Chapter 28 #2
His gaze dropped to my slit. When it came back to meet me, it brought a wave of frustration. “Don’t wander off.”
I leaned up to pat him on his shoulder and whispered into his ear. “Don’t worry. I won’t run off before I take your last breath.”
He growled. Then turned and gripped my neck. He was surprised by his actions. A word fell from his. “Promise?” It panged in my chest. Surprised me with it.
The rest of the room melted into white noise. We stared at each other. It took me some time to realize he’d released his grip. After a long pause, I collected my shattered mind and walked away with Daria. I didn’t need to turn back to know his gaze followed me all the way out of the room.
Thankfully, she took me to a guest bedroom further down the hall, away from the crowd. We walked into the en-suite. She closed the door behind us and immediately popped the question.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Anna?”
I didn’t know anymore. He confused me. Pulled at my emotions. Ripped my insides out. To her, I said, “Everything’s fine.”
She didn’t look so convinced.
I eased her worries. “I mean, it takes some time to get used to him.” Why did he turn me hot and cold and hot again?
She observed me. “I can imagine. Plus,” she crossed over to the sink and dabbed at her lips, “you weren’t born into it. I was, and I still can’t get used to all of this.”
She waved her hands around. It took me some time to figure out that she meant the Mafia. Right. How could I have forgotten that?
“Was he always like this?” I couldn’t help this curiosity. It was so I could get the job done.
Her gaze on me was too intense. I crossed to the other sink, opened my purse, and fumbled in it. I had no idea what I was doing.
After a second, she answered. “I’ve always known him like this. But I haven’t been married for that long…” She took her mascara out and rolled it on her thick eyelashes. “Enzo says he was different before.”
“How?”
“Less distant. More open. At least with family.”
“Before what?”
“Hmm…” She frowned at the mirror. “I don’t know.” She glanced at me. “You want me to ask him?”
“No.” My tone was sharp. I softened it with my next words. “I was just curious.”
What had changed in his life? Was that the reason behind his suicidal mission? Not that I cared.
She put her mascara away and drew closer to me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nodded, but her gaze was on my hand. I’d crumbled the tissue to dust. Idiota.
“I’m just nervous.” She didn’t look convinced. “I don’t like big crowds.”
“Oh my God.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “I didn’t even think about that. I’m so sorry, Anna. I just felt so bad that you got married in the town hall.”
“Don’t be. I didn’t mind it.”
It was only for a month, anyway.
She shook her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. You don’t even know anyone here. Do you have family back home?”
My gaze snapped away from hers. Joder. I didn’t want to lie, but telling her wasn’t an option. “Do you mind if I get some fresh air?” I nodded behind her at the balcony that stretched from one end of the house to the other.
“Sure,” she laughed. “As much fresh air as you can get in New York.”
“Thanks.”
I turned to walk away but stopped when she said, “I’ll send Nico over.”
“No need.” I forced my voice to sound calm. “I just need a few minutes.”
She hesitated, then nodded, an expression of understanding in her gaze. I waited until she walked out before crossing the door to the balcony and walking out.
NICO
Ten minutes and thirty seconds. What the fuck were they doing?
I stopped pacing the hallway when I caught Enzo leaning against the wall. He pulled out a cigarette. “You look…” He paused, giving me a discerning look and searching for a word. “Bothered.”
I forced myself to relax. Rolled my shoulder and drew in a subtle breath. His cigarette dangled dangerously between his lips before he reached for his Zippo.
I considered letting him smoke. His house.
His rules. But I’d already stepped forward and pulled it off him.
He scowled at his cigarette under my foot, trampled into his marble floor.
I didn’t want to touch the thing and then touch Anna next.
And I was going to touch her next. My gaze swung automatically to the room she’d disappeared into.
Eight feet away from me, behind a solid oak door.
Only one word screamed in my head. Mine.
“Why are you letting her nab and jab at you?”
I hated that my hand went to my neck. Of course, he’d notice the small indent she’d left there. That seemed so long ago, I’d forgotten about it.
When I swung my gaze back to his, I returned it with a question of my own. “Why are you still paying rent to your wife?”
He shrugged. “I have to live somewhere.”
“You own twelve properties. Eight of them in this city.”
“I like this house.”
“You paid for it.”
He tugged at his tie. “I’m transferring my assets.”
I shook my head. I knew all about his assets and the transfers he’d done to make Daria feel safe. At that time, I’d even called it a mistake. If he knew all of mine, he’d have a field day with them.
We fell silent. My attention was on the closed door. What was she doing?
“What’s your excuse?”
I curled my hands into my pockets. Mine. I gave his skirting a kick with the tip of my shoe. “I’m training her.”
To kill me.
Enzo’s gaze burned the side of my face. I kept it focused on the damn door. I’d give it another three minutes, and then I was going in.
“You’re changing.”
I cracked my neck. “Aging does that. You should know.”
“You’ve stopped chasing after bullets.”
I turned to him. Cocked my head.
I’ve only ever chased one thing.
“As if each one of them had your name on it.”
Oh. That.
He went back to scrutinizing me. I avoided his gaze. The door swung open, and Daria walked out. I glared at her, but she only gave a weak smile and slipped away.
“I can’t figure out if it’s because you’ve given up trying to kill yourself or you’re saving the honor for someone else.”
I swallowed. Fuck. I hated that he’d figured it out. Two by one. Four-millimeter thickness. I needed to set my plans in motion. I had to protect her after I was gone.
His voice broke into my calculation. “You didn’t get a warning, Nico. They pulled you out of bed and dragged you to Juan’s.”
“I should have stopped it.”
“You tried, and you paid for it. For fuck’s sake, he kept you locked up for a fucking year.” He drew in a ragged breath. “If you want to punish someone, punish me.”
“You did nothing wrong,” I snapped.
“I did plenty wrong,” he growled. “I wasn’t man enough to kill him and set you free.”
“That wasn’t your problem,” I muttered.
“You’re my fucking brother, Nico. Of course it’s my problem.”
I bit back my words of denial. A frustrated sigh huffed out of his chest. “Don’t you think I know why you still sleep with a gun under your pillow?” Of course, he knew. There wasn’t much he didn’t.
I looked into his eyes and made a venomous promise. “They’ll never catch me unarmed again.”
“They’re dead, Nico.” His quiet voice echoed in my chest. “You made sure of it.”
Something thick collected in my throat. I choked it down fast. “It doesn’t bring him back.”
“No,” he agreed. “But his death wasn’t on you.”
He was wrong. That was one thing he’d never convince me of.