Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
It took longer than I care to admit to find the strength to scroll the screen back down to see if there had been a response from Luca.
Nothing.
But the man checked his phone a lot.
There was almost no chance of him not having seen it.
Shit.
And I was now stuck with him.
I couldn't run away like every instinct in me told me to do.
I had to face him.
And deal with the consequences.
Resolved to that fate, I grabbed clothes and made my way into the bathroom, taking a cold shower, going through the motions of getting ready for my day, then staring myself down in the mirror, trying to convince my reflection—and myself—that it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't like I'd told him I'd felt the tingle of that kiss down to the soles of my feet, to the edges of my hair.
I just said he couldn't kiss people like that.
I could possibly even swing that if I tried.
Decision made, I took a deep breath, and made my way out of the bathroom with my chin high even though I knew it was a front, that I was rocking in anxiety inside.
All in vain, though.
Because as I followed the sounds of masculine voices into the kitchen, I didn't hear Luca.
I didn't find him there, either.
Dario and Matteo were in the kitchen, backs to me as they had some sort of discussion about business. From what I could tell, Dario was upset about some extortion scheme he came up with that Luca had told him was a bad idea.
"I don't know what you're expecting from me here, Dar," Matteo said, head shaking. "I don't have a hell of a lot of power here."
"You have your father's ear."
"You want me to overstep Luca and go right to my old man? You know the kind of shit I would be in if I jumped the chain of command here? No. That's not how this works. And I don't apprec—"
"Good morning," I called, bright, chipper, wanting to interrupt them before they realized I'd been eavesdropping. I didn't know how quickly this family was to kill when an outsider learned too much, but I also did not want to find out.
"Romina," Dario greeted me, doing a poor job of banking down his obvious anger at Matteo's refusal to help him overstep Luca.
"Hey there, Romy. You look like you finally got a good night of sleep. I thought you and Luca might have been up all night... fighting again," he said, and that slip wasn't lost on me.
He knew.
And he was letting me know he knew.
But I couldn't tell if he approved of that situation or not.
Not that it mattered, of course. Since it was never going to happen again.
"Why's that?" I asked, not taking the bait. Things were bad enough. I didn't need to get into any weirdness with the younger Grassi brother.
"Oh, because he looked like hell this morning before he headed out."
He wasn't around.
That was good. Right?
But then why was there a completely irrational sinking sensation in my chest?
God, I was falling apart.
"Is he working in general, or is there news about my sister?" I asked, hearing a hint of desperation in my own voice.
That made Matteo soften, head shaking. "We're working on that, hon," he assured me. "He didn't say anything about any new developments, though."
"Would you guys tell me if you had one?" I challenged.
"I guess that depends on what we find out," Matteo told me.
It had been hard the night before, bantering about food combinations, comparing favorite movies and music and shows while we played cards, to see his mafia ties, to spot any of the seriousness in him that seemed necessary for such a position in life.
Right here, though, in the bright morning light in the kitchen?
It was suddenly very clear.
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen—and heard—it myself.
But there was something vaguely threatening about the way he said it. Like he was daring me to press, to demand, so he could remind me of the power dynamic between us.
"You know, you guys would never have known you have someone screwing you over if not for me."
"Allegedly," Matteo filled in. "We don't have proof of anything yet. Except that you were trespassing on our property. Luca usually has his head in the game, but if he doesn't this time," he said, and it was clear he meant because of me, "I will make sure we keep an eye on the ball."
Standing beside him, even Dario looked a surprised at the change in attitude from someone he had likely known his entire life.
"Did anyone happen to pick up a Snickers at the store?" I asked, looking at Dario.
"A Snickers. No, why? You want one?" he asked, and it was clear that he was under orders to get me something if I asked. Like it or not. Inconvenient or not.