Page 233 of Niccolo

A shiver of fear ran down my spine.

“But I swore an oath I wouldn’t,” he continued. “And unlike your employer, I’m going to keep my promise.”

“Good,” I snapped. “Now get the fuck out.”

Niccolo looked at me coldly…

Then went back into the room, grabbed his shoes and belongings, and walked out.

Once the door closed, I ran inside and locked it –

Sank down on the floor…

And burst into tears.

It shocked me.

I was still angry at him, yes –

But mostly, I felt overwhelming grief.

Like I’d lost something precious…

Something I couldn’t admit that I really, truly wanted with all my heart…

Until it was gone.

94

Niccolo

Well, THAT went completely to shit,I thought as my taxi sped away from Taormina.

I was furious with myself.

I’d lost control.

Lost my temper.

And now I might have lost Sofia. Permanently.

The fact she was going back to Fausto was bad enough…

But I was heartsick that I’d destroyed any chance of something more with her.

I’d made every single fucking mistake in the book.

I’d taken the moral high ground when I didn’t deserve to.

I’d guilted and shamed her.

Worst of all, I hadtried to use Lazaro and the deaths of those bankers as a way to manipulate her.

Yet, just like she’d said, I’d waited to bring it up untilafterI’d spent the night with her.

That was an unforgivable hypocrisy on my part.

And when I really opened up…

---