Page 232 of Niccolo

Then he bounced back. “He’s atraitor!”

“And traitors deserve to die?”

“Goddamn right!”

“Then why are you trying to getmeto become a traitor?”

He realized he’d walked right into a buzzsaw. “No – ”

“YES,” I snapped. “You don’t give a fuck aboutmeso long as you get what you want.”

“That’s not true – ”

“I’ll tell you whatistrue: you talk and you talk, but younevertake responsibility for the things you do, because you don’t give a shit about anythingor anybody except yourself, you narcissistic son of a bitch – ”

Niccolo suddenly leapt to his feet, his face a mask of rage.

For a second, I was afraid I had gone too far – that maybeImight get thrown off the fourth-story balcony –

But then Niccolo’s rage dissipated and was replaced with a mixture of regret and sadness.

“I didn’t say anything last night because… you’re right, I wanted to have sex with you. But not because I was using you. Because I can’t stopthinkingabout you. Iwantyou. I… I’m falling for you,” he said quietly.

My heart skipped a beat.

“And I couldn’t stand the thought that you were like my uncle,” Niccolo continued. “I couldn’t bear to have feelings –realfeelings,deepfeelings – for someone who could do the things he’s capable of. I wanted to live in the fantasy for one more night before I had to find out for sure. But you’renotlike him – I know that now.

“And yes, Iwastrying to manipulate you. Iwastrying to guilt you, in the hope that you would switch sides. Not just to benefit my family… but because Iwantyou. I want tobewithyou. Not just stolen moments here and there… I want to be with you every day, every night, all the time.”

I felt a sharp pang in my heart.

It might have changed everything if he’d only said that 15 minutes earlier…

But he hadn’t.

“I wish I could believe that,” I said coldly. “But with you, I never know if it’s just another move in your fucking game.”

“It’s not,” he said fervently. “Please, Sofia – come with me. Leave Fausto.”

“No.”

He shook his head. “You’re making a terrible mistake.”

“At least with Fausto, he doesn’t pretend he’s in love with me so I’ll do what he wants.”

“Oh, that’s right – I forgot,” Niccolo said, his voice darkening. “You want yourmoney.”

OW.

THAT hurt.

“At least that’s all he ever offered,” I snarled. “Which makes him a hell of a lot more honest than you.”

“Right up until the point he kills you.”

“Unfortunately, Niccolo, after your little charade here this morning, I can’t say for sure that it would be any different with you.”

“Here’s how you’ll know I’m different,” he hissed. “I could kill you now, and it would be in my family’s best interest to do so.”

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