Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
"I don’t know specifics about the conflict," Gianna says somberly, "but if Nico claims it, it's indisputably true. After his brother's passing, when Nico assumed leadership, he would never sanction a hit in public. He would never harm an innocent."
The implication is hard to miss. He wouldn't harm civilians, but he would eliminate threats.
"You must think something big is going on if you've just divulged all that to a virtual stranger," I say.
She shrugs. "I can only speak for my son. And when I look at him lately, I glimpse the boy he was before discovering how twisted his father was."
I think back to the picture at the golf course, the smiling child, Nico lamenting his one-time ignorance of how lucky he was.
"What do you expect me to do regarding this information?" I ask.
"Nothing," Gianna replies. "Except... don't punish yourself. Live your own life."
More subtext. Live my life, not the one I think my mother would want for me.
I drain my champagne glass. "Since you've been so truthful, I'll reciprocate. I'm growing tired of fighting this... this connection with Nico. I can't even articulate it properly."
"Falling in love."
"Take it easy there!" I gasp, though I'm smiling.
Despite everything she's just revealed – mobsters, drugs, human trafficking – I'm smiling. Is something fundamentally wrong with me? Is my relief really so overwhelming?
"Then wipe that grin off your face, dear," Gianna says.
I try to, but it proves challenging.
"My life has improved immeasurably since Nico assumed control. The city is safer. I no longer live terrorized by threats from my husband or son. I've risked all that by speaking so candidly with you, Sienna."
"I won't betray your confidence," I murmur.
"Has it changed your perception of Nico?"
I sigh. "I don’t know how to answer that."
But that's a lie. The truth is, I want to let go. Like the woman in the play, I want to immerse myself in this new life. But apprehension holds me back. What if Gianna is lying or misinterpreting? What if, when Nico and I cease our pretenses, we discover nothing substantial beneath?
Staying single, while lonely, has its benefits. For one thing, I don’t have to answer questions like these.
“It’s not like I’m going to throw myself at his feet and declare, Let’s get married. Just because I like him, or because I’m interested, it doesn’t make him any less of a stranger.”
“When he looks at you, it’s not like he’s looking at a stranger. It’s like he’s looking at someone he’s waited a long time to meet.”
I stare down into my empty glass. “That’s sort of how I feel, too. Like I’ve been alone all this time, and now this is my chance.”
“Then take it,” Gianna says passionately.
I want to, but that doesn’t mean the guilt is going to magically disappear.
Chapter Fifteen
Nico
Adrian is acting shifty, moving around in the passenger seat, wringing his hands as he looks at me. He keeps fiddling with his watch. He’s been like this ever since we visited the previous warehouse. In total, we’ve investigated four… and each was fine, no reason for suspicion. But this time, it’s different.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
He looks across the street at the warehouse. This one is in a much quieter location. No cars pass us by, and the surrounding buildings look abandoned.
“I want to clear this last one out so we can hit the bottle,” he says, forcing a laugh, but it sounds fake. “Shall we get moving?”
“I’m not so sure,” I tell him.
“Huh?”
“I’ve been getting calls from a prominent client all afternoon. I’ve missed enough work as it is. I’m going to need to spend the next two days working from sunrise to sunset just to make up for today. Let’s leave this one until then.”
“For two days?”
“Or we can have the men check it out.”
He swallows. Oh, Adrian. He couldn’t look more suspicious if he tried.
“No, we can’t do that,” he replies. “Think about it, cousin. We need to make sure that none of them are leaking crap. We can’t risk it.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm?” he says.
This is clearly a setup. It’s the whole reason I hired Adrian to begin with, to clarify if something like this was going on. There’s a real chance that when I walk in there, he will have men waiting for me, guns at the ready, either Russians or those loyal to him and my uncle. Perhaps these are men who want the old regime, Father and Luka’s filth, to return.
“I need to get to work,” I tell him. “Wait for my call.”
“It won’t take long,” Adrian says.
“I’ve made my decision. Is there a problem?”
“Nuh-no.”
“Good.”
I’m not lying about the work part. For two and a half days, I haven’t had time for anything else. I try to put Sienna out of my mind. That soon proves to be impossible, so instead, I settle for pushing her to the back of my thoughts… for as long as I can.