Nothing to Lose (BWWM)

Eight

Giovanni chuckled and waved her off in modesty. "It's nothing. The drinks are over there and everything else you need to enjoy yourself is here." He kissed her cheeks. "I should go back to entertaining the family." Imani grinned, watching as he pulled another person into a hug. 

She decided to go try and find the one person that she knew. Although being in his company was nowhere near the top of her list of things to do, she didn't know anybody else that was at the event.

After looking around for him and coming up with nothing, she decided to go to the bathroom. She followed the kind insructions of a lady that slightly resembled Vincent and went upstairs.

She knocked on the locked door. "Occupied." The person grumbled and she recognised the voice almost instantly.

"Vincent?"

There was a silence and then the door was pulled open. She was yanked in and the door shut again. He leaned against the sink as she watched him in confusion. "What are you doing here?" 

He didn't reply as he looked her up and down, suddenly making her feel uncomfortable. It reminded her of the first time she had met him and he had kept his eyes on her, making her want to leave the same way she had come in. "You look nice." He said, his arms folded and dark eyes finally met her own brown orbs. 

"Thanks." She replied quietly, taking in his own choice of wardrobe. He was wearing his favourite colour and she had to admit, he wore it well. "Why are you hiding out in the bathroom?"

"I'm not."

She raised her eyebrows. "You're not? So what do you call what you're doing right now?" 

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I call it standing here having to answer your invasive, nonsensical questions." 

Imani folded her own arms, placing all her weight on one leg. "I call it hiding out. Why are you hiding?"

"Like I've just stated-." he began but she cut him off.

"Stay in denial, I'm not too fussed but I came here to use the bathroom so..." she trailed off. He got the message and walked out of the room.

When she had finished her business, she left the room and knowing that he would probably want to return, she hooked her arm around his and led him away. "Imani.." He warned.

"Vincent, some of your family is downstairs. So suck it up and put a smile on your face." She commanded.

He slowly turned his head towards her. "Those orders." He threatened. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Vincent was pulled into a bone crushing hug by a tall elder woman with the same dark eyes as Vincent. 

"Tesorino!" She kissed both cheeks and pulled back, still holding onto him tightly. 

Vincent softly smiled at the woman and Imani was floored. That was the first genuine smile she had ever seen on his face. She found herself enthralled, staring at the slight crease in his cheek when he smiled and the way his eyes softened. She kept staring, thinking that this was a rare sighting. He was handsome normally but when he smiled, the man was jaw droppingly gorgeous. "Nonna." He replied as the woman's smile widened after taking in Imani staring at Vincent.

The woman spoke some Italian to Vincent, moving onto Imani and embracing her. "No, this is my assistant, Imani Forde."

"Bellissimo. It's very nice to meet you." She said.

"It's nice to meet you too..." 

"Marcella, tesoro." 

Giovanni appeared, taking Marcella's hand. "Mother, I see you finally found Vincent."