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“I wasn’t asking for permission,” I finally say. My father looks up from his drink and has a sly smile on his face.
“So, it’s safe to assume Cesare and Dominic have no idea?” Father asks.
Anya
After getting ready for bed, Nico still hasn’t returned. Where the hell has he been? It’s not like him to not at least check in. I wouldn’t consider myself clingy, but his strange behavior has me on edge. I try to read but can’t concentrate, so I try to watch TV instead. When that fails, I walk to Dom’s room. We haven’t had any time, just the two of us, and I really want us to talk.
I knock on his door, and shuffling comes from the other side. When he opens it, I hold up a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He looks surprised to see me.
“I come in peace?” I say, looking at him, giving him my best angel eyes.
He smiles and rolls his eyes, but he steps aside to let me in. I climb onto his bed and lean back against the headboard, and he joins me. I pour each a glass, and we clink them before drinking.
“Where’s your room?”
“Really? That’s the first thing you’re going to ask me when we’re alone? I’m good, Dom. I’ve been learning how to cook, fight, and shoot better. How are you doing?” I answer sarcastically.
He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and he doesn’t say anything back. He finishes his drink and pours another one.
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to, Dom. You know which room is mine.”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding, then takes a large gulp.
“He’s not bad, Dom. None of them are,” I tell him.
“We’re all the bad guys, Anya. I just want to protect you from getting hurt, that’s all. I don’t trust him,” Dom says.
“I know, but I don’t need to be protected from him. Idotrust him,” I plead calmly, even though he’s pissing me off. “And I’ve been the one spending time with him.”
“This won’t last, Anya. You can’t be with him.”
He’s not angry, he’s just stating it like it’s a fact.
“He told me he loved me,” I tell him, devoid of animosity.
“You don’t see it now, but you will one day. I always knew I was going to be capo, so I had to look at things differently. You didn’t know about the Triad, and that’s not your fault. But you’ll see. You have to make sacrifices as a leader.”
He tries to mansplain to me like I don’t understand the role I’m taking on.
I let out a sign, realizing we’re just going to have to agree to disagree. I didn’t have it in me to fight him right now. We’re supposed to be working together.Sempre.
“I’m tired,” I say, climbing off the bed and leaving the whiskey and my empty glass on his nightstand. “Good night, Brother.” I kiss him on the cheek and head back to my room.
Nico still isn’t in bed when I get to the room. It’s only eleven p.m., but he’s usually back by now.
I toss and turn for two more hours, and he still doesn’t come back.What the hell,Nico?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Nico
Ihad everything in place. Timed to the exact minute. I woke up early again so Anya wouldn’t ask me any questions. There’s one more thing I need to take care of. The sun’s barely rising as I walk over to one of the cabins, and I spot two of our men with three Outfit men sitting outside on the porch. I guess having a common enemy does bring people together. Scanning the men as I approach, I see just the man I’m looking for. I knew they’d be up. After all, I made the schedules. His eyes lock with mine as I take the steps up. He has a smug grin across his face.
“I take it you heard about the engagement,” he taunts, not even bothering to stand as I stop in front of him. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll let you keep your little roommate situation with my betrothed until this mission is over. I don’t mind sharing.”
My fists clench, and I can hear my knuckles pop. I wanted to put a bullet in his head right then.
Bash’ll kill me, though, if I start a war, and I can’t put Anya in the position of having to pick a side. I promised myself I’d never do that to her.
