He tilted my face up, making sure I was looking at him. Then he kissed me. God, I was a sucker for this man.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
“This is stupid, Carmela. You’re making a huge mistake.” Emilia drummed her black fingernails on the vinyl seat of the cab.
“I have to try. If Nico backs off, Dominick can’t do anything about it. He’s not going to force Nico to marry me.”
She snorted. “Nico doesn’t care if you hate him or if you’re in love with somebody else. For him, it’s all about power. Marrying you solidifies his connection to Dominick and his rank in the family. The only thing better would be marrying me, and we both know that’ll never happen. I’m soiled goods, and my dad knows I’d slit my wrists before I’d let him marry me off to anyone involved in the family.”
“You never know. Nico might want a way out of this.”
“Careful. Your naïveté is showing.”
When the cab stopped next to the curb in front of Nico’s building, I paid the driver and jumped out of the car. Nico hadn’t answered any of the texts I sent him from Emilia’s phone, but all the lights were on in his apartment, which was a good sign. If he didn’t answer, I’d use my key and wait for him. We needed to talk.
“You can go home. You don’t have to wait for me,” I said when Emilia followed me out of the cab.
“Trust me. Anything is better than sitting in that house with my dad. He doesn’t talk to me, and I don’t talk to him. We hate each other and neither of us cares enough to pretend otherwise.”
I winced at her description. My family had imploded more than a little after my dad died. I yelled at Gian last night for not supporting me. More often than not, I didn’t recognize my mom. She used to be a source of strength and resiliency. Lately, she couldn’t bow down fast enough to my uncle’s demands, completely dismissing what I wanted with my life.
“I’m sorry. That sucks.”
She shrugged. “Whatever. I don’t care. I’ll be down the street in that coffee shop. Come find me when you’re done.”
“If Gian or my mom call you—”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll tell them you’re safely ensconced in your loving fiancé’s home and far away from that evil whatever his name is. I know the drill.”
“Kon. Konstantin.”
“Yeah. Whatever. I think Sal’s tracking us today, and I know how to shake him.”
“What’s the deal with you and Sal?”
She whirled around, her face scrunched up in anger, and the tips of her dainty ears bright red. “He’s a two-faced piece of shit who pretended to care about me only to screw me over the second he got the chance.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say, so I stared at her, waiting for her to offer more of an explanation. She didn’t.
“You need to wrap this visit up within a half hour or less. I’m tired and people are going to get suspicious if we’re gone much longer.” She spun on her heel with her hand raised in a halfhearted wave.
Less than a minute later, I rapped my knuckles against the door of Nico’s third floor apartment. One knock and nothing happened. Two knocks and I heard a few hushed voices. “Nico, it’s Carmela. Answer the door.” I paused for a second. “Please. We need to talk.”
The deadbolt clicked, and Nico opened the door without inviting me inside. His dress shirt was unbuttoned and untucked, his suit jacket and tie long since abandoned. I’d never seen Nico like this.
“Hi,” I said, my voice crackling with uncertainty.
“What are you doing here?” His voice was slightly slurred.
“Like I said, I want to talk. Can I come in?”
He stepped back, letting me into his home. “Fine. Come in. You can join our little party.”
I stepped inside and came to an abrupt halt. Ava sat on the black leather sofa, half-dressed and very intoxicated. His sister Gemma was slumped over in a checkered chair with her legs stretched out in front of her.
“Do you want a drink?” Nico asked, dropping a hand on my shoulder.
“No. I’m good. Thanks. What are they doing here?”
Ava burst out laughing, her breasts jiggling in her bright pink bra. Dark makeup ringed her eyes and her red lipstick was smeared across her cheek. “Exactly what it looks like. Nico was bored so I offered to entertain him since you’re always busy.”
“Nico?” I turned to face, my stomach churning with acid. “You’re with her?”
Nico shrugged, swaying a little. “It’s not a big deal. Ava knows her place. She realizes I need to marry you. She won’t interfere.”