Reluctantly, I shared.
“I don’t understand why we don’t eat this way,” he admitted, scooping the greens up in large forkfuls.
I let out a short laugh. “Can’t beat good food.”
“True that.”
While we ate, there was no reason to talk. But that was fine. I used the silence to think through my next steps. I doubted I would be fast enough to attack my babysitter. I wasn’t strong enough to choke him out and hitting him over the head with something heavy required precise timing. There wasn’t a knife visible to stab Luigi with—and I didn’t want to hurt himbadly. But that seemed the only way I could escape the apartment.
“I need the keys,” I reasoned.
He shook his head. “Not going to happen.”
“Take me to Nico then!” It was doubtful I would have better luck with him, but it was worth a try.
Luigi shook his head. “Let me know if you want to go back to the Grimaldi’s, otherwise get comfortable.”
He rose, wandered back to the couch, and flopped down with his book.
I glared at him. “I’m not cleaning this up.”
“I didn’t ask you to.” He opened the book. “I’ll get it when I finish my chapter.”
Marching past him, I debated stealing the book and tossing it in the toilet. But that seemed unnecessarily cruel. The book hadn’t done anything to me.
“Magnolia,” the mobster sang out from his spot.
Planting a hand on my hip, I rounded on him. “Yes?”
Dark eyes watched me over the cover. “Would it really be so bad if you stayed?”
A thousand responses rushed through my mind. While my tongue paused to pick one, Luigi continued.
“I’ve never seen my friend like this before. You’re good for him. Give him a chance to prove he’s good for you too.” Luigi bent his elbow behind his head. “Nico’s the best guy I know. You can’t ask for someone more loyal.”
There was no good answer to that. I worried the inside of my cheek as I tried not to feel an emotional response to his words.
“He’s obsessed with you,” Luigi added.
My chest tightened. I’d noticed. It was hard not to when I felt the same way about him.
But that didn’t change the facts. “He basically kidnapped me and is holding me hostage.”
Luigi shrugged. “Kinda romantic, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t.”
He laughed softly. “He’s trying to stop you from making the wrong decision.”
“Who is he to say it’s wrong?” I asked sharply. Because if I didn’t focus on the anger, my emotions were bound to betray me.
“Any scenario where he isn’t with you is the wrong one.”
And that, right there, was the problem. If I stayed—my stupid heart pulsed at the thought. But I shook my head. We didn’t exist in a world where we could be together.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said robotically.
It was no use.
