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Knowing nothing he could say would change the mindset of the man sitting across from him, just like he couldn’t convince his father he’d never return to the fold, Nick bit his tongue.
“We’ll be out of your hair shortly,” Ariana declared as she handed Nick a plate with a slice of toast. “I’m sure you have to get back to work, but I want to send your sister a gift for allowing us to invade her house. What would you suggest?”
“She’ll be excited just knowing you were here. She’s intrigued by what I do and wants to be involved, even if only at arm’s length.”
“She has exquisite taste,” Ariana mumbled thoughtfully. “I’m sure I can come up with something.”
“I’m sorry to say, we must go,” Lorenzo abruptly exclaimed, rising from the table. “Nicholas, walk me to the door while Bianca says goodbye to her mother and Alfredo.”
It had been a command, not a request, and though he resented the order, Nick followed Lorenzo out into the hall.
“I owe you,” Lorenzo said solemnly. “If there’s anything you ever need, just pick up the phone.”
“I’ll bear that—” Nick began, but hit with a sudden thought, he stopped mid-sentence.
“Ah, there is something,” Lorenzo said knowingly. “Name it.”
“I’m not sure it’s my place to ask,” Nick said cautiously. “Please forgive me if this is inappropriate.”
“I’ll tell you if it is. Go ahead.”
“I know you may not approve of Sammy’s friendship with Bianca, but they are very close, and he told me last night he wants to move out to Los Angeles.”
“You can stop right there,” Lorenzo said, holding up his hand. “He’s already asked me to let him out of our agreement. I told him I’d think about it. Obviously I’d have a stake in his career if he and Rupert were to join forces, but Bianca is fond of him, though I still can’t quite figure out why. Regardless, you can tell Sammy he’s a free agent, and if he ever changes his mind he can call. Unfortunately he’s not back yet, and he flew out here with us. Tell him he’ll have to find his own way back.”
“I will, and thank you, Mr. Albertini.”
“You’re welcome, Nick, and here’s my family,” he declared as Ariana, Alfredo, and Bianca entered the hall.
Walking out to the driveway with them, Nick stood back as they climbed into the car, then with Bianca at his side, he waved them off.
“Thank God,” she said as they disappeared through the gates. “I love them, but they can be a royal pain.”
“I suspect they’re saying the same thing about you.”
“Probably,” she muttered. “What did you and Dad talk about?”
“Your father’s promise to introduce Sammy to Rupert Colby. It meant Sammy would have to stay in Vegas, and he wants to move to LA to be near you.”
“That would be fantastic. What did Dad say?”
“He let him off the hook.”
“That’s great, but why was Dad going to set that up? He doesn’t like Sammy.”
“Bianca, I need to ask you something,” Nick said quickly, not yet ready to tell her about her father’s heartless plan to make her admit what she’d done. “How did you get that house in Malibu?”
“I didn’t tell you? It was through a friend of mine from the club, Patricia Neely. It’s her family’s vacation home, but they hardly ever use it and it’s about to be put on the market. She asked me if I’d like to spend a few days there before it’s officially up for sale. The timing couldn’t have been better. It was almost like a message.”
“Ah, I see,” Nick said as they walked back inside and into the kitchen.
“Why are you suddenly so serious?”
“Sit down, Bianca. We need to talk.”
“Okay,” she said nervously, settling into a chair. “Why do I think you’re about to say something I won’t like?”
“Think about Sammy,” Nick began. “He grew up with no stable home life, no money, no support system, nothing. You have all of that and more, yet you put your family through hell because you didn’t think you were getting enough attention.”
