Kon (Trassato Crime Family Book 2)(43)

I lowered my body to hers, barely holding back a groan when my skin met hers. “I think I like you more than I should.”

“No, you only like screwing me. That’s what you told me last night.”

“Hmm, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never say anything like that.”

A knock thudded against her door. Her eyes flared. Her chest rose and fell rapidly against the pads of my fingers.

“Oh shit,” she whispered.

“Carmela, can I talk to you for a second?” Evie’s distinct voice floated through the room.

My muscles tautened, ready to flee. Oh shit was right. I had no interest in facing off with Gian or my sister tonight or anytime in the near future.

“I thought you said they left,” she murmured next to my ear.

“They did.”

The door handle rattled, and I jumped off the bed, snagging my t-shirt and pants from the bed.

“One second. I’m changing.” Carmela rushed across the room, flung open her bathroom door, and pulled on a short silver robe, knotting it at her waist.

“Oh, okay,” Evie said.

Carmela pointed at the bathroom, and mouthed, “Hide in here.”





CHAPTER EIGHTEEN





Carmela



I cracked open my door, smoothing a hand over my chest, trying to stop my heart from jumping out of my chest and plopping onto the floor near my feet. “Hi. I thought I saw you guys leave.”

“We did. Gian forgot the leftovers, and you know how much he misses your mom’s cooking.”

Evie couldn’t cook to save her life. Her culinary skills started and ended with canned soup and raw vegetables. If my brother wanted a real Italian meal, he had to call my mom or do it himself. He didn’t seem to mind, though. As far as I could tell, he believed the world revolved around Evie, and that was exactly the way it should be. Quite honestly, I’d give my left arm to have a man look at me the way Gian looked at her.

“That explains everything.”

Chuckling, she waved her hand toward my room. “Can I come in?”

“Ah…” I glanced over my shoulder, checking on the closed bathroom door.

“Just for a second. I’m sure you’re drained, and Gian can’t stay long anyway. He has a meeting early in the morning.”

“Sure.” I flipped on the light and sat on the edge of my now messy bed, discreetly smoothing out the wrinkles with hand.

She followed me in and leaned on the edge of my dresser. “We didn’t get a chance to talk tonight.”

“No. Not really.”

“I hope Gian didn’t give you a hard time when your mom and I went outside.”

“We worked it out.”

“Yeah, Gian said you’d stay away from Kon, and he’d help you with the Nico situation.”

“He told you?”

She shrugged, sheepishly. “We don’t keep many secrets from each other, and he knows I’m worried about you. I don’t like this whole thing you have going with my brother. I don’t trust him. He’s not right for you.”

She swept her hand along the top of my dresser, pausing when she spotted Kon’s keys. Frowning, she scooped them up and studied the icon dangling from the chain, her mouth pressed into a firm disapproving line.

The possibility of being caught with Kon in my room made my stomach plummet like I’d swallowed a leaden balloon. If she summoned Gian, this night would end in a fistfight or worse.

At twenty-eight years old, I should be able to do what I wanted with whom I wanted. Unfortunately, my family didn’t work that way, which was both a good and bad thing. Without a doubt, I loved them, and I would never dream of doing anything to hurt or disappoint them intentionally, but I’d be the first to admit their love was stifling. They monopolized every weekend, weeknight, and holiday with birthday parties, baptisms, weddings, and the plain old Sunday dinner just to name a few, which didn’t leave much time for anything else.

“Is something wrong?” I said when she remained stubbornly silent.

Her mouth opened, closed, and then she dumped the keys back on the dresser right next to Kon’s wallet. They hit the wood surface with a loud clunk. She stared at me for a second, her face pale. The faint laughter from the television did little to alleviate the awkward silence.

“I-I have to go. I can’t be part of this. I won’t.”

I shot up from my bed, hooking my hand around her wrist right as she neared my door. “Don’t say anything,” I whispered not wanting anyone, including Kon, to overhear me.

“I can’t lie to Gian. He’d never forgive me. We don’t keep secrets,” she hissed.

“I’m not asking you to lie to your husband.”