She calls out my name as I disconnect the call.
This woman is trying to get under my skin. “I can’t believe she doesn’t want anything to do with me. What the fuck?” I mutter aloud.
There’s a knock at the door.
“Come in,” I call out.
Mom pokes her head in. “Nico, make sure you get your homework done.”
“I will.”
She constantly pressured me to finish my schoolwork, determined I wouldn’t graduate with poor grades. Mom insists that I need this education to manage the family business.
“Why did you try to fight Tizáno?” she asks.
I blow out a breath. “Is that what Dad told you?”
She dropped down onto the foot of the bed. “Miff called your father. Said you were getting hot and heavy with Tizáno’s daughter in the car parked in their driveway.”
Miff had been posted outside the Cichellos neighborhood as an extra pair of eyes to spot any trouble that might come up. Looks like I ended up being the trouble.
I arch a brow. “Mom, I was kissing my girlfriend. Her father just can’t accept we’re a couple.”
I think back to the conversation my dad and I had earlier.
“Son, there’s a time and place for everything. Why did you dangle your kissing session in front of Tizáno?”
He peered at me in the back seat of the Suburban. I ground my teeth together; angry our fathers were inserting themselves in our relationship.
“I was kissing my girlfriend good night. Should I have taken her to the lake and made out with her there?”
He arched a brow. “Yes, Nico. You were kissing the man’s daughter in his driveway. She’s his little girl. If you did that to my daughter, I would’ve dragged you out of the car and beat your face in.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re the same man who stole mom from her family. Told grandpa if he challenged you you’d take him out.”
“Nico, we were in the middle of a war. Our situations aren’t similar. You tried to start a mafia war over a girl.”
“Dad, he tried to intimidate me by dragging me down to his man cave with a gun range. He even had one of his enemies tied up there. He put on a whole performance loading his gun, like I was supposed to back down. She’s my woman, and he has to accept that.”
“Nico,” dad roared. “That’s enough. You will behave like you have some sense. No starting mafia wars. Make out with the girl somewhere else. Not in his driveway. Kiss her good night and go on your way. If you wanted him to know his daughter is yours you made your point. You don’t have to twist the knife in his chest every chance you get. Do you understand?”
I exhaled. “Yes, Dad. I understand.”
Dad is right. This is a game I’m playing. I don’t have to be so blatant with my actions. Not in front of her father, anyway. He just pissed me off when he tried to play me like I was some soft guy who would bow down to him. I wouldn’t.
“From the statement you made before I entered, it sounds like your focus should be on making her see what’s inside your heart.” She points at my chest.
Her words brought me back from my thoughts. “Mom, were you eavesdropping?”
“Nope, not at all.” She stands, offering a bright smile.
She pushes her dark strands behind her ear and plants a kiss on my forehead. “Good night.”
“Mom, thank you. Good night.”
She grins. “Anytime.”
Leaning against the wall just inside the school’s front entrance, I offer a casual nod to passing students.
