To his surprise, she asked about the endorsement. He told her about it, leaving out the numbers, but said it was a good deal. The numbers were bigger than any he’d had in the past, and he knew even his previous deals would blow her away. He wanted to ease her into that part of his world—a world he wanted her to be a part of soon. But he hated reminding her just how different their lives were, so he held off for now.

They talked a little longer with her telling him about her day and how she’d be leaving tomorrow for her cruise with her dad. The whole time there was something off. She hadn’t asked much more about Adelina, and he’d gladly gone with the change of subject, but he could feel the unspoken tension, and he hated it. He figured tonight’s conversation was already fucked. He may as well bring up what he knew he had to even if it might cause more tension.

He stood up and began to pace. “Baby, there’s probably gonna be stories in the tabloids tomorrow. You know it’s all bullshit. I just want you to be prepared.”

“Stories about what?”

The tone of her voice was one Felix had never heard before, which only stressed him out further. He gripped the phone tighter, hoping to God she’d understand. “About Adelina being here. The news vans are parked outside my complex, so they saw her drive in here. I’m sure there are already photos and theories flying around about that. And now that they won’t see her leave until tomorrow, they’re gonna run with it. It’s how it always happens.”

He shook his head, now suddenly understanding why Abel and the other guys hated the paparazzi so much. They had the power to destroy your life. Back when the whole thing went down with Gio and Bianca, he’d barely had time to hate the paparazzi. He was too busy being angry at Bianca and Gio, and then Jack died so unexpectedly and 5th Street burned to the ground. There was too much emotion going on in his life for him to focus on the media’s input in how everything went down. By the time it was all over, he had no choice but to accept that he’d fucked up and he probably would’ve lost Bianca anyway.

Then soon after that he’d gotten so caught up with Shelley’s pregnancy. There’d been little time to hate the press. But this was different. He didn’t know what he’d do if the paparazzi coupled with his notorious past cost him his relationship with Ella.

“It’s a good thing I’ll be on that cruise,” she said. “I’ll stay away from any gossip websites or shows. I usually do anyway.”

Felix stopped his pacing. “Good! Yeah, do that. Because I swear to you anything they say trying to turn this into something it’s not you know is all bullshit. None of it is true. Noah and Gio could vouch for it too.”

“They don’t have to, Felix. If you say there’s no truth to anything they’ll say and I have nothing to worry about, then I believe you.”

“You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” he said, wishing she were there so he could kiss her silly.

“Then I won’t.”

“God, I love you,” he said, his body already releasing some of the tension that had built up from the moment he saw Adelina’s car slide into that embankment.

“I love you too.”

Now he heard the familiar smile in her words, and that strain he’d felt earlier was gone. He fell back onto his bed with a groan. “I cannot wait to be with you again.”

He heard her giggle. “And when will that be?”

“What time do you get back Sunday?”

“I think three in the afternoon.”

“Then Sunday at three it is.”

“But what about the trainers from Bosnia?”

“They leave Sunday, and I’d already warned Noah I was out of here Sunday when you got back, so I’m sure they’ll be gone early.”

The conversation the rest of the night was like any other they’d had all week. Once again he had to force himself to call it a night and hang up, but when he did, he lay there smiling. He was officially done thinking there’d be no other way Ella could impress him. They just might get through this relationship without the paparazzi fucking shit up.

Already he could hardly wait for morning so he could call her again.

Chapter 19

Ella

It was a cruise with a bunch of older people as Ella was able to tell right from the get-go. She was taking it with her dad, so the romance she’d always associated with cruises was out the door. Still, she couldn’t help feeling excited about it. She’d never been on one, and just standing in line to board was exciting.

Memo thought it better that he stay home to help sort what would stay and what would go. They’d told their dad that he hadn’t been able to make it as they’d hoped, but they agreed to make the best of their father-daughter cruise, and she had every intention of doing so. She only hoped this bonding time wouldn’t all be for naught when they got back and he’d see what Memo had done while they were gone. But she’d already decided she wasn’t going to even think about that until they got back. She was determined to enjoy herself, especially because she needed to get her mind off how much she missed Felix. It was beginning to get embarrassing just how much time she spent thinking about him.

Ella had done her homework on the use of cell phones on ships before leaving. She hated the thought of not being able to even talk to Felix for three whole days. What she’d found out was she could talk to him but the roaming rates were astronomical. So she’d already told Felix that after she was away from the port she’d have to turn off her phone for the rest of the cruise. At first he thought she’d meant because of the lack of reception. The moment she mentioned the high rates he begged her not to turn it off. He insisted he’d pay her bill but not to cut him off like that. He said it would be torture and even reminded her to keep it charged.