Page 55 of Isabella

She holds up her hands. “Oh, I’m sorry.Rose gold.” We both laugh, and I already feel the air lightening a bit before we give each other a hug.

“Thank you for checking on me. As much as I need to still process everything, I do feel slightly better after talking to you.”

“I think some rest will help,” she says, crawling out of my bed. She opens the door, but before leaving my room, she turns back. “If you need anything, just text me, okay?”

I nod. “I will, thank you again.”

“Love you, Izzy.”

“Love you too, Lux.”

Turning off the light, I snuggle into my bed, the weight of the night finally coming to a standstill with me. I take a deep breath and try to exhale the anxiety of everything.

I’m so angry that Nicco never communicated with me when he could’ve, but Lux is right. Iknowhe did it to protect me. If Giuseppe was as close as Nicco says he was to figuring out we were in love, then Iknowhe made a decision that saved my life. But it doesn’t make it hurt any less, and that’s what I’m afraid I won’t be able to get over.

33

NICCOLÒ

Waking up this morning was easy since I never fell asleep last night. After talking to Isabella, it was impossible to shut off my mind. Our conversation played on repeat in my head until the sun came up.

“I hope you have some coffee brewing, because I’m in fucking need of some,” Leo says as he and Dante walk into my kitchen. Leo quickly finds a mug in the cupboard and pours himself some of the steaming liquid.

“Please, help yourself,” I grumble while he makes himself at home, pulling the creamer out of the fridge.

A smug look crosses his face while he adds it to his coffee. “I always do.”

“Maybe I should take away that key of yours.”

“Now, what fun would it be for you if you were in this big ole penthouse all by yourself every day?” he mocks.

“You all right, man?” Dante asks, slapping a hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah, what’s wrong with you?” Leo says.

“Nothing,” I mumble, rubbing the throbbing pain in my temples from the lack of sleep.

“No, seriously, Nicco,” Leo says, a hint of concern lacing his voice now. “What’s going on with you?”

I let out a sigh. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Dante circles around to the other side of the island, stopping next to Leo, and studies me before pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’d say you got a lot less than a little.”

Dropping my hands on the cool granite, I say, “Fine, I gotnosleep last night.”

“And would the cause of your sleepless night happen to be because of a certain brunette?” he asks.

“I finally told her the truth,” I mutter.

Silence takes over the kitchen for a few moments before Leo says, “Shit… and?”

“And nothing. She says she needs time to process it.”

“But that’s clearly not good enough for you,” Dante says, reading my mind.

“I’ve spent too fucking long away from her,” I all but growl out.

“Then you can stay away for a couple more days,” he says. “We need to talk business anyway.”

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