Accidentally His: The Girl Who Trespassed

ine'

-

ng to get arre

aised. October sunlight hits the glossy black paint, the car glowing

haos. Businessmen rushing with heavy briefcases, a delivery cyclist almost c

goal. Borrow a little

a content creator overnight is flopping. Grad school doesn't pay for itself, and

, throw on the best outfit I own, and

twelve dollars at a Brooklyn thrift store. Jeans with a knee hole I didn't pay extra for. "It's vinta

ht, angle just so, and

worth more than my ent

ow. Messy waves because I skipped the blow dryer. Or more like I didn't pay

he internet w

gh. Every muscle in my back locks cause I know t

etti. Queen of the

indingly blonde hair whips through the wind like a walking shampoo commercial. Designer sunglasses perched pe

the car. 'Pleas

oice carries out

Chadeline. My eyes almost r

hing else, checking messages, reading a caption. Cer

asses down her nose, ey

he ones who spend more on coffee than I spend on groceri

ain, knows about my part-time jobs and the way I count coins at the Trader Joe'

arbie.' My mouth parts to say exa

t

d I sa

$40 sushi, rotating the same thrift finds while the rest swapped stories about their dads arranging internships over scotch. She pulled me from the Milano p

just once. Even if it's a m

Her tone

n't dig this hole.' But I w

think I can

nca says, leaning ba

ager to watch my public execution. They're

ra toward me. "Our darling Adeline bought a G-W

t the point of no return. Back out now and I'm a p

ndle, the metal warm from the sun. I've watched enough viral skits to know the play. Pr

handle clicks and the doo

so loud everythi

someone

tailored so perfectly it should be illegal. He looks like someone who has never o

e at ea

hame but Bianca and her entourage are practically standing in the convertible to see

before my brai

lid

m depressed starts. Expensive leather presses under my weight, solid resistance where I expected empty space. I lan

if I'm a ticking time bomb. A muscle moves in his jaw, his breath cat

moky embrace of oud wood, the kind that linger

Please," I whisper. "Wait for them to le

engine, phones lowering. Through the tinted glass

green. They drive

The air conditioner does nothing to

self against the door. "I'm so sorry. I swear

sed his face already faded, replaced by a calm

erneath it, refined down to something that only comes with old m

nation tu

ed, the door opened, I thought it was empty, I sat down, and I'm really sorry. If there's dry cleaning, deta

hes long enough that I start calculati

t me. His fingers rest flat against his knee while his gaze runs t

trespassed. Lied. And now

urn myself in to the police if you

. "Very

except a spark in his eyes. "You'll accompany me to sev

ry,

ners, fundraisers. You improvise well under pressure

ith you? Sir this isn't a Chin

eport the incident." He tilts his head. "I imagine the p

ut I got myself into this and I can't le

id a scene, let Bianca's story fall apart on its own. The same bullheaded pri

lift my chin. "

his hand. "

here, I can't remember wh

t, his grip firm. That's all.

ine C

avyweight stock, his name and one word undernea

ze moves over my thrifted sweater, my wrecked jeans, the bare slop

hat do you think I own? D

lattens it. "I'll handle the wa

ms." I clear my throat. "Do I get p

y handsome smile bre

N

tep out, the door closing behind me with a final click. The engine p

n my hand, his cologne st

een li

lect you at 6:30. Address on file. Dress will arrive Fr

Men like Albert Rossi don't do anything halfway, though

up again. Differen

si before he destroys you.

black car idles across the street, its window

e I blink,