And this is New York.
There’s no beach househere... not one that could belong tothem, anyway.
The doors close on us again, then open quickly at the fourth floor—only for a young girl’s face to pop into the elevator.
She blinks twice, scanning my dress from head to toe before shifting her gaze to Maleciandro.
“The forever sworn bachelor bringing home a bride? That’s a look I never thought I’d get to see.”
She snorts and jumps into the elevator.
“Chris…” he warns, but she doesn’t even blink. She leans against the wall as the doors shut again.
“Don’tChrisme. I’m heading up to see Kayla… and that’s gonna be a fun piece of gossip,” she teases. Before he can fire back, the doors open again on the fifth floor.
Kayla? Chris?
How many women live in his house?
The sworn bachelor?
He looks like the kind of man who has women falling at his feet every day.
I would too, if I didn’t know better.
She steps out first, flipping her long, dark-blonde hair over her shoulder. Just as Maleciandro takes a step after her—dragging me with him—she turns back, locking eyes with me.
“You’re very pretty. Don’t waste your time on my cousin. He’s no romantic.”
I bite my lip to hold back a laugh at her wink, just as she sidesteps Maleciandro’s attempted kick to her ass with ease. They’re cousins.
This house is full of strong-willed women.
In our house, women stay quiet. Keep their heads down. Hidden.
“See? You don’t want to end up beaten up like this for telling the truth.”
She sticks her tongue out and bolts for the only door at the end of the corridor. Reaches it fast. Scans her finger on the lock.
“You give a woman access to your place like that?” I gasp before I can stop myself, sneaking a glance at Maleciandro to see if he heard me.
My heart skips when I meet his gaze—eyebrow raised.Shit.
“What does that have to do with her being a woman? She’s family. Family is above all and everything.”
The words hit like a slap, and I blink twice.
No one in my family would ever put me above anything.
Except my sister.
“Come,” he says, tugging me forward into the now-open apartment. His steps are faster now, almost urgent.
He lives here alone? Is their boss here?
I remember something I heard my father say… their boss is called thecapo.
“Kayla!” he roars toward the staircase.
