Chapter 22
Cassidy chuckled. “True that p>
Her head snapped toward him. “You admitted to that way too easily. Okay, now I need details. What did you do? Get high? Glue your teacher’s ass to a chair? Play hooky p>
He laughed harder now, shaking his head. “I didn’t mess with my teachers. I wasn’t suicidal. But yeah… I was what you’d call a party boy p>
She stared at him. “You? No. I don’t buy it p>
“That was a long time ago,” Cassidy continued. “It gets boring pretty fast. Same music, same drinks, same conversations that go nowhere. You wake up the next day feeling empty and smelling like regret p>
“I wish I had partied,” she said softly, the humor fading from her voice. “I spent my life being careful. Being responsible. Looking after everyone else p>
“It’s not too late,” he said. “But I should tell you… Netflix and chill is not the party direction at all p>
She laughed again. “Wow. So I planned this evening all wrong p>
“Tragically,” he agreed. “Just my couch and questionable taste in movies p>
Vee laughed again. “I just wanted to spend some quality time with you p>
Cassidy glanced at her, one brow lifting. “Does watching The Ranch count as quality time p>
“I’ve never seen it,” she said, shrugging. “So maybe we binge it tonight p>
He slowed at a stop sign, eyes flicking to her again. “You’re staying all night p>
“Hmmm hmm.” Vee nodded, lips pressed together to keep the tremor out of her smile.
Cassidy swallowed. Veronica Scalese had never stayed the night. She always left before midnight, always with some excuse about her father or early work shifts or Valentina needing her. Tonight she was sitting there in a short bodycon dress telling him she planned to stay. His brain lit up while his heart beat a little too fast.
This was normal, Vee told herself. This was what normal girls did. They went to their boyfriend’s house, watched stupid shows, laughed, kissed, have sex. They did not belong to men who bought people at auctions. They did not barter their bodies for their sister’s freedom.
Luca was just stepping through the doors of his mansion when Nonnina tackled him with the enthusiasm of someone half his size and twice his authority, already helping him shrug out of his jacket. “Your brother is here,” she whispered quickly, conspiratorial as always.
Luca closed his eyes for a beat and exhaled. Of course he was.
“Is Nonnina snitching on me again?” Julian’s voice drifted down the hallway.
Luca opened his eyes and fixed his brother with a flat look. Julian leaned against the archway, dark hair perfectly styled.
Luca bent and pressed a kiss into Nonnina’s silver hair. “What’s for dinner p>
“Beef minestrone soup p>
“Delish. I’ll be right there p>
She smiled, took the jacket and disappeared toward the kitchen, slippers whispering against marble. Luca watched her go. This house ran on her. Without Nonnina, it would be just a space of expensive stuff.
“Still a nanny’s boy, uhn?” Julian asked, glancing toward the corridor where Nonnina had disappeared. “Who keeps a nanny at thirty p>
Luca walked past Julian without a glance and stopped at the imported bar. He poured himself a drink.
“What are you doing here, Julian?” Luca asked finally.
“Just checking in on my little brother p>
“That’s something that can be done over the phone,” Luca replied, cutting the cigar tip. “Dad asked you to check in on me, didn’t he p>
Julian scoffed. “Please. If Papà wanted to lecture you, he’d do it himself. No, actually He paused, enjoying this far too much. “Your wife asked me to check in on you p>
“Oh,” Luca said coolly. “So you’re the errand-in-law now p>
“That woman’s pussy is going to shrivel and die waiting for you to come back to Italy p>
Luca finally turned, glass in one hand, cigar in the other. His eyes were flat, blue steel. “Do you have a crush on my wife, Julian p>
Julian shrugged, lighting his cigar with Luca’s lighter. “Luca, who doesn’t? Dad married you to the most beautiful woman in Italy, and what do you do? You run back to America, play god, and leave her alone p>
“That’s not your concern p>
“It’s everyone’s concern. You’ve always gotten the best. The best schools. The best life. You got to grow up American. Dad handed you the business like a crown. Why? Because your mother is American? That makes you special p>
Luca set his glass down. “Careful,” he said quietly. “Your jealousy is showing p>
Julian snorted. “Jealousy? No. Resentment? Maybe p>
“I’m going to have dinner my nanny made me, want to join?” Luca drawled, lifting a brow with lazy arrogance sharpened to a blade. “On second thought, never mind. I’ve got the best nanny in Italy too, and I don’t plan on sharing her. Now get the fuck out of my house p>
Julian laughed. “See? Still sensitive.” He ground his cigar deliberately into the polished wooden bar, leaving a dark scar behind like a petty act of vandalism. “I was just being a good brother. Apparently, your ’wife’ has been misled into believing we’re quite close.” He glanced over his shoulder, eyes glittering. “Call your goddamned wife p>
Then he strolled out, whistling softly.
Luca stood still for a moment, the cigar between his fingers forgotten, jaw tight enough to crack teeth.
Luca turned toward the dining room. He pulled out his chair and sat, taking a long drag from the cigar he had stubbornly kept lit, letting the smoke burn down his lungs.
Nonnina appeared.
She didn’t say a word. She simply reached over, plucked the cigar from his fingers with surprising strength, and dropped it into a glass of water. The hiss was soft but final.
“You could at least let me finish that,” Luca muttered, sounding far too much like a sulking boy for a man who ordered men buried.
“No smoking at the table,” Nonnina said, eyes sharp despite her age. She placed a plate in front of him.
“Tell me again why there’s a Genovese rule about not killing family. Because I would really like to cut off Julian’s tongue and feed it to him p>