Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“No,” Destiny and I say at the same time. I stop myself from going on. She wasn’t talking to me.
“It felt silly,” Arria replies.
“Nah, that was actually, like, you were a model or something.” Destiny seems far more comfortable with Arria now. “Do you think we can wait until we meet again for the editing and stuff? It’d be sweet to see that.”
Arria looks at me. “That’s up to my uncle.”
“Yes, sure,” I say, almost through gritted teeth. I remind myself to unclench my jaw at the last second. “So what’d you think, Destiny? Did Arriana do a good job?”
“Yeah, it was awesome. All the lighting and stuff. Where to put the subject and stuff. Really cool.”
“Great—now it’s time to get you home. We’re on the clock, remember? Arriana, do you want a ride?”
She flinches like my question has taken her off-guard. The look she gives me might as well scream, Stop playing games with my head.
“Please,” Destiny says. “We can talk about pictures and stuff on the way back.”
Arria nods. “Yeah, okay.”
We walk to the car. I’m constantly scanning my surroundings. Slowly, I’m becoming certain that I may have overreacted by meeting with Arria and telling her about the mob. I could’ve just let her get on with her life. But what if something had happened? All I need to do is get through this dinner, then I can put this experience behind me. Go on with my life. Go on with my lies. And let her go.
“She was really nice,” Arria says as I drive her home. “Are we okay to be seen together, do you think?”
“Yeah, she is,” I reply. “And honestly, I don’t think anyone’s tailing either you or me. After my dinner with Dominic later, we’ll be free to put this behind us. If anybody saw us now, I’m just an uncle taking his niece home after she helped with some pro bono work. That’s all.”
“That’s all,” she repeats, hugging her arms around herself as if my words have hurt her.
I want to pry, to comfort, to explore. But they’re all terrible instincts. She looks out the window. “Mom had a weird reaction when I mentioned the mob earlier.”
“You mentioned the mob?” I growl.
“Relax—I said nothing about you. All I said was that I’d heard about some muggings, mob-related, and Mom gave Dad a really weird look. I’m not an idiot, Nico. They’re keeping something from me, I suspect. I think you know it, too.”
I say nothing. She turns to me. I can see her out of the corner of my eye, but I keep stubbornly facing forward. I’ve already overstepped the mark by sharing what I did to keep her safe.
“You should forget everything I said. I only told you because of the remote possibility that something might happen. So far, it looks like I overreacted. But better safe than sorry.”
“Yeah,” she murmurs. “But I can’t just let this go. Did you tell the truth about Aunt Lucy, at least?”
At a red light, I turn and stare at Arria. She’s looking at me with wide, gorgeous eyes. There’s a hint of desperation in her expression. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if we’d betrayed her aunt. It’s another reason she’s so captivating to me.
“Yes. We’re not a real marriage.”
“You had to fake it for the mob, right?” she presses.
“Who told you that?”
“I already told you—I’m not an idiot. It’s the only reason you’d have this elaborate scheme.”
“I don’t want to get you involved more than I have to,” I mutter.
“I’m already involved. I was involved the second I assaulted a mob boss!” she exclaims.
“He’s not the boss. He’s the boss’s son, a little prick, and I’m proud of you for standing up to him.”
She smiles. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Even if it’s caused all this mess?”
“Yes, Arria.”
“I thought it was Arriana, now?”
A car behind us honks its horn. The light has changed, and I hadn’t even noticed; all my attention focused on her. “Don’t be such a smartass.”
I pull away from the light. Arria goes one, “Destiny really respects you. She was singing your praises. Apparently, everybody in her neighborhood respects you. You’ve done a lot of good, Nico.”
“I’d better have. I’ve got a lot of making up to do.”
“That stuff you told me… your old life.” She audibly swallows. “What did you do?”
“We don’t need to talk about this.”
“But maybe I want to know.”
“You want me to give you reasons to hate me?”
She snaps, “Even if that was true, wouldn’t that be a good thing? Us hating each other? It’s better than the alternative.”
I sigh heavily. “Fine, if you want to know. Dominic used me as a battering ram against other crime families and, a few times, the Cartel. I always refused to hurt women or children or civilians—men who weren’t involved in the criminal underworld. When you enter this life, you sign a metaphorical waiver. I agreed to do violence. Anyone who used violence against me. Those were the men I killed.”