24. — don’t touch. #3
As they approached the table, Giorgio’s attention drifted from them to something Salvatore said.
Frankie tugged at Nico’s lapel. He bent down so she could whisper in his ear.
“If that bitch calls you baby one more time tonight,” she said, her lips grazing his ear as she spoke and the hissing words sending shivers racing through his nervous system, “I’m tearing the fucking skin from her face. ”
He failed badly at holding the laughter in.
“Quite a sight, you two,” Giorgio praised when they finally stopped at the head of the table. “What’s so funny?”
Nico didn’t know what to say.
Frankie saved the day. “Nothing, really. Just...exes and oh’s.”
Giorgio seemed to understand as his gaze traveled beyond the two of them to something—or someone—across the room. Nico didn’t need to check to see who was likely standing there, watching them. “Yes, I saw someone saying hi.”
His gaze cut to Nico.
“Merry Christmas, Dad.”
“It looked like you handled that well, son.”
“I tried.”
Just slightly behind his chair, Salvatore cleared his throat. “That wouldn’t happen to be the girl Marco almost got charged with statutory—”
“One and the same,” Giorgio interjected through clenched teeth, stopping his right-hand man from saying more. “At least she’s old enough now.”
“Did you know he planned to bring her?” Nico asked.
“I didn’t.”
“Did you ask him to take her home once you knew?”
Giorgio’s lips flattened into a grim line.
“Why, to make the night better for you? Honestly, you could do with a little irritation. You work better that way, son. Speaking of which...well done with Big Mike these last few months, Nico. I’m impressed.
We haven’t discussed work much, but people have kept me informed all the same. ”
That was probably as close to an I’m proud of you as he would ever get from his father. For years, that’s all he wanted to hear. But he didn’t care to hear it now.
“That’s it?” Giorgio asked him sharply. “I tell you I’m impressed, and you say nothing?”
A tic formed in Nico’s jaw. He still didn’t reply.
“Slightly less impressed that Mike’s been feuding with Anthony Carcoli ever since you joined the crew, but—”
“That has nothing to do with me at this point,” Nico interjected. “I don’t touch Carcoli’s territory.”
“Mmm.”
That was all Giorgio did. Just a noise.
Nico couldn’t even distinguish if it had been a bad one.
“I heard something about your money coming out of Chicago lately,” Giorgio noted. “A million to you a month, not bad. Keeping out of trouble while you’re there, I hope?”
“Someone makes sure I do,” Nico replied, tilting his head toward Frankie.
She’d done well up until then and kept quiet.
Giorgio turned his attention on her again, and Nico regretted bringing her back into the conversation immediately.
It took everything in him to stay rooted to the spot while his father’s gaze did a slow perusal of Frankie.
From where her dress gathered at the floor to how she’d tucked her hair behind her ears.
Nico looked to Sal who subtly shook his head.
“At least you can pick them,” his father murmured, arching an eyebrow when Frankie inched closer to Nico. “Then again, you did pick that other one, too, at one point in time. A dinner or two with this one might have been nice, had you made the effort, son.”
The way he just dismissed Frankie by referring to her the same way he would Mina, as if the two were remotely similar other than both being female...it pissed Nico off like nothing else.
“What’s this about a gift?” Giorgio asked suddenly.
“What?”
“The announcement you two wanted to share,” Salvatore filled in, giving Nico a pointed look.
Now or never, he thought.
Nico pulled Frankie’s hand from where she’d tucked it into his elbow so that his father saw the engagement ring that couldn’t be missed once it took center stage.
That diamond and all those begets caught the lights and glittered.
A lot like his girl’s eyes whenever she looked at him in her happiest moments.
“What the fuck is that?” Giorgio demanded.
“I asked Frankie to marry me, she said yes, and we thought sharing the news with you before we let everyone else know would be a nice Christmas gift, Dad.”
“You asked her to marry—”
“He did it the right way, and came to me, of course,” Salvatore put in, “and I already knew what my daughter wanted. They could both do a lot worse, Giorgio.”
The room had turned quiet around them. Nico kept staring at his father, waiting while next to him, Frankie said nothing.
Nico prepped her to be as silent and beautiful as she could when in the presence of Giorgio because that was really all he cared to see from a woman. He didn’t want their conversation, opinions, or problems.
Frankie’s hand squeezed his gently. He brought her fingers up for soft kisses that helped to steady his heart.
“When did this happen?” Giorgio demanded.
“Recently,” Salvatore replied. “Look at them. They’re a good match, boss. Don’t you think?”
His father’s dark and cruel eyes cut between Nico and Frankie. Like he had to search for something between them. Something that explained the unexpected engagement. That thing just happened to be hidden by red ruffles.
A beautiful distraction.
“You don’t think you could do better than my son?” Giorgio asked Frankie.
“I think—”
He didn’t even give her time to speak.
“I hear you’re a serious contender for Team USA in the future.
Summer Olympics are in Los Angeles in a couple of years; you’ll probably play.
You’ve got your choice of Ivy League schools.
God knows your father treated you like precious glass your whole life.
I bet he never once told you no, did he?
And that’s who you want,” Giorgio pressed, nodding at Nico without even looking at him.
If her smile could melt metal, it would. “Aren’t you going to ask him why he wants me, too?” she asked in a murmur. “Fair is fair, I mean.”
Salvatore’s brow lifted higher, but he said nothing.
Nico’s arm tightened around Frankie’s waist, a silent warning.
Giorgio, on the other hand, just laughed and gave her another good look. “No, sweetheart, I don’t need to. Those reasons are obvious. I can see exactly why he wants you.”
At that, the man glanced back at Salvatore.
“You’re right, though, they do make a good pair.”
“I know—I told you.”
“Should have told me months ago. Here he sat at my table telling me week after week they weren’t serious.”
“Serious is a matter of opinion, not heart,” Salvatore returned easily. “Sometimes that changes before we even realize ourselves.”
“Hmm. Well, when is the date?”
Nico breathed a little easier. Frankie glared at the man in the chair but fixed her attitude when he squeezed her side again.
“They haven’t picked one yet,” Salvatore informed.
Giorgio nodded, and his attention came back to his son and Frankie. “You’ll have to let Carmen know. She likes this one a lot, Nico. Never shuts up about her.”
“Tell me what? I just went to the bathroom, what did I miss!”
The sudden shout from behind Nico was just the distraction they all needed.
Carmen had a way of saving the day without even knowing she’d done so.
As he turned around to drop to one knee and catch his little sister in a hug that swallowed her whole, he realized Vanna stood a couple of feet behind her.
As usual, the two wore coordinating colors for their gowns, a deep velvet green.
“Are we celebrating something?” Vanna asked them.
“Yes, they’re engaged,” replied his father. “Apparently.”
He still sounded...too curious.
Nico tried to ignore what that might mean.
“Does that mean you’re getting married?” Carmen demanded, pulling at Nico’s lapels hard enough to nearly make him lose his balance. “Does it?”
“It does,” Frankie laughed out. “I think we might need a flower girl.”
Carmen, still holding her brother, stared up at Frankie with her wide green eyes sparkling. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Yeah,” Nico agreed, “she really is, huh?”