Page 131 of Niccolo

But if hedidn’tshow up, I was going to be incredibly disappointed.

I thought about how I should play the moment when we met.

Should I act surprised to see him?

If so,howsurprised?

As I pondered what I should do, I remembered Fausto’s words:

He’ll see through your deceptions – so be careful.

In the end, I decided to not fake anything.

And I wouldn’t lie unless I absolutely had to… just in case Fausto was right.

By the time I finished my food and mandarin lime spritz, I saw Niccolo approaching through the crowded lobby.

He towered above the predominantly Asian crowd, so he was easy to spot.

He looked even more handsome than at the wedding. He wore a linen shirt open at the neck, exposing his olive skin. His hair was just as tousled and carefree as before, like he was a model who had just woken up for a fashion shoot.

I was more enticed by his intellect than his looks, but the fact that he was incredibly handsome didn’t hurt.

As soon as he saw me, he smirked –

While I just stared back at him with a bored expression.

He quirked one eyebrow in surprise like he hadn’t been expecting my reaction.

Good.

He strolled over to the table and stood before me.

Before he could get a word out, I said, “You’re late.”

He burst out laughing and gestured to the chair opposite me. “May I?”

“I don’t see anyone else I’ve been waiting for.”

He grinned and sat down. “You’re not surprised to see me.”

“No, I’m not.”

Amidst the noise of the casino, he had to lean over the table to be heard.

As a result, I caught a hint of his expensive cologne – a mix of sandalwood and musk.

I liked it more than I wanted to admit.

“So, is there a mole in our organization?” he asked. “Or does Fausto just have contacts in every private jet company from here to Timbuktu?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said coolly.

“You knew I was coming, sosomeonemust have tipped you off. Either that or you have a very good poker face. In addition to having the loveliest face, period, that I’ve ever seen.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I said, although I secretly enjoyed the compliment.

“Maybe not, but I’m still going to try. Don’t you want to know how I figured it out, though –Sofia?”he said, emphasizing my real name as he spoke it for the first time.

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