Read One Night Stand (The Complete Story) for Free Online Page B

hours, go home, and study for my college classes.”
     
    Giovanni looked amused. “You are telling me you want to forget my boy, Lorenzo? Most girls don’t say that.”
     
    Lorenzo shot his father a sharp look but I nodded. “I guess I’m not most girls. I never meant to go home with him and I’m sorry I did.”
     
    “You might be sorry, but you are still a liability,” Giovanni mused. “The cops have already started talking with you, so they have some reason to believe you know something. My Lorenzo is a good boy, but he has been known to have some really terrible judgment. How can I be sure he didn’t spill his guts to you last night once he was good and drunk? Many a foolish man has been brought down by indiscrete pillow talk with a faithless woman.”
     
    I stood up quickly, ready to protest his ridiculous and old-fashioned accusations, but Lorenzo cut me off before I could start in on my rant.
     
    “She isn’t anyone worth bothering with, Pa. I told you…I wasn’t that drunk. I just wanted to bring home a sweet piece of ass for the night and I kicked her out as soon as we woke up. “
     
    My mouth dropped open and I turned to Lorenzo, staring at him dumbly. Was he serious? Of course he is serious , I told myself. I had never expected this to be anything more than a one-night stand anyway, so why did his words sting me so painfully?
     
    “I needed to make sure you weren’t hiding anything from me. You need to be more careful about the women you invite into your home. It is time to grow up, Lorenzo. You have responsibilities.”
     
    “Yeah, I know, Pa. Responsibilities.” Lorenzo’s voice sounded tired.  “But I’m not hiding a goddamn thing. I didn’t even know the girl’s last name until you told me. I sure as hell wasn’t spilling family secrets to her last night. We were otherwise occupied.”
     
    Blood rushed to my cheeks and I felt a surge of anger and embarrassment. That was it. That was all Lorenzo thought of me.
     
    “Hey, can I leave now?” I finally asked, now that I had regained enough composure to form words. “As lovely as it is to be insulted and pretty much called a slut by the two of you, I really honestly do have other things to do with my life. Lorenzo obviously doesn’t want to see me again and he certainly didn’t tell me anything worth telling the cops. I just want to go home and forget today happened and you guys can have your family chat without me. So can I do that now?”
     
    Both men turned to me and were finally silent for a moment. Then Giovanni spoke up, while Lorenzo carefully avoided my gaze.
     
    “Yes, you can leave now, Miss Waterhouse. I am sorry you got mixed up with my son and you need not worry about my family again so long as you remain uninvolved in our affairs. If you like, Bruno can drive you home.”
     
    “Thanks anyway, but I’ll walk,” I replied, hoping my voice conveyed my pride and disdain. In reality, I probably sounded scared and childish but it didn’t matter. I could finally go home, talk to my roommates, study, and get a good night’s sleep. Maybe tomorrow, I could work on entirely forgetting that I had ever met Lorenzo.
     
    I turned and walked back through the apartment and out the door. The elevator seemed to take forever as I stood there on the gleaming marble tiles. Last night had been a dream, and today had been a nightmare. I was ready to finally wake up.
     
    The elevator dinged loudly and I rushed in as soon as the doors opened.  I held my breath, half expecting some mob hit man to slide in beside me at the last moment. But the doors closed noiselessly and the elevator began its descent to the cold, ornate lobby.
     
    The doors clicked open and I heaved my backpack onto my shoulder, letting the other strap dangle. I was beginning to regret turning down the offer of a ride home now that I contemplated yet another walk through these city blocks after my long, tiring day. I sighed and pulled my long brown hair into a