Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“You’re misunderstanding me,” he says sharply. “Stop for a fucking second and let me explain.”
I don’t tone down my glare, but I stop trying to shove him off.
“I’m not the best with words, especially not when I’m upset. I’m not upset with you,” he clarifies before I can go off on him again. “I’m upset because I don’t know who sent those photos and I’m worried about you. I want to keep you safe.” He loosens his hold on my arms and swipes his thumbs gently over my shoulders, looking into my eyes as he continues. “You earned your job. Every inch of it. It would have gone to you no matter what. I never mixed my feelings for you with my appraisal of your work.”
As much as I want to believe him, part of me doesn’t. My mind floods with a million questions, all pointing back to the file he created on me and despite what he is saying, he’s running in circles. So how do I know he’s not just saying this because he’s losing control?
“I care about you, Riley,” he says, firm and sure of himself as he pulls me in closer. “I’m not going to let you go, not over this. We’re going to work through it, and I’m going to make it right.”
Tears still prick at the corners of my eyes, but I don’t stop him when he pulls me in against his chest. I want to be mad at him—fuck, I am mad at him—but I can’t deny that I want to forgive him too.
“You’re such an ass,” I mumble into his shirt, sniffling. “I can’t deal with all of this, Nick. This and the pictures plus work—it’s all too much. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
He squeezes me tight, rubbing his hands up and down my spine. “Let me handle it, Princess. I’ve kept you safe up until now, haven’t I? Just let me keep taking care of you. Don’t ask me to give up just because things are hard. I’m going to handle it, and I want you here with me while I do.”
I inhale deeply, sucking in the faded scent of his heady cologne as I allow myself to take comfort in it.
He’s right.
As pissed off and freaked out as I am about all of the shit going on, he’s right. He told me he was going to get everything with the photos handled, and he’s already working on it. And he didn’t even try to lie to me when I confronted him about the file. Though I’m not entirely sure what to make of that. All of this is going to take some work, but if he says he’s going to make this better…
I’m going to believe him.
Or at least, I want to believe him.
CHAPTER 21
NICK
I’m getting awfully tired of my brother forcing my hand.
The second I kicked him out of my penthouse on Wednesday, he ran to Ma to tell her all about Riley. She called me Friday, and the usual weekly invitation to Sunday dinner wasn’t a request this time.
Bringing Riley along wasn’t optional either.
It’s not like I hate my family—far from it. I even care deeply for Bruno, no matter how much he pisses me off at every opportunity. I do what I do to make sure Bruno, Marcus, and Ma are well taken care of. It’s my job to keep the family name on the up and up. They do what they do to keep our position of power from disappearing so we can all stay out of the line of fire.
Bruno’s less concerned with keeping the peace than the rest of us, but it’s just part of his shitty personality.
I just don’t want my life to be overrun by the shadows that he thrives so well in. I don’t want Riley anywhere near that part of my life either. Hell, I didn’t even want her to meet Bruno in the first place, but there’s not much of a choice if I want her to stick around. The biggest show of trust I can offer her is bringing her home and letting the truth bare itself.
She needs proof that I’m serious about this, about us, and this is as serious as it gets.
Something I’m still not entirely sure of. I’ve never felt like this about someone before but with her… I can’t lose her.
Ma sets her empty wine glass down, leaning back in her chair, as the three of us all jolt to attention immediately. Riley looks between my brothers and me in confusion at the sudden shift in mood, as dinner was amicable and relaxed up until now.
“Nicky,” Ma says, level and cool, as she rakes steely eyes over me and then Riley. “As lovely as it is to have you over again, I don’t think you came by just to introduce us to your wonderful girlfriend.”