“My mother is busy, and it seems we have a little meeting to attend.”
Mortified, I follow him back toward my tormentors. The daughters of his captains, all of them stare at Nico with open fascination and a healthy dose of fear. But when his gaze sweeps over them, they scatter like sheep from a wolf.
He opens the heavy front door of the school, ushering me in ahead of him with his hand resting at the small of my back. The light touch leaves me more rattled than his scowls. But in a good way.
“Did you need me to remove your stitches?” he asks as we move inside.
The thought of his hands touching me some more, so strong yet gentle, makes my insides tighten in a funny way. “No, I did it myself.” I show him my healed wrist, regretting that I never thanked him for his care. That entire exchange hardly seemed real.
“I haven’t forgotten about the knife.” I jerk back, afraid he’s angry over the theft after all. “I meant, Dante and I trained Caterina to use one before her marriage. I could teach you, too, if you want to train. Unless you prefer Dante.” He frowns at the tiled floor, muttering something under his breath.
“I prefer you.” His eyes narrow as he stares intently at me, making me feel more flustered. “I’m sorry about this,” I add, nodding toward the principal’s office.
“Sorry for hitting the girl or sorry I found out?”
I think through my answer, recalling what he said about lying the day he gave me stitches. “The second part.”
I would swear a flicker of amusement flashes in his eyes. I saw the same look when he stitched me up, like he might be tempted to laugh.I wish I could hear him laughing.Just once to prove he's capable of it.
“That’s what I thought. Are you in the habit of fighting in school?”
“No, sir,” I reply, and he scowls over the ‘sir.’ I do it to annoy him, but this time it just slipped out.
“Did they make you do lines in detention?”
I flex my hand again. “How did you know?”
“I’m notthatold, Matilde,” he says, wryly. “Believe it or not, I can still recall high school, and mine wasn't much more progressive than this one.”
“You are twenty-seven, yes?” He nods. “Did you get in trouble, too?”
He shakes his head. “The teachers were afraid of me, but I was good at keeping myself in line among outsiders. A lot is expected of a Capo’s heir. I left the trouble for my brother to seek out.”
I had not considered Nico was once my age, which is silly when I think about it, but it sounds like he was cold and controlled even then.
“The girls outside, they’re unkind to you?” Embarrassed, I nod. “Alright. Nice or not, no more fighting in school, Matilde.”
“Okay… but what if we areoutsidethe school?”
He shakes his head, but this time it's obvious he's biting back laughter. Is there a way we might thaw the ice that’s so often part of our exchanges?
But, as usual, the asshole spoils it.
“I have more important meetings to attend today, and I don't like being bothered with this nonsense. Behave, or the principal’s office will be the least of your worries, understand?”
“I understand,sir.”
***
“You have laughed for two minutes now,” I huff over the phone that evening.
“Sorry,” Gia replies, still giggling. Even laughing over my misdeeds, I’m happy to hear her voice. “How’s it going with the babies?”
“Better every day.” No matter how rotten my day is going, their little smiles when they see me now never fail to lift my spirits.
“And how is Nico? Still an asshole?”
“Most of time, yes. Sometimes… he is okay.”
