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“You sound like living in Las Vegas is punishment.”
It had never felt like that, but now, with the prospect of having to be around Nevio and his future conquests, Las Vegasseemedlike a punishment.
“What happened at the party you attended? Is your sudden change of mind regarding the summer related to your spontaneous wish to spend the night at Carlotta’s?”
Dad’s eyes seemed to dig into my brain, trying to extract the information he wanted. Even if I hated lying to him, this truth was too destructible to share. Dad would try to kill Nevio. They would both end up seriously injured, and his connection to the Falcone brothers would be irrevocably damaged. I wouldn’t be responsible for that.
“Dad,” I said with a hint of annoyance. “Have you ever considered that my asking you at the last minute is a tactic so you don’t overanalyze everything?”
Dad scowled. “I’m responsible for your safety, and I’m taking that job very seriously.”
“I know,” I said with a huff. “But with Greta in New York, I’m perfectly safe. I really missed my aunts and cousins during the war and want to spend more time with them. Don’t you miss them?”
Dad’s expression remained stoic. He didn’t like to talk about this. Maybe because he really missed them a lot. “I’ll have to talk to your mother first, but I have a feeling you already did, and you two are going to gang up on me.”
I made an innocent face. “You know Mom is really good at seeing the pros and cons of a situation. She’d never just side with me unless it was really the best option.”
Dad chuckled and tousled my hair as if I were a toddler. “Right. I won’t make a decision before I’ve talked to Luca and then Remo. You being in New York is a potential safety risk that needs to be discussed with the Capo.”
“His own daughter is over there. If she’s safe, I doubt he’ll deem the situation as too risky for me.”
I could tell that Dad seemed to think the same thing and didn’t really like it very much.
I stared at the bandage around my wrist. The broken bone limited my range of motion and reminded me of my confrontation with Rory. Not that I needed one.
Ever since our conversation yesterday, my thoughts had revolved around her.
Hearing her recount of what had happened between us at the party left a foul taste in my mouth. I’d really tried to keep my distance from her in the last year. Of course it had to end like this. I was losing control and messing up worse than anticipated.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about what had happened. Was the tight sensation in my chest guilt? I wasn’t familiar enough with the emotion to be one hundred percent sure. What I definitely felt was regret. Though not exactly in the way that I should feel. I regretted that I couldn’t remember anything. Considering how miserable of a fuck I’d delivered, it was probably for the best, but I couldn’t help but want a repeat performance that I would remember and would serve as a better first time for her than the shit show at the party.
Fuck, these thoughts weren’t good. Not good in the slightest. The devil was on my shoulder, giving me ideas I shouldn’t entertain. Aurora wanted space, and I should give it to her. Letting her go to New York? I didn’t think I could accept that.
The door to the former ballet studio ripped open. Dad, followed by Nino, walked in, looking as if I was a traitor he had to deal with.
Nino narrowed his eyes at me as he closed the door.
I leaned back in the chair I’d been occupying for almost an hour while pondering my next move. “What’s wrong?”
Dad pulled up a chair in front of me. “Fabi informed me that Aurora has asked to spend the summer in New York, possibly even longer. My instincts tell me this has something to do with you. Tell me I’m wrong.”
I forced down the flood of emotion his words caused in me. Dad was watching me closely, fury swirling in his eyes. I’d thought Aurora’s mention of New York had been an empty threat to get my attention, but apparently, I was wrong.
“Are you listening to a fucking word I just said? Tell me I’m wrong, and this has nothing to do with you.”
“Why does it have to be me?”
“Because Alessio and Massimo have too much common sense to mess with Fabi’s daughter.”
I almost mentioned Massimo’s interest in Carlotta but gritted my teeth instead. I simply returned Dad’s gaze. Anything I said would only make the situation worse, and it was already fucking bad.
Dad grabbed my shirt and jerked me closer to him, causing my bandaged arm to bang against the armrest. I hissed through my teeth.
Nino cleared his throat. “His ulna is broken.”
“He can stand the pain,” Dad said. He was pissed, really pissed, and I doubted he really knew what had happened, or he would have broken my wrist and every finger too.
I grinned. “I get off on it like you, Dad.”
