Callista had invited Franco to her house. She didn't want to try another one of his date ideas again. This time she might actually pop a vein and die from too much anger. She went to the kitchen, seeing the staff bustling for dinner preparation. Caly sat on the kitchen counter, plucking a grape from the fruit platter.

Her phone beeped. Callista grabbed it, thinking it was Franco.

It wasn't.

I'm coming for your head, killer queen!

Caly gritted her teeth and deleted the text. She ate more grapes.

"Hija! Why are you here?" Amanda Jones exclaimed, placing a plate of pesto pasta on the metal surface.

"We can have dinner here, Auntie." She shrugged, shying away from the older woman's curious eyes. Mallorie's mother was more than their cook but Caly wasn't in the mood to share her problems. "Franco will be fine with it."

"Oh my! I didn't know you need to  choose a dress, Miss Caly!" Eula cried from the doorway with folded bedsheets on her arms.

She smiled at her maid. "It's fine, Eula." Callista stood up, her white off-shoulder dress flowed in as she twirled. "I chose well, right?"

"You look good in anything, Miss Caly!" Eula replied with a beam. "But I honestly expected to see you in jeans. I thought Mr. Castellano was a close friend. Like Mr. Luciano."

Thomas grunted in displeasure as he entered the kitchen. He went straight to the coffee machine. "Are you impressing that blond, Miss Caly? I don't like that boy."

Callista returned to her seat, smirking at their differing opinions. "And who do you like Thomas?"

"Castor, of course!" he answered, gesturing to Eula with a cup of steaming coffee on his hand. "He never broke my trust once!"

"But Mr. Castellano gave back Miss Caly in one piece! Not even a scratch!" Eula insisted, her petite form burning in defiance. "And he's very handsome!"

"And Cas isn't?" Thomas shot back. His grayish hair didn't stop him from debating with the young maid that Caly had to laugh.

"Stop it, you two. You have work to do!" Amanda interjected as she set a platter of garlic bread.

Callista put a hand under her chin, tilting her head at the older woman. "How about you, Auntie? Who do you like?"

Amanda bent to tuck a stray hair behind her head. "I'll go with whoever makes you happy, amor."

Her heart warmed at the woman's words. Why couldn't her father say that?

Thomas and Eula retreated to tend to their work and Caly was left alone with Amanda. The chef's work was done when she completed the dinner with an apple pie as dessert. Callista swallowed thickly. "It smells so good!"

She gasped. Her happiness evaporating when she realized that she didn't ask Franco what he liked. Damn. She had to remedy this soon.

Callista ran to her bedroom, rummaging through the boxes of her old things. She was ecstatic when she found the thing she needed.

"Miss Caly, your guest is here!" Eula called out from the door.

The heiress went back to the foyer, taking the steps two at a time. She stumbled to the door, the notebook firm on her grasp. "I'm here. I'm not late."

Franco raised an eyebrow, deep blue eyes scrutinizing her form. Callista frowned just as the man spoke. "You cut your hair?"

Caly gawked at him. She did trim her hair but doubted that anyone could notice. "Ah, yeah. Do you like it?"

"Huh? Why would I like your hair?" The distress on his alluring face and the extreme denial caused a tiny bit of affection in Caly's heart. She now had a good idea of what Franco was like.

"Well, I like your hair," she smiled, relishing the way his features softened. Franco had cut his blond mane though it still fell over above his brows.

He clicked his tongue and handed her the bottle of wine on his hand. "It's red. I feel like you're the type."

Caly received the bottle. The last time they drank together, she had ended up kissing him. Franco had never brought it up but she knew that both of them would simply blame the alcohol.

She suddenly had a great idea.

"Thanks. I like red." Caly gestured towards the kitchen. She noticed Franco's white rolled-up sleeves and dark pants. "Did you come from the office?"

"Yeah. I had a meeting." He seated in front of her, eyeing the pasta and the apple pie before looking at her. "What's that?"

Caly placed the wine and the notebook on the table. "It's a slambook."

"What." He spat out the word like icicles dropping on a cave floor.

Callista snubbed his disapproval.  Franco Castellano was like a solitary iceberg. Aloof and independent with sheets of frost casing their beating hearts. They remain solid and firm no matter what storm blew. But not her. She wasn't just a storm, she's also fire.

And she was adamant about breaking through Franco's defenses. Caly had faith that even the thickest ice eventually melts."Let's eat. We're gonna answer yours later."

The perturbed look didn't leave his face even as they were eating. Caly asked him about the progress of his wine again and this time, Franco was more than willing to share. She listened as passion sparkled in his eyes.

They started dessert when Franco opened the wine, pouring the alcohol on both of their glasses. Caly opened the slambook, pressing the top of the pen. "Let's start."

Franco scratched at his temple. "Can we not do that?"

"No. We will do this. I will ask you questions and you will answer." The glint of her silver eyes left no room for a negative reply. "Favorite color?"

The man took a huge gulp from his wine before he replied in a dry tone. "White."

"Song?"

"I don't know."

"Movie?"

"I don't care."

"Food?"

"Anything."

"Even trash?"

"What?"

"Favorite drink?"

"Wine."

It didn't take long for Caly to get bored. She looked up from writing, glaring at Franco, who's attention was on his wine. "What is love?"

"What?"

"What is love?" She sat straight, sipping from her wine glass.

Franco was wide awake. He blinked a few times before his frown deepened. "You just made that up."

"Of course not."

He didn't look convinced as he grabbed the slam book from the girl. His eyes trailed at the pages but Callista went batshit when he flicked the pages. "Wait!"

Franco shot up from his seat, keeping the book away from her reach. A gloss of fiendish mirth passed over his irises. "These are your answers?"

"Don't read that!" Caly circled the counter when Franco doubled his steps to get away from her. Callista blew out air, hating her much shorter steps. She scowled. "Am I chasing you now? Seriously?"

"This says you're bad at singing?" A smirk tugged at his lips. "Let me hear it."

She scoffed, sending glowers to his way when he raised the slambook out of her reach. Caly cursed his six feet height. She hit him on the chest. "Franco! I wrote that when I was eleven! Give it back!"

"I promise if I hear it I'll answer your questions," Franco declared. "Or do you want me to read your most embarrassing moment?"

"Oh, god!" Callista groaned, running her palms over her face. How did the tables turn?

"Let me read it." He squinted at the letters just above her head. "My most embarrassing moment was when—"

"Fine!" she shrieked, stomping her feet on the floor. Caly's cheeks burned. She had never sing again after her confidence was torn at her middle school performance. She cleared her throat. "Wise....men....say---- "

Franco laughed, doubling over in happiness that engulfed the whole kitchen. He placed the thin notebook over his mouth but his chuckles spilled out in bouncy ripples.

Caly ogled at the scene before her. Her previous outrage dispersed with the seraphic sound her ears were exposed to. She arched an eyebrow. "I told you I was bad. You happy now?"

"That wasn't just bad! It was worse!" He laughed again but hid it better with a loud cough.

She pouted. Her chagrin was back no matter how gorgeous he appeared with his dimpled smile and sky blue eyes. "Okay. That's enough before I bring up the fact that you vomited on our first date."

"What? I didn't—"

His reply was cut off when Caesar Genovese marched into the kitchen. His grey eyes flitted between the younger people. "I'm sorry. Did I disturb you two?"

"It's fine. We'll go to the library." Caly rolled her eyes and nodded to Franco. He grabbed the rest of the wine, a slambook on the other as he followed her in silence. Caly could feel his uneasiness when they arrived at the library. "What?"

"Is it fine to leave your dad?" he asked.

They slumped on the couch. Callista stretched her legs, placing it on the wooden table as Franco set the bottle and wine glasses. They drank in silence before Franco spoke. "Did you two fight?"

Caly shook her head. "For such an intelligent man, I can't believe using me is the only way he could think of."

"What else can he do?"

"If it was me, I'm gonna put you and Cas in the same room until you become friends." Callista faced him. "I know your family had a lot of animosities but only genetics are passed down, not sins."

Franco opened his mouth to speak but Caly put up a finger. "Let's not talk about this alright? I finally made you laugh. Don't ruin the mood."

He sighed before he leaned forward. The smell of his expensive perfume hit her nose. Her chest hammered as his face got closer. Callista could see his thick lashes, his snowy skin, and the pink swirls on his pale cheeks.

He smirked, pulling away with the slambook on his fingers. "I want to get this."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, okay."

His sapphire gaze danced with unabashed delight. "You thought I was going to kiss you?"

Callista crossed her arms in defense. Franco was getting away with a lot of jabs at her. "Why not? You did it once."

"You may want to review your memories, Miss Genovese. Even with our alcohol addled mind, I knew you assaulted me," he replied. Franco's tongue had loosened enough for him to exchange jeers with her.

"I did not assault you!" she snapped.

"Kissing without permission? That qualifies as an assault." If that wasn't enough, Franco had the audacity to cite the law. "Section 920. Article 120 of the—"

"Stop it! You have no proof!" Callista took a deep breath, getting rid of the onslaught of embarrassment that Franco had put her through.

"There are cameras."

Caly swallowed the lump in her throat. She bit her lip, hoping that he didn't find out what she did to Delilah. She decided to deflect and shot him a piercing stare. "Fine. But I know you liked it too."

Franco licked his lips, blue eyes hooded with desire. "Should we test that theory?"

Caly gaped at him. She wasn't prepared at all. She planned to get Franco drunk so he would lower his guard for her. It was supposed to go like that. Not the other way around.

She underestimated him.

Callista knew she lost this one. "Alright."

He surged forward, finding her lips. His fingers traced the groove of her spine, the other one cupping her face. Caly let him decide the pace and he was tender. His tongue touched hers without completely taking over.

Her hands fell on his clothed chest, playing with the buttons of his shirt. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Caly got impatient. Her left hand went to his pants but Franco gripped her wrist, pushing her hand away.

Callista groaned and bit his lip in revenge.

He broke away, bewildered as roses bloomed on his porcelain cheeks. He swiped a thumb over his injured lip. "Did you have to do that?"

"Why not?" Callista moved near the armrest. She tipped her head against the couch, her raven tresses falling like midnight sky over her shoulders. "You don't want to?"

He cleared his throat and placed a healthy distance between them. "I haven't answered your question yet."

"Huh? What question?" Caly pulled her knees up, hugging it to her chest. Franco's self-control was damn infuriating.

"What is love?" Franco let his head fall back. He stared at the painted ceiling of the library. A hand combing through his golden mane. "For me, its the thing that gives meaning to 'I can't live without you'."

He swiveled to her. "You know when Elena died, I think she took my soul with her."

The statement meant nothing to her but Callista felt a wave of sadness for him. Her chest tightened at the fact that Franco had loved so deeply and yet, he lost it. Love was scarier than she imagined.

She listened as he spoke, "I thought it was a joke. But some days, I feel empty. I wanted to be with her so much." Franco bent forward, running her palms over his face. "Fuck. My head is whirling. Can I stay here for a while?"

How could she refuse him?

"Sure," she answered with a smile."I'll be your guardian angel."

He laughed again and at that moment, he was the angel.

✘✘

I have an okay voice but I can't sing Can't help falling in love without my voice breaking. lol.

It's a pretty long chapter and I had a hard time making Franco laugh but I hope it feels natural. Tho in the end it felt sad instead omg!

Votes and comments on how I can improve are very much appreciated!

Stay safe!

xx, lucci