~ Chapter 28 ~
Cassie
Nico keeps his arms firmly around me the rest of the night, and I wake up having had the best night’s sleep of my life.
Everything is out in the open.
No secrets. No more lying.
“You awake, piccante?”
“Mmhmm,” I hum, turning my face towards him and planting a little kiss to his chest. “Can you order me coffee?”
He shakes with a short laugh. “Yeah, I can do that. You stay here and I’ll come and get you when it’s here.”
“Okay.” He won’t get an argument from me. This bed is comfortable.
When Nico stands, I get a nice view of his perfect ass, along with the ocean beyond the wall of windows.
I could get used to this. I wonder what the view from his place in New York looks like.
I stare out at the ocean for a while, and then slide out of bed to use the bathroom. I put on one of the white robes hanging behind the door and find Nico sitting at the round dining table off the kitchen, reading the newspaper with the local news on the TV with the volume down.
My eyes skirt over the screen at first, but go back when I see the name Pandemonium on the bottom.
What the…?
Footage of the club on fire comes onto the screen and I gasp. “Nico, what did you do?”
“Huh?” he says casually, looking up from the newspaper to see where I’m looking. “Oh, that. It was necessary.”
“Was it?”
“Yes. I can’t know that place is still standing or I’ll going fucking crazy.”
“I think you already have judging by the fact you had it burned down.”
“It was a decision made in anger, but one I’m still glad I made. I don’t want anyone who saw you dance be able to go back there and remember you. I don’t want that piece of shit from last night to be able to go back there and do that to someone else. Not that he’ll be able to do much with the way I left him. I didn’t want them in business anymore, and now they’re not.”
That’s the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. Crazy, insane, and completely unnecessary. But I love that he did it all the same. So, I guess I’m a little crazy too.
“Are you mad?” he asks, looking over his shoulder at me, still frozen by the doorway.
I shake my head. “No.”
“Good. Come sit. Breakfast will be here in a few minutes.”
“You’re crazy,” I whisper, shaking my head.
He gives me one of his smiles that leaves me stunned by how handsome he is. “It seems I’m only crazy when it involves you.”
“Let’s keep it that way.” I place my hand on his shoulder and kiss his cheek before taking the seat beside him that faces the windows.
When the food arrives, I eagerly wait for Nico to place the coffee carafe on the table and then pour myself a steaming cup of happiness. I add a little cream to it and bring it to my nose to inhale the hazelnut scent. By the time I take a sip, I realize Nico is looking at me like I’m doing something fascinating.
“Yes?”
“Nothing. I’m just realizing one of my fantasies is playing out before my eyes.”
Oh…
I smile behind my cup, remembering what he said about waking up with him and having breakfast in my robe and letting it slip open.
I sip my coffee and take a piece of bacon off my plate. Biting into it, I place my coffee down and covertly untie the belt on the robe.
Reaching to the middle of the table for the salt and pepper, I sprinkle a little of each on my eggs and let my robe fall open when I place them back.
I angle myself towards Nico and put on a little show crossing my legs so he can see his fantasy as a reality.
“Fuck, baby,” he groans, scraping his teeth over his lower lip.
“Hmm?” I casually go about buttering my pancakes and pouring syrup over them while he sits back and drinks his coffee, keeping his eyes on me. “Your food’s getting cold,” I tell him.
“It’ll be fine.”
“Whatever you say.”
“It is.” He smirks.
I’ll let him have his fill. He came to my rescue last night. But when a drop of syrup drips from my fork onto my chest, he groans and snaps. Grabbing the seat of my chair, he pulls me towards him and bands his arm around my back while his mouth descends on my chest.
His hot tongue swipes up the syrup. “Delicious.”
“It’s even better on the food. You should eat.”
“It’s better on you, piccante. Trust me.”
“I’ll have to. I can’t lick it off my own chest.”
“I’d be hot if you could.”
Laughing, I go about eating and drinking the best coffee I’ve ever had, blissfully content.
That is, until it hits me that my brother is being held hostage by a family who hates mine.
I place my fork down and wrap my robe around me again. “Nico, as much as I’d like to think everything is perfect right now – which it almost is – my brother needs me. I don’t know what they’re doing to him.”
“Hey,” Nico says gently, squeezing my thigh. “You said you trusted me to take care of it, and I am.”
“How?”
“I called Leo and told him what’s going on. He’s arranging the money now and we’ll meet him in New York this afternoon to get your brother back.”
“Really?” I ask, surprised and elated.
“Yes.”
“Thank you!” I launch myself at him and he holds me tight. “I promise to pay you back very thoroughly afterwards,” I whisper in his ear, and his arms tighten around me.
“I’d never turn down an offer like that, la mia rossa piccante.”