I took a deep breath, my body sagging as I exhaled on a nod.
“Sof, there’s something you should know,” Nico said, bringing my attention back to him. “Michael’s okay, but he was shot while we were rescuing you.”
My head whipped back to Nico, terror hurtling my stomach into my throat. “Shot? Where? What happened? Is he okay?”
Nico held up his hand to calm me down. “He’s going to be fine, but he had a gunshot wound to the leg that needed surgery. He insisted on getting you here to start warming you up rather than letting me call him an ambulance. He’s a hard-headed bastard.”
I was so relieved he was all right, but my heart hurt to know he had been shot. “That sounds like him. He’s always been super protective of me.”
“You’ll definitely have to tell us all about it,” my dad interrupted. “I can’t believe my little Sofia was buddied up to the bratva without me having a clue.” He smirked and shook his head.
If one good thing had come from all of this, it was having my Italian family be more relieved I was alive than upset about my Russian friendship. Had I told them a week ago, before any of this had happened, I was sure my father would have been livid. The sight of him laughing about Michael gave me hope that my father might allow the relationship to continue.
I smiled back at my dad. “It just kind of happened. It wasn’t exactly something I sought out.”
“How about you tell me the whole story tomorrow? For now, let’s get you some of Mom’s soup and let you rest. You were hypothermic and had a nasty concussion. The doctor checked you out and said you were fine to recover at home, but I’m sure he’ll want to know you’re awake. I’ll see if Mom needs help and give the doc a call. And Sofia, go easy on this guy.” He gestured to Nico. “I’m not sure he slept at all last night.” Dad kissed my head again, giving a small nod to Nico before leaving.
When I peered back at Nico, I realized he had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was a wavy mess. “Thank you for saving me and for staying with me last night.”
He pulled me against his chest, lowering us to the bed. “I’ve never been so fucking terrified in my whole life. Hearing you were missing was bad, but then seeing you lifeless and blue on the floor … worst moment of my life.” His voice was a soft rumble, even deeper with my ear over his heart. His hand stroked my hair, then traced a line around my neck.
“I had to tear off my necklace so I could give Dad the clue without Sal knowing.”
“We’ll get it fixed. Even better, let’s just go to Paris.”
A smile crept across my face. “That sounds nice, but I’d really like my necklace.”
Nico grunted. “We’ll do both then.”
I giggled, snuggling closer, then grew somber as my thoughts regressed to my ordeal. “I love you, Nico,” I confessed softly. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. When I was trapped in that freezer, all I could think about was that I’d never see you again, and that scared me more than the thought of dying. I know we may still have stuff to work out, but you’re it for me. Always have been, always will be.”
His fingers tilted my chin, bringing my face to his before his lips brushed mine in a tender kiss. “You’re everything to me, Ladybug. I know a lot of things went wrong for us, but sometimes, that’s what has to happen before things can be right—before we could arrive at this very moment.”
“I think so too,” I whispered.
“Love you, Ladybug.”
“Love you too, Nico.”
Chapter 27
Sofia
Now
“This shit ends now,” I insisted.
If I hadn’t been so caught up in what I planned to say, I would have laughed at the stunned expressions on my family’s faces. First thing the next day, I’d called my parents and sisters together, along with Nico, for a sit-down. My opening line seemed to grab everyone’s attention.
“No more secrets, no more lies. Our lives are complicated enough; the last thing we need is to keep secrets from one another. Not only that, but it weakens us. If we can’t rely on each other in this life, then we have no one. I don’t want that for myself or any of you. I should have said something a long time ago, but I got caught up in the lies and my own issues.” I turned to my parents, softening my tone. What I was going to say would tear them apart, but I needed to come clean. “If I’m going to lead the charge and air all my dirty laundry, then I have to go back to the beginning. Daddy, that night Marco was killed, I wasn’t asleep. I saw the whole thing.”
My father’s eyes, usually so guarded and stoic, suddenly became a window to the crippling pain he carried inside him. I recognized it instantly because it mirrored my own. We bore the same ugly scars that night had marked us with, and for once, we could share in our heartbreak with someone who truly understood. I leapt from my seat and flung myself into my father’s welcoming embrace.
“Baby girl, why didn’t you tell us?” My mom’s voice shook as tears filled her eyes.
I pulled back from my father, but he didn’t let me go. Instead, he made room beside him on the sofa and held me snugly against his side. “I’m not really sure,” I tried to explain. “I was terrified and confused. I couldn’t understand why Dad left Marco bleeding on the ground or how he knew how to fight. I knew I wasn’t supposed to see what had happened. When he got back in the car, I closed my eyes and hid, pretending to be asleep. I think I just shut down, unable to face what had happened. Then, when you all told the story of how Marco had died, I knew it was a lie but couldn’t understand why. It took me a while, but I watched and learned. Once I figured out about our mafia ties, it made it easier to spot all the other lies.”
My mom shook her head, heartbroken she’d had no idea what I’d been going through.
Alessia’s mouth gaped open, stunned that I wasn’t the perfect angel she always teased me about being. “You knew the whole time? I just learned about the family from Luca. I had no idea.”
“Luca?” I asked, eyes darting to my father.
“He’s a member of the Russo family,” my dad explained.
My head tipped back in a slow nod. “That explains a lot, but I still want to know exactly what happened with Alessia—the truth.”
“I want to hear just how the Russians entered the picture,” Dad said pointedly.
I gave a guilty smile. “Alright, my story first, but I want to hear hers too.”
For the next half hour, I told them about my secret life—about the paintings and Michael. Nico volunteered to unveil what had happened to him and the story of how he’d pushed me away. We took turns, giving explanations and opening up to one another—Nico and I, along with Alessia and my parents.
The process made me feel more connected to my family and loved than I ever had before. There was vulnerability in sharing your secrets, but there was also a tremendous reward. I was trusting them with my truth and was honored when they did the same. The process knitted us together, bonding us in a way simply being related hadn’t.
The only person who was notably silent was Maria. My father admitted that Maria had been a part of the outfit for many years, but Maria offered no further insights into herself. I couldn’t force her to see the benefit of sharing, but I hoped one day she would. It was a tremendous relief to unload those burdens, and I highly doubted she was simply burden-free.
Once we finished our discussion, we enjoyed lunch together, conversation flowing much more naturally than it had at our past family dinners. It was amazing how at ease everyone could be when we weren’t watching every word and attempting to put on a front. I loved my family, and I wanted nothing more than for us to be a close-knit group. Could we maintain the open channels of communication I had initiated?
Only time would tell.
After lunch, Nico took me to the hospital to visit Michael. Seeing the two men together in one room was odd. They represented two vastly different phases of my life—like Scrooge witnessing the ghost of Christmases past, I was unsettled and
on edge. Fortunately, Nico was totally at ease, helping to calm me. When we walked in, he went straight to Michael, offering a firm handshake in greeting. I wasn’t sure what all had gone on between the two men in my absence, but their exchange was a far cry from the near brawl at the diner.
“Hey there, handsome, how you feeling?” I asked, giving him a hug and ignoring Nico’s huff behind me.
“A whole lot better now that I see you’re alive and well. You scared the shit outta me.”
“Ditto. It wasn’t exactly fun to wake up and hear you’d been shot.”
“I’m fine. He didn’t hit an artery or anything. Now that they patched me up, I’m good to break out of here.”
“Michael Garin,” I scolded, finger to his chest. “Don’t you dare think of leaving one minute before those doctors discharge you.”
“One brush with death, and suddenly, she’s all about following the rules,” he teased with a smirk.
“I don’t know about that, but I do know this wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t trying to save me. I don’t want you getting an infection or not healing properly because of me.”
His brows came together as his eyes hardened. “You listen to me, Sofia. This was not your fault, so I want you to wipe that shit from your mind. The only one who gets the blame is Sal Amato, you got that?”
My lips thinned, and I nodded, but the guilt tugging at my heart didn’t simply wash away. It was hard to know that someone I loved had been hurt trying to help me. It was even worse knowing that person had been hurting for years because he’d wanted more from me than I could give.
“Something else you guys should know,” added Michael. “A friend came this morning to let me know they took care of Breechner—found him snooping around the gallery. He was some schmuck private investigator hired to look into a forgery. The guy who bought your first reproduction was trying to sell it off to someone else, and that guy had his insurance company assess the painting. The appraiser pegged it as a forgery, so the deal fell through. Our buyer got his panties in a twist and decided he’d come after the seller. Both Breechner and his client have been made aware of their error and won’t be a problem any longer.”
“I appreciate your family helping with that.” I was surprised that I didn’t feel the fear and regret typically associated with being caught. Instead, it just made me want to work harder until my artwork was indistinguishable from the originals.
“I was impressed the guy was able to trace the painting back to me,” Michael mused. “We go through enough middlemen to make that a difficult feat. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Regardless, it’s probably best we’re transferring things to Nico and the Italians—change things up and keep the waters murky.”
My head snapped up, surprise widening my eyes. “What? What do you mean transferring things to Nico?”
“Nico and I talked things over and decided it would be best if you ran your operation through his outfit. You and I can still be friends, but we’ll remove the business from our equation. It keeps things simpler, and you still get to do what you do best. That work for you?” Michael asked with a hint of humor in his voice.
“Uh … yeah, I just … you guys talked it out?” When did that happen? I was stunned. Why hadn’t Nico told me on the way over?
“We were actually in the middle of talking when your dad called to tell Nico you were in trouble.”
I glanced back at Nico, whose face was impassive as he listened, leaning against the far wall. I gave him a soft smile, sending him all my gratitude and love.
“How are we feeling, Mr. Garin?” a nurse asked as she entered the room.
“Ahhh, time for my medicine. That’s the only bad thing about this place. They’re stingy on the meds.”
I wrapped my arms around Michael, hugging him tightly. “I’m going to let you rest, but you text me later.”
“Will do. Another twenty-four hours, and I should be out of here, so no more worrying.”
We said our goodbyes and I left feeling significantly better than when I arrived. Nico had said Michael was fine, but I had to see it for myself to ease my worry. An hour later, we were back in the city at Nico’s apartment. The second he walked us through the door, he had me up against the wall with his mouth on mine.
“I’ve been patient, letting you recover and visit with friends and family, but I’m done waiting. I need you naked.” The tender, affectionate lover was gone, and the possessive, demanding Nico was back. He raked his teeth along my neck, thrusting his hard length against my belly.
His need drove me crazy, making me just as hungry for him as he was me. I pulled his T-shirt up over his head, then fumbled with the button on his jeans. I dropped to my knees, pulling his pants down with me, then slowly dragged my hands up his muscular legs to grip his hard length. That was when I saw the tattoo just inside his left hip bone. It was small enough that I hadn’t noticed it before, but at eye level, there was no missing it. There were two Chinese symbols, and above them was the word “love” and below, “Ladybug.” My right hand released him to gently touch the word.
“You were always with me, a permanent part of my soul. It only made sense my body should reflect that.”
I leaned in and kissed the inked dedication to our love, then peered up at him as I took his entire length into my mouth. Nico’s chest flared out as he took in a ragged breath. I showered him with all the love and devotion I was feeling until he demanded I stop and lifted me into his arms, impaling me against the wall.
“Fuck, Sofia, you feel so good, so tight,” he breathed harshly.
My hands rested on his shoulders, feeling the coiled muscles flex beneath my fingertips. “More, Nico. I need more,” I moaned, wanting him to brand me—make me his forever.
Nico did not disappoint.
He pounded into me until my body couldn’t take any more. He didn’t just draw an orgasm from me, his body commanded it, and mine was helpless but to obey. My legs and core flexed and quivered as white-hot pleasure exploded inside me, coursing through my veins. At the same time, Nico pumped his release inside me, continuing with gentle thrusts to ride out every last ounce of my orgasm.
For a moment, we leaned against the wall, recovering with shaky breaths. Then he gingerly carried me to the bathroom and set me on the counter before wetting a towel and cleaning me.
“I feel like I’m getting the royal treatment. Is this the normal protocol?” I teased, not expecting the dark look that hardened his features.
Nico tossed the washcloth into the sink and lifted me back into his arms. “I wasn’t exactly a saint while we were apart, but I want you to know that I never touched another girl before that night at the party. I know I said there were others, but there weren’t. I had to get drunk off my ass before I could stand to let Brooke touch me. I’ve never made love to anyone until you, and there will never be anyone after.” He lowered me into his bed, his hard body over mine.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Good, now I want to fuck you slow and sweet before we go grab some dinner.”
“Again?”
“We have a shit ton of missed time to make up for, so I’m going to be inside you a lot.” His eyes darkened, and his lips pulled up in the corners.
“What about my stuff? I work tomorrow and need to get my things.”
“You’re moving in with me. I’ll have your stuff brought over from your parents’ house.”
“Moving in?” I gawked. “Nico, we just got back together.”
“For seven years, I’ve missed out on that smile of yours, so I’m not wasting one more minute apart. You need time to decide if you want me?”
I shook my head, knowing he was the only man I’d ever want.
“Then it’s decided. We’ll cancel your lease, pay whatever default we have to, and get your shit moved in here. If we need more space, I’ll see about buying one of the places next door, and we can join the two units. As long as you’re here with me, everything else is just a
technicality.”
“Okay,” I whispered again, too shocked to say anything else.
“If this conversation is over,” he rumbled before rolling his tongue around one of my nipples. “I’d like to fuck you now.”
“Okay.”
With the one simple word, he was inside me—mind, body, and soul.
Epilogue
Sofia
Nico wasn’t kidding when he said he’d take me to Paris. It had taken a number of heated discussions because I had to quit my job in order to go, but eventually, he wore me down. He argued that I’d be traveling too frequently to hold a job, and I liked the idea too much to argue for long. I enjoyed working at the gallery, but it had only served a purpose for the old Sofia. Now that my secrets were out, there was little purpose for a day job.
Two weeks later, we were on a plane about to have the ten most magical days of my life. The cherry on top was how excited I was to come home to my family. My plea about becoming closer had struck a chord, and everyone made an effort to be more open.
The jury was still out on how I felt about the extended family, but we would see soon enough. Despite a killer case of jet lag, the day after we got home, Nico and I had a multi-family Fourth of July barbecue to attend. It wasn’t just a gathering of distant branches of the family tree—my father explained that this was the first Five Families joint party since before my brother was killed and a war had broken out among the families.
“Are you ready?” I called from the front door. “We’re going to be late!”
Nico came around the corner, an eyebrow raised at me in challenge. “In a hurry, are we?” He was so damn edible, I could have drooled. His snug T-shirt and khaki shorts with flip-flops gave him an almost preppy look, but his partial sleeve tattoo peeking from beneath his shirt said there was more to the man.
“You know I’m excited. Now, quit making me wait.”
“But I have a surprise for you. It came while we were away.”
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