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A notification sounds on my phone and I peek in my bag and see that Sofia is trying to find me. I know that I can’t stay away from the house any longer today without drawing suspicion.
“It was nice talking to you,” I say as I stand. “I hope we can talk again sometime.”
“Me too.” He hops up from the bench and grabs the last few papers on the music stands.
We walk down the main aisle together in silence. When we reach the exit, Frankie heads toward the stairs, waving as I turn to the door.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as soon as I step out the front door. It’s not like I brought any of the guards with me. I came alone for a reason. Paranoia is getting the best of me. Stopping, I take a deep breath, then continue walking to my car with my head held high. If there was one thing I learned from Luis, it’s that image is everything.
They can watch all they want. The only thing they’ll see is overflowing confidence. I tug open the door and climb inside.
The sadness in Frankie’s voice eats at me the entire way home. Why should any of us be forced into this life because it’s what we grew up with. It’s full of pain and heartache and sometimes absolute fucking misery. No one is ever truly on your side and you always have to watch your back. Frankie doesn’t deserve any of that.
He deserves to have the chance to grow up and be a doctor. The chance to step away from this life. Luis would never let me have children of my own and maybe that was a blessing.
If my child told me they didn’t want to run the family, I would move heaven and earth to make that happen.
I’m going to make that happen for Frankie. He deserves better. He deserves the world.
The mansion is still quiet when I return. I expected to see Sofia the second I walked back in the door. The accident made her worry more than she already did. My mind is still whirling with thoughts of Frankie.
I decide a nice Chianti should help and head to the living room to grab a bottle from one of the display racks.
My feet come to a halting stop when I reach the entryway.
Nico sits in one of the chairs, a tumbler filled with amber liquid in his hand. The first few buttons of his shirt are undone.
I pretend his presence doesn’t bother me. He’s been the master at keeping secrets, well now it’s my turn. There’s not a chance in hell that I’m telling him where I went today.
Shoulders back, I walk toward the wine display rack behind his chair. The scent that is uniquely Nico surrounds me. My heart races and my insides clench the closer I get to him. His empty hand shoots out and grabs hold of my wrist.
“Let me ask you a question.” I don’t answer, just simply stare at his fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Are you rushing to be buried next to your husband?”
ChapterSeventeen
Nico
Of course she has to walk in the door, in a black dress, modest enough for church but accentuated every curve of her figure. She glares down at me and I push thoughts of her warm flesh from my head and focus on what I’d been sitting in the living room simmering over.
She’s lucky I didn’t drive across the fucking city and drag her ass back to the mansion.
“Why did you do it?”
She yanks her hand out of mine, her green eyes glittering. “Why did I do what?” She saunters over to the custom wine rack prominently displayed in the living room.
I leap from my chair, grabbing her shoulder I whirl her around to face me. “Don’t play fucking stupid. You are not a goddamn moron. A calculating bitch maybe, but not stupid.”
Her lip pulls up in a sneer. “So we’re back to insults.”
I take a step forward backing her into the wall. “Yes, when you do something so phenomenally stupid.”
“I went for a drive.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me,” I yell, the sound echoing off the walls of the spacious room. “A drive all the way to the Catholic church. The same church where Frankie is making his communion.”
Her eyes narrow at me. “Did you have me followed?”
I laugh, the sound evil coming from my lips. She can’t be that naïve. “Why would I do that, when I can track your car?”
