33. Niccolò
33
NICCOLò
W aking up this morning was easy since I never fell asleep last night. After talking to Isabella, it was impossible to shut off my mind. Our conversation played on repeat in my head until the sun came up.
“I hope you have some coffee brewing, because I’m in fucking need of some,” Leo says as he and Dante walk into my kitchen. Leo quickly finds a mug in the cupboard and pours himself some of the steaming liquid.
“Please, help yourself,” I grumble while he makes himself at home, pulling the creamer out of the fridge.
A smug look crosses his face while he adds it to his coffee. “I always do.”
“Maybe I should take away that key of yours.”
“Now, what fun would it be for you if you were in this big ole penthouse all by yourself every day?” he mocks.
“You all right, man?” Dante asks, slapping a hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with you?” Leo says.
“Nothing,” I mumble, rubbing the throbbing pain in my temples from the lack of sleep.
“No, seriously, Nicco,” Leo says, a hint of concern lacing his voice now. “What’s going on with you?”
I let out a sigh. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Dante circles around to the other side of the island, stopping next to Leo, and studies me before pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’d say you got a lot less than a little.”
Dropping my hands on the cool granite, I say, “Fine, I got no sleep last night.”
“And would the cause of your sleepless night happen to be because of a certain brunette?” he asks.
“I finally told her the truth,” I mutter.
Silence takes over the kitchen for a few moments before Leo says, “Shit… and?”
“And nothing. She says she needs time to process it.”
“But that’s clearly not good enough for you,” Dante says, reading my mind.
“I’ve spent too fucking long away from her,” I all but growl out.
“Then you can stay away for a couple more days,” he says. “We need to talk business anyway.”
“Isabella is my business,” I snap.
“Not what I meant, Nicco, and you know it,” he says, and I’m not sure if I should be more annoyed with his calming nature while I’m losing my mind over Isabella or the fact that he’s right. We do have important business we need to talk about.
I let out another deep sigh, fully knowing how irrational I’m acting, but that’s what Isabella does to me. She’s so close in my grasps I can practically feel her soft skin in mine. I need her to forgive me for what I did so we can move forward. Together.
“Fine,” I say, conceding. “Did you hear back from Panebianchi?”
“He’s ready to have a conversation,” Dante says. “Just as we predicted, your dad’s dwindling power and control is quickly pushing him to our side.”
“Good. And what about Castello?” I say to Leo.
“You heard about him, right?” Leo says. “He’s stepping down and letting his son take over, so we need to set a meeting with him.”
“Huh. Alessandro Castello? Don’t fucking love that. Let me think on it. I’m not sure I want to let him in on what we’re doing yet.”
Leo and Dante nod in unison before Dante says, “Your plan is finally about to come to a head, Nicco. Are you ready for this? Are you ready to finally take down your dad?”
I nod and say, “It’s been a long time coming.”
It’s cold and calculated the way I’m undermining my dad, but I know I can run this family the right way. The few years I spent in Sicily gave me an earth-shattering amount of time to think about my future—including my future with Isabella—and this is what I need to do to make sure I get everything I want. I didn’t put Isabella through hell for no fucking reason.
I glance at my phone, willing there to be a message from her on it, but when I tap the screen, illuminating it, it’s void of anything.
Clasping my hands together, I let out a frustrated sigh while leaning forward and resting my arms on the counter. I understand she needs time to think about everything, but it doesn’t keep me from needing to see her. Needing to hear her angelic voice. Needing to feel her supple skin under my own.
While I sit here on the stool with my leg bouncing on its own volition, I know my impatience has reached its peak. I grab my phone and unlock the screen, doing the exact opposite of what Dante told me to do. I dial Isabella’s number and bring the phone up to my ear.
“What’re you doing?” Dante asks, but I ignore him as the ringing buzzes through my ear. Just when I think my call will go to voicemail, Isabella picks up at the last second.
“Hello?” she answers, but I detect something in her tone. It’s not anger or annoyance—something I would’ve expected from her—it’s sadness.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
She breathes out a small chuckle. “Of course you would sense something’s up with one word,” she mutters, but I don’t think she intended for me to understand her.
“What’s wrong, Isabella?” I repeat with more urgency.
“It’s nothing, Nicco. I’m just tired. Didn’t sleep well last night. I’m sure you understand why.”
Leo and Dante narrow their gazes at me from the opposite side of the counter, which I don’t like, so I swing myself around on the stool, turning my back on them to shut them out of my phone call with Isabella.
“I know, and I’m sorry for being the reason you didn’t sleep well,” I say. Silence consumes the other line. Not even Isabella’s breathing is detected, so I continue before she decides to end the phone call. “If it’s any consolation, I didn’t get any rest either.”
“It’s not any consolation. Seems like something you deserve,” she says deadpan.
I’m unable to contain the laugh that rolls out of me. “I guess you’re right there.”
“Is there something you needed, Nicco? I’m kind of busy right now.”
“I just wanted to check in on you after everything that happened last night.”
“You wanted to see if I was ready to communicate with you about not communicating with me three years ago?”
Some might take offense to Isabella’s abrasive attitude, but there’s that fire I’ve always known and loved. It’s something I would never change about her.
“I know, I’m a hypocrite. But you know me better than anyone. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine, and that’s exactly what I did.”
“Nicco.” She lets out an exasperated sigh, the sadness coming through again. “I can’t talk about this right now. I have somewhere important I need to be.”
I’m about to cut her off, but she continues before I’m able to, already knowing what I was going to say.
“And no, I’m not just saying that. I really do have somewhere important to be, so I have to go.”
A click sounds from the line, and I’m left staring at the blank screen on my phone.
“Let me guess, she hung up on you?” Leo asks from behind me.
My silence gives him his answer.
“Told you, you should’ve given her some space,” Dante says.
I spin around on my stool, still gripping my phone in my hand. “Not helpful, Dante,” I grumble. I stare down at my phone, rehashing the short conversation I had with Isabella in my head and how I can’t shake the feeling that something was off with her.
“You hold onto that phone any tighter and you’re going to end up breaking it,” Dante says, pulling me out of my thoughts for a moment as I glance up at him. Looking back down at my phone, it dawns on me.
The date.
Today’s date.
“Shit,” I mutter. I know exactly where Isabella needs to be.
“Now what?” Leo asks.
I snap my eyes back up to Dante’s and Leo’s questioning gazes. “I need you both for something.”
A crinkle forms between Leo’s brows, and I continue. “We’re going to Saint Augustine’s Cemetery.”
“Excuse me?” Leo asks, confusion seeping through his voice.
I push myself up to a stand. “You heard me. We’re going to Saint Augustine’s. Isabella’s going to be there, most likely with a guard, so I need you guys to play distraction.”
“You’re going to corner her while she’s at a cemetery?” Leo asks. “What is wrong with you?”
“You didn’t hear her on the phone. She needs me.”
“Nicco, maybe take a minute to think about this. You can’t just show up at the cemetery and demand she speak to you,” Dante says, always being the voice of reason.
“I’m not going to demand she speak to me. I just want to be there for her.” I let out a sigh. “Today’s the anniversary of her parents’ deaths. I just need her to know I’ll always be there for her.”
Dante and Leo exchange a quick glance before giving me an understanding nod. “What do you need us to do?” Dante asks.