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She wasn’t a kid anymore though. Tonight she looked like a woman.
And that was a fucking problem.
“Tristan.” Nora moved in front of me and leaned in for a hug. “You had to work tonight, really?”
“Don’t start, Nor.”
“Spoilsport.” She rolled her eyes. “We need to get the girls inside. The party can’t start properly without them.” Ushering Alessia and Bella toward the big ornate double doors, Nora snapped a couple of photos with her phone. “Ready?”
“Hell yeah.” Bella grinned.
Jay got the door, and the girls slipped inside leaving me to trail after them. Music spilled out of the darkened room but everyone cheered. It looked more like a wedding reception than a graduation party. Black stemmed vases filled with pink candles adorned each round table and there was a black and hot pink balloon arch framing the stage. It suited Bella down to a tee. She’d even managed to color coordinate her dress.
But that was Arabella Bellatoni. Life and soul of the party. I didn’t envy Matteo, her big brother, that was for sure. She was going to stir up all kinds of trouble at Montague University in the fall.
Alessia, however, she seemed to shrink into the shadows. It was always the same. Bella shone whereas Alessia did everything in her power to disappear.
“Tristan,” Nicco beckoned me over and I joined him and his father at the bar. “Any problems on the ride over?”
“Nothing,” I said. He and Antonio shared a look, and I added, “Is something wrong?”
“Hopefully, it’s nothing.” Toni rubbed his jaw, his hard gaze settled on his daughter and niece as they greeted some of their guests.
“Nic?” My brows furrowed.
“We got word that Jericho Mahoney is making waves. A couple of our guys down in Cranston have got their ears to the ground.”
“The Irish guy?”
“That’s the one.” Nicco nodded, a dark storm swirling in his eyes as he drank his whiskey.
“Do the rest of the guys know?”
“Luis is sending someone to meet our guys in Cranston. If there’s anything to worry about, we’ll know soon enough.”
“Okay.”
I’d been around the Marchetti long enough to know that threats weren’t unusual. Hell, my own cousin and Nora had been caught in the crossfire more than once.
When you were as powerful as Nicco and his father, there was always someone waiting to take your empire out from under you. But tonight was Alessia and Bella’s night, and the idea that someone might seek to ruin that, to use it to further their cause, well, it made my blood boil.
“Relax, amico,” Nicco said, gripping my shoulder. “Security is tight. We’re good, for now. Let the girls enjoy their night.”
“Niccolò is right, Tristan.” Antonio turned his attention to me. “Nothing will happen here. You should enjoy the party. Take the night off. There are enough men here who would lay down their lives for figlia mia and Bella. Have a drink, relax. You always look so tense.”
My spine snapped straight. His words were so on the mark it wasn’t even funny. Yet, he couldn’t know. Couldn’t have even the slightest idea about the thoughts which consumed my mind.
Don’t look at her. Don’t you dare fucking looking at her while you’re standing with her father and brother.
“I’m going to check in with Luis,” I said.
Nicco grabbed my arm. “Stay close tonight.”
I wanted to ask him if we needed to be more concerned than he was letting on. Because there was something in his grip, a warning that made a shiver run down my spine. “Are you—”
“There you are.” Arianne appeared. “Tristan.” She leaned up and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I hope you’re not working too hard.”
“Never. But I do need to go talk to Luis. Excuse me.”
