Rick's POV

I stared at Avery, completely blindsided. She just called me an asshole—in Italian, no less. First of all, how the hell does she even know Italian? And second, she had the nerve to throw that word about me in front of everyone. I felt a mixture of shock and intrigue simmering in my chest, and before I could find the words to respond, Bryce chimed in, his voice laced with surprise.

"I didn't know you could speak Italian, Avery!"

I shot Bryce a sharp look, my patience wearing thin.

"Does that even matter right now?" I snapped. "She just called me an asshole!"

Bryce shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, it doesn't really matter. We all know you're an asshole."

I leaned back in my chair, tilting my head slightly.

"Vai a farti fottere, Bryce."(Go fuck yourself, Bryce.)

I muttered in a low, menacing tone, not caring if Avery understood that or not. I wasn't holding back any punches here.

Fred and George burst into laughter, clearly enjoying Bryce's stunned expression. He looked like he'd just been slapped, his mouth hanging open in disbelief before he narrowed his eyes at me and stuck his tongue out like a child who'd just lost a game.

Thomas, who had been silently observing our antics, finally spoke up, his voice carrying a note of exasperation.

"Seriously, do you guys call yourselves grown men? Act like one."

Before I could respond with a snide remark, Avery suddenly started clapping her hands, her laughter filling the room. It was an infectious sound, light and genuine, making it impossible not to crack a smile. The boys turned their glares away from Thomas, focusing on Avery instead, as if they couldn't believe she was laughing at us.

Bryce rolled his eyes, a playful smirk on his lips.

"I'm just gonna forget your little remark for now, Rick. At least it made Avery laugh after..."

His voice trailed off, and he abruptly stopped talking when Fred elbowed him in the stomach, causing Bryce to let out a pained grunt.

Avery's laughter died down, and she looked at the boys with newfound clarity, her expression shifting into one of realization.

"Huh, now I know why you guys were so sweet with me earlier. Is this because of what happened today? You all happened to know about it?"

Her eyes darted toward me, a glare burning in them.

I just shrugged, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"I didn't plan it."

I mouthed silently, hoping to diffuse whatever assumptions she was making about me. Avery scoffed, rolling her eyes.

There it was again, that damn eye roll. It was like she was daring me, silently telling me she didn't care what I thought, and it drove me crazy every single time.

"Exactly. I know you didn't plan it. Like, come on, you don't even know what being sweet is."

She turned her attention back to the boys, who were now grinning sheepishly at her, clearly caught in their act of kindness. For a moment, I found myself captivated by her reaction. But then again, nothing about this evening had gone as I'd expected.

Fred shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Look, Avery," he began, his voice softer than usual, "the three of us felt really bad for you. We realized how tough it must be to find out your whole life is a lie. And to know that Maria lied to you... I can't imagine how hard that must be to accept."

He glanced at the others, who nodded in agreement, their expressions serious and compassionate.

"We didn't want you to be sad, especially with everything you're going through lately. That's why we planned this... as soon as we found out what happened."

As Fred finished, Avery just stared at them, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. For a moment, it seemed like she might say something frustrated or angry, but instead, her face crumpled, and she began to cry. It was slow at first, a soft trembling of her lips, but then the tears started falling, and before I knew it, she was breaking down right in front of us.

Everyone froze, shock evident on their faces. My heart clenched painfully at the sight of her crying. I'd seen Avery in a lot of states—angry, sarcastic, even a little lost—but seeing her so vulnerable like this, breaking down in tears right in front of us, stirred something deep inside me.

It made me want to reach out and comfort her, to somehow take away her pain, even though I wasn't sure how to do that. I felt an awkward lump in my throat, my muscles tense with hesitation.

But just as I made up my mind to get closer, to offer some sort of comfort, Avery got down from her stool and rushed over to the boys. She spread her arms wide, a watery smile on her face.

"Oh my God, you guys are so sweet," she said, her voice breaking a little.

"I didn't even expect anyone would ever treat me like this in my entire life."

The boys didn't hesitate. They surrounded her in a big group hug, their massive frames engulfing her tiny one. From where I stood, all I could see was a mess of arms and shoulders, Avery's head barely visible in the middle. A surge of jealousy hit me hard. She looked so small between them, so delicate, and it made something flare up inside me.

The boys were murmuring things to her, their voices too low for me to hear. Whatever they were saying seemed to console her, though, because she let out a soft chuckle when George gently wiped her tears away.

I gritted my teeth, feeling irrationally annoyed. Fred picked up a chocolate and fed it to her, and Bryce slung an arm over her shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I couldn't take it anymore. I shot up from my chair and stormed over to them, not caring about the startled looks they gave me. Without a word, I shoved them aside, ignoring their protests. Reaching for Avery, I grabbed her hand, my grip firm and unyielding.

Everyone went quiet, staring at me like I'd lost my mind. I glared back, not caring what they thought.

"I have something to discuss with Avery," I said sharply.

Before anyone could argue or ask questions, I tugged her with me, not giving her a chance to resist. I walked out of the kitchen, my hand still firmly holding hers, pulling her along as I left the stunned silence behind us.

I led Avery up to my study, the heavy door closing behind us with a soft thud. As soon as we were inside, I walked to the middle of the room and stopped abruptly, turning around sharply. Avery, not expecting my sudden halt, bumped into my chest with a jolt. She stumbled back, trying to free her hand from my grip, but I tightened it, pulling her closer.

Avery's irritation was palpable. She hit my chest with a sharp force and pushed me away, her voice tinged with frustration.

"What's wrong with you?"

Coming back to my senses, I let go of her hand and took a step back, my mind swirling with confusion. Avery rubbed her wrist, looking around the room with curiosity. She took in the sleek lines of the study's interior, the dark wood shelves, and the well-organized desk.

"What do you want to discuss?" she asked, her tone a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

I stood there, trying to process what had just happened. Why did I react so strongly when I saw her hugging the guys? It was unsettling, and I couldn't make sense of my own behaviour. I'd never acted like this before, and it frustrated me.

Avery snapped her fingers right in front of my face, jolting me back to reality.

"Hello? Are you going to tell me what's going on or just stand there?"

I avoided her gaze, looking around the room as if it held the answers. Sighing slightly, I leaned back against my desk and shoved my hands into my pockets. I motioned toward the couch on the left.

"Sit down. I think it's time we discuss what you overheard before the boys came."

Avery folded her arms, clearly not in the mood to comply.

"You were talking about me. So, I have all the rights to eavesdrop."

I couldn't help but smirk at her defiant stance. Her attempt at nonchalance only amused me. I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head slightly.

"Well, I assume you heard enough. I don't see the point in repeating myself."

Avery's confident demeanour faltered slightly, her eyes narrowing. She stepped closer, a mix of determination and impatience on her face.

"I only heard part of the conversation. I want to know everything."

Her insistence only made my smirk widen. The way she was standing there, demanding answers, was both infuriating and fascinating. I crossed my arms.

"Fine. But know this, you're not going to like everything you hear."

"Maybe I won't like it, but I deserve to know. So go ahead, Rick. Tell me everything. You're not the only one who can handle the truth."

Her words hit me harder than I'd like to admit. I expected her to be very emotional after finding out about her past. Instead, here she was, standing tall and throwing my own arrogance back in my face.

For a moment, I was caught off guard, like she'd managed to pull the rug out from under me. But I wasn't about to let her see that.

I crossed my arms over my chest, keeping my posture relaxed as if her boldness didn't faze me.

"Is that so?"

I replied, my voice low and steady. I refused to show any reaction, any hint that she'd shaken me. I had to stay in control, even if she was starting to get under my skin.

I leaned further against the desk, keeping my tone even and controlled as I began to speak.

"Well, as you might have overheard, I happened to know your parents. Marco used to work for my padre, and your mom, Sofia, was a very close friend of my madre."

Avery's eyes widened with each word. She was clearly hanging on every sentence, her curiosity evident.

"Oh, please continue," she urged, her voice softer now, almost eager.

I sighed slightly, feigning reluctance as I continued.

"The Veronas were quite famous for the charities they did for those in need. Your parents were very loyal to my famiglia. My padre never trusted anyone more than he trusted your father."

I paused, letting the weight of my words settle. Avery's expression was a mix of confusion and intrigue, trying to piece together the puzzle.

"What was he doing for your father?" she asked, her tone sharp with curiosity.

"More like my father's PA," I replied, keeping my voice steady.

"He took care of our family business, always coming up with creative ideas to strengthen it. Our families were quite respected in Italy."

Avery seemed to be processing everything, her brows furrowed in thought. Just as I expected, another question slipped from her lips.

"So, you knew me when I was a baby?"

I closed my eyes for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah."

"Have you ever seen me?" she pressed, her voice softer, almost vulnerable.

"Oh, come on, Avery. I had literally changed your diapers."

Her reaction was priceless—eyes wide and frozen, completely stunned. I bit my lip to control myself from smiling, but it was too late. She caught it.

"You're lying, right?" she accused, stepping closer, her voice demanding the truth.

Avery, clearly annoyed, rushed at me, trying to land a few hits. I couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.

"Okay, yeah, I lied... Hahaha... Stop it."

"Seriously, Rick?" she huffed, her eyes narrowing as she kept hitting me.

I grabbed her wrists and yanked her closer, forcing her hands behind her back. Our bodies collided, her chest pressing against mine with every ragged breath she took. The room seemed to shrink around us, the air thickening with an unspoken tension.

Her eyes locked onto mine, a daring challenge flickering in their depths. I could feel her pulse racing through her veins, matching the frantic beat of my own heart.

For a moment, the world outside ceased to exist. It was just us, caught in this charged space, our bodies aligned, breaths mingling in the heated air between us. Her eyes, so fierce and unyielding, held me captive.

Every fiber of my being screamed to close the distance, to claim her, to feel her. I let my gaze wander down to her lips—full, slightly parted, inviting me closer. A wave of heat coursed through me, every nerve ending alive and buzzing with anticipation.

She was so close, her scent intoxicating, her warmth seeping into me. My grip tightened on her wrists as I lowered my head, inching closer, feeling her breath against my skin, hot and rapid.

I could sense her body tensing against mine, her chest rising and falling faster. The tension was electric, a live wire between us, drawing me in.

I hovered my lips just above hers, teasing, feeling her shiver in response. I was so close that I could almost taste her. A low growl escaped my throat as I stayed there, my face barely an inch from hers, every nerve in my body screaming to claim her mouth with mine.

But something held me back. I slowly pulled back, letting her hands go as I stepped away. I couldn't give in.

"Leave," I said coldly, my voice cutting through the charged silence like a knife.

Her confusion was palpable, but there was something else too—an edge of pain, a hint of disappointment. Did she want this as much as I did? Was that fire in her eyes mirroring my own?

Without hesitation, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the study, her face set in a scowl. The door slammed behind her with a resounding thud that echoed in the empty room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Whoa, this chapter was LIT! 🔥 Rick and Avery are turning up the heat big time. Buckle up, 'cause things are about to get even more intense between them!

Hope you loved this update! Drop your thoughts below—I wanna hear all your reactions! 🌟 Your feedback is everything, so let me know.

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