10. Nico
ten
Nico
It’s been two weeks since I’ve seen my fire-starting neighbor, and time has done fuck all to get her and her hostile little attitude out of my head.
Before Savannah, if any other woman had snapped at me the way she did, I would have bitten their heads off. Straight chewed them up and spit them out.
I don’t fuck with people who talk back to me.
But Savannah? Fuck if I know why, but my body responds to her like a moth to a flame. I like her smart little mouth. Calling me baseball boy? Telling me off for raising my voice at her?
Fucking hot.
Savannah is fucking hot.
I’ve also stopped fighting the way the curves of her body, the smoky rasp of her voice, and the fire in her amber eyes inundate the thoughts in my damn brain.
I don’t understand how or why, but Savannah has me hooked.
She’s fucking haunting me. I tried putting her out of my mind. I even hit up the clubs with the guys, intending to find a woman to fuck, but I couldn’t. None of them were Savannah. My dick remained soft at every woman who threw herself at me.
Even the guys noticed my lack of interest and gave me hell for it. Especially Reed. That fucker threw every woman that walked by at me.
Nothing. Not a single dick twitch.
That’s not usual for me. I’m always ready to go. Especially after a big win. It’s unlike me to be stuck on a woman I barely know.
I’ve been dying to call Talia and find out every little piece of information she could give me about my new neighbor. I haven’t. Somehow, it feels like cheating if the information isn’t coming off Savannah’s sharp tongue.
My driver pulls up to the waiting underground elevator, and I grin to myself. The first time I saw her stabbing the button angrily like a feisty little kitten, I was giddy. I couldn’t believe it. It was her. The woman from the hospital.
Fucking fate.
Savannah took one look at me, and she already had her mind made up. I saw those impenetrable shields raise, even though we’d never formally met. It’s okay, though. I know I have a reputation.
It’s nothing I can’t overcome.
I slip into the waiting elevator, a touch disappointed that this ride to the penthouse is missing the vicious little kitten next door.
I chuckle to myself as I think about how Savannah would react to me calling her that. My dick gets hard just thinking about her yelling at me. New kink unlocked?
Maybe.
Usually, I’m the one in charge and barking orders, but for some reason, the idea of her bossing me around gives me a raging hard-on.
I pause at my door and glance at hers. The hallway is smoke free and quiet. Too quiet, making me wonder if she’s home asleep or out with friends. Or maybe a boyfriend?
Oh, fuck no. The thought of her with another man makes my ribs too tight for my insides, making me queasy.
Is that jealousy?
Fuck, that’s new. And kind of fucked up because I have no right to be jealous, but the feeling is there anyway.
What the hell is that all about?
With a sharp exhale, I shake my head, pushing those unfamiliar feelings away, and open my apartment. I’m greeted with the delicious aroma of garlic, tomatoes, and herbs.
I toss my bag on the floor and head towards the sound of clanging pots and pans.
“Nico?”
I turn the corner to find my mother cooking.
Various trays and casserole dishes filled with Italian food litter the stove and countertops.
I’m surprised, and also not surprised, to find her cooking in my apartment.
She does this. Pops by my place to fill up my refrigerator with trays of food like I don’t know how to cook for myself.
I grew up on the baseball field, and in the kitchen at her and Zia Rose’s restaurant, so I know how to take care of myself.
“Hey, Ma.” I circle the counter and drop a kiss on the top of her head as she rolls focaccia.
“Mio figlio.” My son. “You’re here.”
“Where else would I be, Ma?” I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and take a seat at the island.
“You could have been out with friends.” She says friends, but I know she means women. We don’t talk about my personal life unless she’s suggesting I settle down and give her grandbabies.
“I went out with my friends when we were on the road.”
“Cam too?” I don’t dare roll my eyes at my mother. She’s a fucking saint, like all the single moms out there struggling to raise their kids, work, and be everything to everyone.
But I don’t like what she’s insinuating about Cam. I know it’s my fault, but it annoys me anyway.
“No. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. Cam goes with the team for dinner, then goes back to the hotel room, where he talks to Talia until he falls asleep. You need to accept him, Ma.”
“I do.” She places raw dough into a dish, presses it out, and then drizzles olive oil over it. Guilt hits me again. Ma is holding onto her indifference towards Cam for me.
“Let me ask you, do you do this”—I wave my hand around the kitchen at all the food she has prepared for me—“for Talia?”
She makes a face. “Why would I do that?”
My mother’s over-attentiveness towards me is why Talia feels like she’s less important. “Because she’s your daughter. She works crazy hours, and Cam travels.”
Ma waves her hand in the air. “Lia doesn’t like my fussing over her.”
“Now she doesn’t, but she did when we were kids.”
Since Talia started dating Cam, we’ve had a few conversations about how she’s felt pushed to the side. It breaks my fucking heart because my sister means the world to me.
Ma looks away. “I know. I am working on my relationship with her. But we have different…boundaries.”
“Don’t I know it,” I mumble under my breath, but Ma doesn’t miss a thing.
“Hey, I can take this food home.”
“Don’t be mean.”
Ma wags her finger at me. “Don’t be a smartass. If you decide to find a good woman and give me a grandbaby, I’ll give you boundaries. Until then, go wash up and sit your butt down at the table for dinner.”
“Yes, Ma, but can you do me a favor?”
“Always, figlio.” Her steel-gray eyes meet mine.
“I need you to try harder with Talia and Cam. I underestimated him, and you can’t hold my anger against him. It’s all in the past. Cam doesn’t deserve the coolness. He’s a good man.”
“You’re right. I should try harder. I do like him. I just…” She bites her lip to stop from finishing her sentence.
“You worry about me,” I finish for her. Ma nods, confirming what I’ve suspected since our family dinner.
“You don’t have to worry about me anymore.
I hate that I’m going to say this, but I like Cam, and I really do trust him with Talia’s heart.
I would not have walked her down the aisle if I didn’t think he was going to love and take care of her. ”
Mom wipes tears from her eyes. “I really needed to hear you say that. I’ve felt so disloyal to you for liking him.”
Fuck.
“Please don’t cry, Ma.” I’m out of my chair and wrapping her in my arms in less than a second. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I feel awful, Nico. I’ve been so rude.” She sniffles, and the sound tears at my heart.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have this conversation sooner. The good news is Cam is a teddy bear. He won’t hold the past few months against you. And neither will Talia,” I assure her as she steps out of my hold.
“I hope you’re right, Nico. Maybe I should take this lasagna and drive it over to their place tomorrow.” She wipes her nose on the dishtowel in her hand and points to the casserole dish on the stove.
“Whoa, don’t get crazy. That’s mine.”
“Fine. You can keep it.” Ma chuckles as she smacks me on the shoulder and orders me to go shower before dinner.
After I get cleaned up, I spend the rest of the evening catching up with Ma. I tell her about what went down with Damien. She isn’t happy to hear about his betrayal but not surprised by his true colors.
I don’t know what bugs me more—that everyone saw who he was before me or that I trusted him so implicitly. That piece of shit. I should trash his fucking Lambo for all the fucked-up things he said about Talia. Fucking prick.
“What’s that face for?” Ma asks.
“What face?” I ask with a voice of pure innocence.
“The face that says you want to go scorched earth on Damien.”
I laugh. I really do want to go scorched earth on his ass, but I won’t unless I have to. “Nah. It’s all good.”
“Good. I don’t want you wasting your time on him.” Ma looks at her phone and sighs. “I’d better get going. We have food deliveries scheduled for tomorrow morning, and inventory calls…”
“And it waits for no one,” I finish my mother’s sentence.
We grin at each other knowingly, both of us recalling similar memories of a teenage me helping at the family restaurant. I’ve offered to hire someone to manage the inventory so she could have more free time, but she refuses.
My mother worked her ass off to provide everything for me. She never missed a game, and I never went without. I do my best to return my gratitude, but she’s a stubborn woman. She’s in her fifties and still has a full tank of gas for running the restaurant.
As Ma and I exit my apartment, the elevator dings. I hold my breath as the doors slide open and Savannah steps out. She’s wearing dark-blue scrubs, and the way the fabric stretches tightly across her tits makes my mouth water.
Fucking hell.
“Hello there.” My mom steps in front of a surprised Savannah and stops her dead in her tracks.
“Um, hi.” Savannah’s eyes bounce between me and Ma. She looks Ma up and down, and frowns. My mom’s a stunner, but we also look a lot alike. Black hair, gray eyes, and pouty lips.
Savannah’s amber eyes glow with curiosity, and something I can’t quite put my finger on, but if I had to guess—and really fucking hope—it is jealousy. What I would give to know what she’s thinking.
I cross my arms and smirk at her. Her top lip curls in disgust as we stare at one another.
“Please tell me you’re Nico’s new neighbor. Dr. Winters?” Ma asks.
Dr. Winters.
Interesting. Talia described Savannah as her friend, not a colleague. I wonder what else my sister left out about her friend.
Savannah smiles at Ma. “I am.”
“Oh my gosh, it’s so wonderful to meet you.” Ma hugs Savannah, and I bite back a laugh at the shock on Savannah’s face. Her eyes are wide, like a deer’s when caught in headlights. “My daughter speaks so highly of you.”
“Talia?” Savannah says curiously.
Ma nods, giving Savannah one more tight squeeze before releasing her. “That’s the one. She just adores you.”
“Oh, well, um. Thank you, ma’am.” It’s fucking cute how Savannah stutters.
Ma grips Savannah’s hands and makes a disgusted face. “Ma’am? Nope, none of that. Please call me Cat.”
“Cat it is. But only if you call me Savannah. And just so you know, I adore Talia as well. I’m thrilled she’s back from her honeymoon.”
“Me too.” My mom smiles softly, and her eyes shine. I know she really means that. Relief spreads through me, grateful that Ma finally heard what I’ve been trying to say for months.
Leaning back against the wall, I watch Savannah soften towards my mother as they chat.
“Savannah, sweetheart, if you need anything at all, just let Nico know. He will help you with whatever you need.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.” Her eyes seek me out, and the fire returns to their amber depths. The ire that sparks behind them only intrigues me further.
“Sure it is. Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. Nico, you’ll help Savannah if she needs something. Isn’t that right?” Ma turns to me, and Savannah rolls her pretty eyes in annoyance behind her back.
“Of course, Ma. I’d love nothing more than to help Savannah with her needs.” I drill the vicious little kitten with my stare, reminding her of the little fire she started the other day.
Savannah looks away, and her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink.
There’s definitely another fire I’d like to help her put out.
Ma pinches my cheeks and swoons. “Such a good boy.”
Savannah pretends to gag, and I almost lose it. The little smartass. I’ll give her something to gag on. I can already picture her on her knees, my cock hitting the back of her throat, as I fuck her sassy little mouth.
Blood rushes south of the border, and I shove my hands in my pockets to hide the situation stirring to life in my sweatpants.
Too polite to fight my mother, Savannah says, “Thank you,” and excuses herself without a backward glance.
I watch her peach-shaped ass sway all the way into her apartment. When I turn around, I find Ma watching me with a mischievous smile. I flash her a devilish grin, and she shakes her head.
“Have a good night, figlio.”
“Goodnight, Ma.”
I spend another minute in the hallway, staring at Savannah’s door.
The woman is a walking red flag. It’s obvious she’s not my biggest fan, but I still find myself curious about her. There’s a fire in her eyes that calls to me. I barely know her, and yet I’ve never wanted a woman more than I want Savannah.
I’m not sure what my interest in her means, but there’s only one way to find out…and I really fucking love a challenge.