Page 18 of Isabella

“Is everything okay?” I know Nicco and his dad don’t get along very well, so his tone makes me wonder if something happened during their meeting.

He clears his throat. “Yeah, I just, uh…” He sighs.

“What’s going on? Did something happen during your meeting with your dad?”

“No,” he quips. “This has nothing to do with my dad.”

The short response takes me aback. “Okay, then what’s going on? Talk to me.”

“I just…” He lets out another sigh. “Look, Isabella, there’s something I’ve been meaning to speak to you about and I don’t know how to say it without just coming out and saying it.”

“Okay,” I say, confusion lacing my voice. “Then just say it.” His tone is making me uneasy. I just spoke to him this morning, and everything seemed fine. What happened today?

“I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“This.”

I wait a few beats, expecting him to elaborate on whatthisis because I’m still not understanding what he’s trying to say, but he doesn’t offer me anything else. All I can hear are his shallow breaths on the other end of the line.

“You’re going to have to give me a little more than that, Nicco. I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

“This,”he repeats but louder as if he thinks I couldn’t hear him the first time and that’s why I’m not understanding. “You and I. Me and you. I can’t do this relationship anymore.”

His words come out frantic and frustrated, and it’s like a punch to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. “What’re you talking about, Nicco? What happened with your dad that’s making you act like this?”

He lets out an annoyed sigh, and it’s almost like I can hear him combing his hand through his hair in frustration… withme?

“You’re not this dense, Isabella. Nothing happened with my dad. The meeting we had was about some things I’m going to do to help prepare me to be the best don I can be when I take over for him. This is about you and I. I’ve been meaning to bring it up to you for a bit now, but I didn’t know how to.” He pauses before letting out a breath. “We’ve been dating for over a year now, and it feels like we’re just holding each other back. It’s time we both move onto better things.”

“Excuse me?” His tone has changed to being much more stern. Forceful. As if he knows exactly what he’s saying.

“We’ve had fun. The sex has been fucking great, but let’s face it, we’re both young and I think it’s best if we end things now.”

“Nicco, what are you?—”

“Haven’t you noticed? I’ve been busy lately. Making time for this relationship is getting more and more difficult. Balancing you and balancing what my sole purpose in life is, isn’t working.”

Niccohasbeen pretty busy with his dad, but we’ve been making it work. Seeing each other whenever we’re able to. I didn’t realize it had been affecting him this much.

“Look,” he says, letting out an irritated breath. “I’m going to Italy for a bit. My dad has someone he wants me to meet.”

“Someone?” I repeat.

He lets out another sigh. “A prospective bride.”

“So this has everything to do with your dad,” I grind out.

“No, it doesn’t,” he says. “My dad talked to me a few months ago about finding a wife, and I told him I’d be open to it. He found a girl in Italy whose family has connections all over there and in the US. It’d be a great alliance.”

I open my mouth to speak again, but Nicco pushes right through, continuing to bulldoze his way through this conversation.

“You know how important alliances are in our family. Besides, we’ve been chatting, and she’s actually visit?—”

“Stop,” I blurt out, my tone just as frustrated as I feel. My mind is spiraling with the words coming out of his mouth. How can he be this cold, telling his dad that he’s open to an arranged marriage? That’s supposed to be him and me. None of this makes sense.

Something must’ve happened.

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