*ADELINE*
The shadows grew long in the corners of the room as the sun slipped beneath the skyline, casting a tapestry of muted golds and deep blues across my walls. It had been three days—three interminable days—since Vincenzo had left for that party with Jesse, the glamorous embodiment of his right-hand woman. And three days of silence from him stretched like an endless desert between us. You'd think I wouldn't care, but here I was, pouting on the couch like a petulant child.
"Looks like someone needs a nap," Marcus chuckled, his deep voice interrupting my gnawing thoughts. I glared at him, channeling all my frustration into a scowl that would rival Vincenzo's infamous icy stare.
"Shut up, Marcus," I snapped, though I could feel the corners of my mouth twitching against my will. It w
