Mariano (Made Men #1)

Eight

What fools we are underestimating our purpose by choosing to merely exist in hope that someday, somebody will give us a reason to live.
- Anonymous

Saying that Aiden was mad that a new man was driving me home everyday would be an understatement. When Mariano pulled in in front of my apartment building, Aiden was standing there talking to Landon. I got off the car, and both of them strangled me into a hug so that it looked like we were a threesome. Landon pulled away alot later after Aiden did and glared at me.

"Too many one night stands, babe?" He taunted.

Mariano stood there and watched.

I coughed awkwardly. "Guys this is my friend Mariano." I tried to make cheerful introductions. "Mariano, this is Aiden, my roommate, and that's Landon."

"The boyfriend." Landon grunted.

Oh?

Mariano looked vaguely amused. He sized the two of them down, then passed a roguish grin, and gave them the what's-up nod. Holy shit. Did Mariano fucking sophisticated Rivera pull the bad boy card on them?

Aiden approved of him, I saw it in the way he returned the nod. But Landon didn't like him a bit.

"How old are you?" He snarled. "Fifty?"

"Twenty four, thanks, Landon." I answered for him. Landon snorted, then glared at me. "You shouldn't be hanging out with old dudes, Izz."

I shrugged. "Kay."

I saw Mariano's eyes flare in - disappointment? Anger? I don't know.

"I'll leave now, Bella." He said, stressing on my nickname, making clear that Landon wasn't the only one who could give me one. I nodded and pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek. He smiled. "Bye."

After watching Mariano drive away, I burst out at Landon. "Why did you say you're my boyfriend?"

He shrugged. "He looked threatening."

"So?" I yelled.

"He didn't buy it, by the way." Aiden interrupted.

"I spent two nights with him. Why would he buy that?" I said.

Both the boys' eyes narrowed. "I thought you were at Candy's."

I bit my tounge. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck shit. Shit fuck.

"I was with Mariano." I said.

"Did you..?" Aiden gaped at me. I shook my head. "He knows I can't."

"What can't you?" Landon snapped.

We ignored him.

"So are you, going out?" He asked.

"I don't know what we're doing." I sighed.

Landon took my hand firmly and started walking upstairs. "I don't think I like him, Izz."

"Neither do I." I said. But he made me feel safe. In his arms, last night, I didn't have a nightmare. Why?

"I'm making bacon and eggs. Landon?" Aiden asked as we entered our apartment.

"Nah." Landon declined. "I'll just go out and take a smoke."

"Right in the morning?" I asked.

"My lungs don't know the time, Izz." He pinched the bridge of my nose, shaking his head, and walked away.

Aiden silently made his breakfast and I sat on the kitchen counter, watching.

"What does he do?" He asked softly.

"I don't know."

Aiden's eyes flew to me. "How is he as a person?"

"We're not going out, Aiden." I sighed.

"Well you did spend two nights with him without me having to come to get you. Surely, he must be different."

I fell silent, but spoke after a while.

"He was terrifying, when I first met him. But he's...nice, actually." I whispered. "He makes me feel safe. I don't know, Aiden. He brings out the old me."

He urged me to go on. "Around him, I'm the girl I used to be. Last night, when we slept together -"

"What?"

"Not sex. We shared a bed. In his arms I felt like, like finally finding home."

He frowned. "You should be a poet."

I grinned. "No, really. I've never met anyone like him. He comes off as rough and rugged and macho, and he is, but he's so nice sometimes."

"Do you like him?"

"I just met him." I laughed. "But, maybe I could."

He smiled at me. "Just choose wisely. I can't lose you again."

I hummed in response. "Its so weird you know, last night he made an innuendo, and I closed off. Then he made me come back. The next time he did that, I felt normal. My body likes his...proximity."

"You know what they say, soulmates."

I shook my head, laughing.

Mariano Wolfe Lionelli Montefiore Rivera, my soulmate? Ha.

Felicia managed to convince me to go clubbing. She dressed me up in a black thigh high dress and red heels. She even curled my hair. Too much. All I was gonna do was sit and drink anyway.

Felicia was determined to make me 'live' a little. Huh.

Landon scowled when he saw me walk up to his car with Felicia. He was still mad I guess.

"You look pretty." He told his sister.

She shrugged, then looked between the two of us. "You guys fighting?"

"No." I said.
"Yes." He said.

She rolled her eyes, taking shotgun, and I sat in the back, playing on my phone. "Do I really need to go, Fel?" I whined.

"Yes," She answered dryly, "I need some action."

"Well I'm not the one who's gonna give you action." I retorted.

She licked her lip, looking me up and down. "You could if you wanted to."

Eww. I shuddered. She's bisexual, in case I didn't mention.

"Shut up, Felicia. Izz has a boyfriend now." Landon cut in between.

"Oh?"

"We're friends, Lan." I sang.

"So I saw."

"What's his name?!?" Fel yelled. Ugh.

"Marijuana, wasn't it?" He questioned.

I resisted the urge to smack him across the face. "Mariano."

"Ooh," Fel wooted, "Is he some sexy Italian piece of ass?"

I nodded. "Pretty much."

"Good, when do I meet him?"

"When, if, we date. Which is gonna happen," I checked my nonexistent watch, "Never!"

Both of them stayed silent, like maybe they were in on some secret.

"You stay with me, kay, Izz?" Landon said calmly. "Don't go dancing with anyone even remotely weird, and don't drink too much."

"Yes, daddy." I rolled my eyes.

"Gross. Aren't you on tumblr?" Fel started making gagging noises.

I felt my cheeks redden. Oh god.

It was going to be a long, long night.

Hmm... Filler chapter.

Thoughts?

That's Landon up there.