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“I love you, too. You should call me daddy more often. You don’t that much anymore. At least not since your mother died. I miss it baby.”
“I’ll try to keep it in mind,” I promise.
“Remember, Emilia. I’ve always wanted the best for you. I believe that is Niko. You both have an emptiness in you. Together you can heal one another. I would have never trusted him with the most precious thing in the world to me if I didn’t believe he would come to care for you as much as I do.”
“You have more faith in Niko than I do.”
“Give it time,” he murmurs.
We say our goodbyes and I stare at my phone, wondering if I have the courage to do as my father asked.
Right now, I’m not sure I do. I frown because I know that answer would disappoint him. I close my eyes, hoping I find some of this courage my father is so sure I possess.I’m going to need it.
CHAPTER29
Niko
I take a deep breath as I walk outside of Dracos’s home. The tension during the meeting was palpable and it permeated the air. I suppose that happens when major moves are being discussed by two of the most powerful men around. Still, this time was a little different. Very rarely have we been on the losing side, but today that’s exactly what it feels like.
Maxwell is walking with me and he’s still silent. I’m sure he’s frustrated about how bad today went, too. Yet, I know that’s not all of it. He has been extremely cool with me all day. Whenever we’ve talked, the words have been short and concise. Even when a day is going bad, that’s not like him.
We just hashed over our proposal yet again with Dracos, the head of the Stratakis family, but it all went to hell in a handbasket—and much faster than anyone could have anticipated. It sure wasn’t something we foresaw. We were blindsided, which made the meeting a pure shitshow.
Dracos refused to play ball. He made it clear that he had more lucrative offers with the Irish thugs in Philadelphia. DeLuca stomped off, understandably insulted. Heads will roll, I’m sure. Still, that left Maxwell and I to tell Dracos what a mistake he was making. It’s not easy to tell a man who clearly has already made up his mind that he has made a mistake. Even reminding him of Antonio’s broad reach and the respect he gave Dracos by coming here, nothing changed. It definitely didn’t help, and I think it might have made things worse.
Every single step to our Escalade is filled with silence and strain. The pressure between us is building. I don’t know what the hell is going on. I can’t put my finger on what the issue is, but something is. I’m also pretty sure that it has nothing to do with what just took place.
The minute the vehicle’s doors are shut, and we settle in the vehicle, I bring it up. I’ve never been the man who avoids shit. It’s best to get everything out in the open and hash it out. I sure as hell don’t want anything to come between me and Maxwell.
“What the hell is going on?” I demand.
“Our whole purpose of being here in Greece just blew up in our faces. That’s what,” Maxwell grumbles, clearly frustrated.
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” I respond, shaking my head. “And you know it.”
Maxwell appraises me and then scrubs his hand over his face. “Have you spoken with Emilia lately?” he finally asks, pinning me with an unreadable stare.
Immediately, I get a burning feeling in my gut. “No, I haven’t.” I frown, wracking my brain to figure out what he’s talking about. I don’t think there’s any way he can know about the chaos of last night. So, what in the hell is happening here? “I was supposed to last night, but she never called. I figured she fell asleep. I’m sick of this time difference so maybe she is too.”
The whole time I’m talking, Maxwell’s seems to stiffen. The look on his face makes me think he doesn’t believe me. Maxwell has never been this way with me. As long as we’ve known one another there has been a mutual trust. Maxwell has seen me at my worst and my best. He’s accepted me regardless and the loss of that is apparent right now. It fucking hurts. Dread fills me as Maxwell gives me a cynical smile.
“That’s not the story I got.”
“Maybe you should enlighten me,” I invite.
“I’m not the one who has some explaining to do,” he counters as he leans back in his seat.
“Well, you’re going to have to so I can understand why you’re upset with me,” I respond, my voice tight. I’m not used to defending myself, but the fact I’m somehow less in Maxwell’s eyes has me scrambling to fix the dynamic between us that I’ve come to depend on.
“My daughter called me last night crying her eyes out because when she called your phone, yoursupposedex-girlfriendanswered. To top it off, she knew you were there because she heard you in the background.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, slapping my hand against the leather seat, feeling infinitely tired.
“Yeah, that about sums it up, I think.”
“Maxwell, Christ. I promise there’s a good explanation for it,” I tell him.
“I hope so, but it’s not me you owe it to. It’s my daughter. Whatever she decides to do from here out is how things are going to be.”
