit! Do you want to die by any chance? "
"I want to be with him ... Lorenzo makes me feel good. He is the first person to show kindness and respect for me despite everything. He is a wonderful person and I ... "
"I don't want to hear anything else! I'll give you three days to decide to go home. In three days, I will come back, and you will have to leave with me, got it? "
"Okay," murmured Mia.
"Meanwhile, I would ask you to stay away from Lorenzo Orlando. There will be trouble if you approach him or kiss him again. "
"All right," Mia blew weakly.
"You know I love you and say it for your own good, don't you?"
"Yup."
"Perfect. Then I will see you in a few days. I now have to run to the university before I my father suspects anything. If they go in and find out that there is no conference, I am dead. "
"Be careful, okay?"
"Yup."
Without listening to anything else, I picked up the phone and advised Sebastian to follow Maya.
Then I waited a few minutes and went to the privé.
I knocked and waited to be invited.
"Come in."
I went in and found Mia looking worried, but as soon as she saw me, she smiled.
"Is everything ok? They just warned me that your friend has come looking for you. "
"Yes, she just dropped by to say hello," she lied shamelessly.
"Sebastian made me realize it was a matter of life or death."
"Chelsea likes to overdo it," she tried to make light of the matter by going to the door. "Now, I should go back to work."
Chelsea ...
Now I knew her name was Maya, but I still hadn't been able to find out Mia's real name.
"I want to know why she came here," I stopped her, grabbing her by the arm.
"It was just a courtesy visit. I told you."
"I'm starting to get tired of your lies and I'm losing patience," I hissed furiously.
"She wants me to go home," she confessed.
"Why? Is someone looking for you? "
"Yup."
"Who?"
"Nobody important."
"Mia ..." I growled softly trying to contain my anger. Something told me there was a man in love with her to whom she had sworn eternal love before disappearing.
"I'm not lying to you!"
"Are you sure you don't have a man at home waiting for you?" I asked, intensifying my grip with the intent to scare her. I would never have forgiven her if I found out she was making fun of me.
"Of course!"
"Mia, if I find out you're making fun of me, I ..."
"Lorenzo, one day I will tell you the truth, but not now. For now, I can only tell you that Chelsea wants to take me home because she doesn't like you and doesn't trust you. "
Those words calmed me. I clearly perceived her desire to be honest without revealing too much.
"And you? Do you trust me?"
"As much as you trust me. However, you are the only person who brighten up my days, "he said with a smile. I wanted to be happy with that statement, but the sad and melancholic expression I read in her gaze made me remain dumbfounded, and when she freed himself from my grasp, I did nothing to stop it.
Left alone in the private room, I sent a message to Jacob: "Mia's friend will be back in three days. Don't let her in. L".