Page 355 of Niccolo

“Might bedead!”

“But you still took me away from Cat and gave me to that goddamn psychopath,” Valentino said, his face a mask of hatred, “and then you WENT AND FUCKED FAUSTO’SCONSIGLIERE?!”

“It wasn’t like that,” I protested.

“WHAT WAS IT FUCKINGLIKE,THEN, NIC?”

“Valentino,” Dario said. “Control yourself.”

“But he – ”

“Control yourself.”

Val sat back in his chair, though I knew it was taking all the willpower he had not to scream at me again.

“Niccolo arranged the marriage because he was trying to do what he thought was best for the family at the time,” Dario said.

“And then he went and fucked this girl right afterwards,” Valentino said angrily, but in a regular voice.

“And I allowed that as well,” Dario said coldly as he stared him down.

Valentino looked bitter as hell… but he didn’t say anything back.

“Andwhydid you allow it?” Adriano asked Dario, voicing what Valentino was afraid to say out loud.

“Because I trust Niccolo’s judgment,” Dario said as he stared at Adriano, almost daring him to challenge him.

“Right now, you’re the only one,” Adriano griped.

“Ihada plan,” I said. “It’s not like I was just off gallivanting around.”

“You keep saying it was part of a ‘plan,’” Adriano snarled at me. “Why the hell did the plan includefucking her?”

I sighed.

I knew what I was about to say wouldn’t go over well.

But…

It had to be said.

“I thought I could seduce her over to our side,” I muttered.

The entire room – besides me and Dario – exploded in laughter. Again.

“YOU?!” Valentino said mockingly. “YOU seduceanybody?!”

“Ha ha,” I said without laughing. “I know you think you’re the only one who can make a woman fall in love with you – ”

“Oh – so you weren’t justfuckingher,” Adriano said in amusement. “You wereso fucking good in bedshe was gonna fall in love with you – isthatit? JESUS.”

“There was something between us,” I snapped.

“What,exactly?”

“A connection – chemistry – we both felt it.”

“Oh my god,” Adriano said, half mockingly, half-stunned. “You’refalling for this chick.”

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