Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“I never asked for that nickname,” he says sternly. “I help kids—and some of those kids don’t have parents. It was a small news article in the press that got blown out of proportion.”
“I took it to mean that you’re protective of your clients.”
“I am,” he snaps. “If that stupid name ‘The Savior’ means a damn thing, it’s exactly that. That’s why I’m telling you, Arria, that you may need to prepare mentally to do something you don’t want to do. Enzo is a rich, powerful man. He could make your life very uncomfortable.”
“I’m not going to let him intimidate me.”
Nico massages the bridge of his nose. There’s something weirdly appealing about his introspective, pissed-off look. There I go again, ruining the promise I just made. “I’m your lawyer,” he says.
“Not yet. I haven’t agreed to hire you.”
“Do you have the money to hire a lawyer familiar with this city?”
He stares at me with those mossy green eyes. They’ve got a ‘don’t-look-away’ quality about them, like he’s drawing me in, making it impossible for me to feel unseen. This is the artsy-fartsy part of me coming out, the photographer, shading life with my perceptions.
“Well?” he says huskily.
“My dad said it’s you or nobody else,” I admit. “I’ve got some money saved. I was working on the West Coast as a customer service rep. But I want to travel the world, take photos…” I’m not sure why I’m over-sharing. “So, yeah, well done. I need you to be my lawyer. Plus, Mom said you know this city better than anybody.”
“Don’t you think it’d be a good idea to listen to me, then?” I say with a raised eyebrow.
“You don’t have to use such a patronizing tone,” she huffs.
“You don’t have to act like a brat either, Arria.”
“Did you just call me a brat?”
He leans forward, glaring. “They call me ‘The Savior,’ yes but that doesn’t mean pushover. I gotta give some tough love from time to time.” There goes that eyebrow again.
“It doesn’t feel like love, just tough.”
“You need to understand,” he says pointedly. “Enzo is not a good man. He has more money than ninety percent of the people in this city combined. I need you to know that. When I meet with him and offer your apology, are you going to back it up?”
“I can’t believe we’re even discussing this,” I mutter, the word brat bouncing around my head. Is it weird that I liked it when he put me in my place? People rarely do that.
“Trust me. Your main concern should be making sure that Enzo forgets you exist. You don’t want him on your case. You need to put your pride aside.”
“Or my brattiness?” I grit out.
He smirks. This time, it reaches his eyes, but only for a moment. That’s exactly the sort of thing I shouldn’t notice or care about. “You can call it whatever you want. I’m doing what’s best for you here. I’ve got some documents for you to sign.”
“I don’t want to do this,” I snap.
“Do it for your friend. Do you want Enzo sending men to her place, intimidating her?”
“Wouldn’t he be risking his business if he did some crap like that? He can’t just stalk her.”
He looks at me as if I’m much younger than I am. It’s condescending, as if he thinks I’m the most naïve person he’s ever met. It makes me want to slap him. I don’t want him to think of me as a little kid. “In this city, money can buy more than just luxury, Arria. Now, sign the documents.”
I bristle at his tone as he retrieves the paperwork from his briefcase. As he leans down, I see his top two buttons are undone, revealing a sliver of his hard, muscled chest. Yes, my uncle’s chest because that’s what I should be thinking about—not his solid pecs and how they’d feel if I pressed my fingernails against them.
He slides a stack of paper across the table. “I’m going to get another coffee. Do you want anything?”
I shake my head.
When he stands up, I notice two women across from me. They look like supermodels. Or maybe that’s just the self-doubting part of me that categorizes everyone who’s not my size as a supermodel. Still, they’re attractive, no doubt about it, and they’re gaping at Nico like he’s meat. In fact, most of the women here are sneaking looks at him.
They don’t even seem to care about the wedding band on his ring finger.
CHAPTER 4
NICO
She’s cute as a goddamn button as she wriggles into her winter jacket, zipping it up to her chin. Every movement she makes seems to emphasize her curviness, her beauty. I try to stick thoughts like that far back in the darkest recesses of my mind. She’s half my age. And if she signs those papers, like I know she will, I’ll be dragged back under the mob’s attention. If I ever show an attraction to any other woman, the charade that is mine and Lucy’s marriage comes tumbling down.