Nico’s gaze grew more intense as he scooted even closer to me, our legs touching. “And I hope you know that I don’t give a fuck if you want to paint forgeries. Actually, I think it’s sexy as hell.” His fingers trailed down my arm, then came back up to lift the chain around my neck and reveal the Eiffel Tower pendant. “You can’t imagine how happy it makes me that you still wear it.”
“It’s the best gift I’ve ever received. Even when you broke my heart, I never took it off.”
“You’re too good for me, Ladybug. Don’t get me wrong, I’m keeping you anyway, but no matter how many laws you break, you’ll always be perfect in my eyes.”
I wanted to dive into his arms, but I held back, knowing we still had an important issue to work through. “What about Michael?” I asked hesitantly.
Nico’s eyes darkened, his lips thinning almost imperceptibly. “Is he the only obstacle between us? Is there anything else I need to know?”
I shook my head. “He’s the last of my secrets.”
He gave a determined nod. “Then we’ll figure it out. I’m not about to let him come between us.”
I started to ask for clarification, unclear what he meant, but he placed a finger over my lips.
“Sofia Genovese, I’ve loved you every minute of my life since I was six years old. I’ve thought about you endlessly and dreamed about you each night. I promise you, we will figure it out together. Okay?”
I nodded with his finger still pressed to my lips, my heart a melted puddle of goo at my feet. I loved this man so much it was incomprehensible. Just being there with him, my wounded soul felt patched and whole.
Nico’s callused fingers reached behind my neck and pulled me gently forward, bringing my lips to his. Our previous kisses had a combatant, feisty nature to them but not this one. This kiss was pure love and forgiveness. Without taking his lips from mine, Nico lifted me in his arms and carried me to his bedroom.
“I’ve fucked you and toyed with you, but now I want to make love to you. You’ll see. We’ll get this all sorted, and then I’m going to make you my wife so that you and everyone on this fucking planet knows you’re mine.” He leaned in again, this time kissing me with all the pent-up passion that simmered between us.
I couldn’t have argued if I’d wanted to. Not that I did.
It was all I’d ever wanted my entire life.
We both stripped bare, no clothes or secrets between us, and made love under the dim glow of the city lights. Our love making wasn’t leisurely or gentle because that wasn’t the nature of our love. Nothing about Nico and I was casual or delicate. We were intense and passionate—our intimacy lasting long hours until we were both utterly spent. And even then, we remained tangled in each other’s bodies, unwilling to part.
I chose to trust that he spoke the truth about Michael. Assuming that was the only obstacle we had to surmount, I saw no reason we couldn’t finally have the life together that we’d always dreamed about.
This time, I had no trouble drifting off into a dreamless sleep with Nico’s body pressed tightly to mine. Sometime in the deep hours of night, I woke alone when a haunting piano melody drifted into the room. Nico’s side of the bed was cold, and I wondered how long he’d been up. Grabbing his button-down shirt, I slipped my arms in it and padded in search of the music. Around the corner and down the hall, a door was cracked open, and beautiful music flowed from within.
I pressed the door open farther and leaned against the frame, watching Nico play a gorgeous grand piano in the dark, clothed only in his boxer briefs. The sinewy muscles of his back flexed and flowed as his adept fingers danced across the keys. The song he played was moving—not altogether sad, but heavy with longing and need. It made my heart swell to see him playing when he’d been so passionate about it as a boy.
Slowly, the tune came to an end, and Nico turned toward me. “Come here,” he ordered in a raspy voice.
When I was close enough, he pulled me between him and the keys, staying seated and gently pulling apart the shirt to expose me to him.
“I thought you said you didn’t play much anymore.”
“I may have fibbed. I did stop for a while, but when I got this place, I soundproofed this room and started playing again.” He absently traced a line down between my breasts and to my navel.
“Why would you fib about something like that?”
He peered up at me, his cobalt eyes fathomless. “I think I wanted you to know that I didn’t just carry on without you. I hated myself for what I did. That’s why I quit. I didn’t deserve the peace and beauty I got from playing. Not after what I did to you.”
“No more guilt, though, right?” I trailed my fingers along his stubble-lined jaw, the tickle stirring a warmth in my belly.
He leaned in, kissing his way down my stomach, then pressed my backside onto the keys, making a cacophony of sound. Lifting my feet onto his bench, he spread my knees wide between him and dove in to play his other favorite instrument.
Chapter 23
Nico
Now
I would have liked Sofia to stay naked in my bed all day, but she insisted on going to work. After fucking her senseless in my shower, I drove her to the gallery and went in to check on my own business matters. Not only did I have work to do, but I also needed to figure out how to get Sofia untangled from the Russians and quietly. She’d never want her parents to know, so that made things tricky.
Seeing her with Michael made my skin crawl with the need to break up their little breakfast date and pound him into the ground. I forced myself to stay put for what seemed like ages, watching them chat like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was important for me to see their dynamic before I could work on cutting him out of her life.
Every bit of patience I had expired when she began to cry. I couldn’t take it any longer. I didn’t know what the hell he’d said, but it was over. I was back in Sofia’s life, and there wasn’t room for another man in her world.
Especially a Russian.
I said we’d work it out, and I meant it, but I doubted my version of working it out would be her ideal scenario. The situation was delicate and would take finesse. Not exactly my forte, but I’d figure it out.
The morning passed quickly, making me forget about lunch until almost two. I ran to a nearby deli to grab a sandwich, and on my way back to the office, a loud whistle caught my attention before I reached for the front door. It could have been anyone whistling for any reason, but it snagged my attention like a fishing hook had yanked me straight from the stream.
Pausing, I scanned my surroundings and zeroed in on Michael almost immediately. He stood on the opposite side of the street with his hands tucked inside his jacket pockets as if he were a simple pedestrian out for a stroll. When my eyes landed on him, he lifted his chin at me, then made his way over. Every muscle in my body coiled in anticipation of a fight—it was a sensation my body knew well. If he planned to challenge me, he was going to regret it.
“Have a minute?” He wasn’t giving off any confrontational vibes, but I wasn’t letting my guard down.
“Let’s take a walk,” I offered in the cool tone of indifference, concealing the rage stirring inside me.
“I know I’m the last person you want to talk to, but I think it’s important we do this and not make Sofia act as a go-between,” Michael started conversationally. “You need to know that she and I are good friends, but it’s never gone past that. Don’t get me wrong, I would have if I could have, but there was never enough room in her heart for the both of us. That was clear from day one. The reason you need to understand that is because I know you’ll want me out of her life, but the only thing that’s going to do is hurt her.”
“And keep her safe,” I added smugly.
“Would you say she’s endangered by your mafia associations?”
“Not from my family.”
“Exactly. You and me, we’re no different. I care about Sofia too, and I’d never let anyone hurt her either.
I want her to be happy. I’m not just arguing for my own benefit. If you try to come between us, you’ll break her heart without achieving any positive result. You’ve already hurt her unnecessarily once; don’t do it again.” His voice took on a hard edge, adding an extra threat to his warning.
I glared at him, hating the fucker for rubbing it in my face but unable to argue. “What am I supposed to do? Let her continue to do business with the bratva and not tell her father?”
“Let me talk to her about handing over the business aspects to you, if you’re willing to do that. If Sofia and I keep our relationship purely based on friendship, would that be agreeable to you?”
Agreeable was hardly the word I would choose—tolerable would fit better, or maybe sufferable. “I’m sure you make a nice little profit off her work. You’d be willing to give that up?”
“It was never about the money for either of us. As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters.”
Fuck. He was being totally reasonable, and I knew it. But it was also clear he was one hundred percent in love with her. How was I supposed to let her spend time with another man who had feelings for her? On the other hand, how could I in good conscience deny her access to her best friend? I was fucked either way. “I don’t like it, but I’m not sure I have any options.”
“Welcome to the club, man.” Michael looked at me, and for a moment, he dropped his playboy easygoing front, allowing me to see the pain he carried. It was only the briefest glance, but it was enough. He’d been stuck playing second fiddle to me for the past seven years. I was glad he’d been there for her but couldn’t imagine why he’d stuck around. It had to have been torture being near her all that time and knowing he could never have her.
“It’s fucked up. You not moving on.” I couldn’t help from commenting even though it was none of my business.
“You’re telling me,” he muttered. “My eyes aren’t closed to other options.”
“Good, because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life worrying about this. Until you find someone else, you keep your dick in your pants when you’re around Sofia.”
“Right, I’ll try to remember that,” he shot back sarcastically. “Listen, there’s one other thing I wanted to tell you. A week ago, a guy approached Sofia outside her dorm asking questions about me. He claimed to be a cop, but my sources didn’t turn up anything. Called himself Detective James Breechner—the name mean anything to you?”
Just when I started feeling like the threat level was down, a completely unknown variable is brought to my attention. “Never heard the name before. What did he want?”
“She didn’t give him the chance to ask questions after he asked about her relationship with me. He hasn’t shown back up or contacted her again. I wanted you to know so you could keep an eye out.”
The last thing I wanted was to like Michael, but he made it hard not to. I should have given Sofia more credit not to buddy up to an asshole. I wanted to hate the guy for obvious reasons, but that was looking less and less possible. We weren’t going on any fishing trips together or shit like that, but I was willing to admit he might not be all bad.
My phone began to buzz in my pocket, the display telling me Enzo was calling. “Let me grab this … Yeah.”
The gravity in Enzo’s voice had me instantly on alert. “I just got a call. Sofia’s in danger.”
Chapter 24
Sofia
Now
I hadn’t stopped smiling all morning. It was amazing what love and several mind-blowing orgasms could do for a girl’s outlook. I wasn’t a moody person, but I also wasn’t typically chipper either—no one had ever volunteered me for the Miss Congeniality ballot.
Nico had dropped me off at work with a packed lunch and strict instructions not to leave the gallery until he picked me up at the end of the day. He admitted that he’d been following me since being assigned guard duty and spent most of his days in his car watching me. Though I was a little disappointed in my observational skills, I was glad to know I’d had a protective eye watching over me. We decided if I wasn’t leaving the gallery, he could spend the day at his office and get caught up on some of his own work.
When I got a text from Michael asking me to meet him at a coffee shop two doors down from the gallery, I knew I’d be safe with him, and it was only about thirty feet from work. What could happen in thirty feet? Plus, it was broad daylight in busy Manhattan. I was worried there’d been a development with the cop and wanted to hear what he had to say.
It was midmorning, so only a couple of people were at the counter, neither of whom were Michael. The place had a small seating section in the back, so I scooted past the line to check back there. The moment I rounded the corner, something heavy crashed down on my head and everything went dark.
***
Hadn’t winter already ended? Why is it so cold? I thought it was spring, but everything feels so fuzzy.
My mind stirred to life in a groggy haze of confusion, cold, and pain—most noticeable was the pounding headache that pulsed angrily at the back of my head. As my eyes fluttered open, I wondered if I’d passed out after drinking and was hung over. None of it made sense.
I went to rub my aching temples and found that my hands were bound by a series of zip ties, as were my ankles. Adrenaline shocked my brain back to functional capacity, making me recall my search in the coffee shop and the pain that brought on the darkness. I bolted upright to sit on the frozen concrete floor and discovered I wasn’t alone.
“Finally, you’re awake. I started to think maybe I’d been a little overzealous when I hit you.” Sal. My father’s former best friend paced the small room in a wrinkled suit with several days’ worth of stubble on his jaw. I’d never seen him anything less than impeccably dressed. The sight of him so disheveled and frenzied was enough on its own to unsettle me. But knowing what had happened to Alessia and waking with my hands and feet bound left me absolutely terrified.
“They’ve been watching you so carefully,” he continued, resuming his pacing. “Alessia’s jumped in bed with that fucking Russo cunt, and Maria wasn’t an option, so you were my best bet, but I was starting to get worried I’d never get you alone. It was a lucky thing your father forgot to revoke my access to his phone account. I just had to log in to get your cell records—a little software to jumble the signal, and I was able to lure you to the coffee shop with a simple text. With a car in the back alley, getting you here was almost too easy.” He gave me a maniacal grin as he finished.
He’d completely jumped off the deep end. Had he always been this way and simply hidden it? What did he want with me? “Why are you doing this?” My voice shook from fear and the cold. I didn’t want to sound so pathetic, but I didn’t feel capable of much else.
“Because your father’s got half the East Coast after me, the fuckin’ moron. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have to hide inside, I’d be laughing my ass off knowing I’m right under his nose still on Staten Island. You’re my leverage to get out of here with my heart still beating. That reminds me … the phone, I need the phone,” he muttered, patting his pockets. “I’m gonna call Enzo, and I know him—he’ll demand to talk to you. That’s why I had to wait for you to wake up. You tell him you’re fine, but you better not say one damn thing more. I need you alive for now, but that doesn’t mean I need you in one piece—got it?” He glared at me with gray, soulless eyes, then pulled open a thick, sealed door and vanished.
My dad—I was going to get to talk to my dad. Relief and hope made my eyes sting with tears, and my lungs shuddered with the start of sobs, but I quickly pulled myself together. I had to find a way to tell my dad where I was, but how? What could I say to tip him off that I was still on Staten Island without Sal understanding?
Still on Staten Island.
My necklace.
I reached up and lifted the pendant, but before I could work on the clasp, the door began to open. I yanked as hard as I could, ripping the chain from my neck and tucking it in one of
my jean pockets.
Sal entered my frozen cell, eyes glued to a disposable phone.
“Uncle Sal, it’s so cold in here. Please, can I have a blanket or something?” This time, I was more than happy to infuse my voice with weakness. I had a plan, and I wanted Sal to see me as totally helpless so he wouldn’t get suspicious.
“It’s hardly on refrigerate, so you’ll be fine. If your father does what he’s supposed to, you’ll be out of here soon enough.” He never looked at me, muttering his response as he fiddled with the phone and some other device he was holding.
Looking up, I realized there were evenly spaced rows of sliders along the ceiling as if used to hang stuff throughout the room. Was I in a walk-in freezer? Why had the asshole put me in a freezer? Was giving me a concussion and tying me up not enough? I had been the goddamn flower girl at his wedding, and now he couldn’t have cared less if I was bleeding out before him.
This man was a total sociopath, and I’d had no idea. I considered myself exceptionally observant, but he’d fooled even me. Panic made my muscles begin to seize and clench even more than they already were fighting off the cold. I was wracked with full-body tremors. He didn’t think it was too cold, but he had a hundred pounds on me and was in a full suit. I had a thin blouse and jeggings on—my teeth were chattering so bad my jaw was already aching.
“Enzo, it’s been a while … Yeah, save the threats for someone who cares. I have little Sofia here, so I need you to listen up … That’s better. You call off all the hunting dogs—you, the Russos and Gallos, and especially the fucking Russians. I want safe passage from the city, and once I’m out, I’ll tell you where you can find Sofia … I figured you’d ask—here.” He placed his hand over the receiver and glared at me with challenge, showing me how much he’d enjoy punishing me for any misstep.
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