Page 60 of Ciao, Amore

Nico’s fists tightened. “What am I upset about? It’s the disrespect. It’s not just about Dani. It’s constant and I’m sick of it. Are you that miserable? Is your life so fucking terrible that you can’t stand to see me have something for myself? What the fuck did I ever do to you except drop everything to be there for you whenever you needed something?” he thundered.

“Yeah, that’s right. You’re the savior. Fucking Nico the Great. The one in charge, the one everyone worships. Meanwhile, I’ve had the black sheep label on my fucking forehead since the day I was born.”

“Nico the Great, huh?” Nico laughed humorlessly. “Okay, cool. What about you, Poor Tommy Black Sheep? Poor Tommy can’t get his shit together. Poor Tommy won’t go look for a fucking job that isn’t handed to him by Pop’s friends. Everybody bends over backward to make excuses for you and help keep you on your feet while you do absolutely nothing to help yourself. Whose fault is that?”

“Yo, maybe this isn’t the time or place for this conversation,” Tino tried to interject, but he was ignored.

“Help me? Help me how?” Tommy wasn’t smiling anymore. “I’m a grown man but I have to beg you for my money. Meanwhile, you get the businesses, the respect. Nonno’s gonna hand you this whole fucking house just because you happened to be born first. What do I have, Nico?” Tommy uttered, his chest stuttering. “What do I have?”

That’s when Nico looked up. Merelys was standing there, her eyes so sad and defeated while Little Tommy stared at his father and his uncle.

“Why are you yelling at my dad, Uncle Nico?” Little Tommy asked. He looked terrified, even as he stuck his thin chest out in defense of his father.

That hurt Nico’s heart. While they stood there locked in silent rage and years’ worth of things that no one had dared say aloud, Angelo, Nonno, and the bodyguards all appeared from the hallway. Vanessa, Tori, and Nonni added to the mix, all eyes and open ears.

“You haveeverything,you dumb piece of shit,” Nico said raggedly, pointing at Tommy’s wife and kids. His throat felt raw as these ugly words forced themselves out of him. “You want what I’ve got? Living alone, believing nothing good will ever happen for you, and when it does, the people you bend over backward for treat it like it’s a game. If what you have isn’t enough, then go ahead. Take the barbershop, the vineyard, this house. All of it. And get some fucking help while you’re at it.”

Nico headed for the front door again, but he paused with his hand on the doorknob when Patrick exclaimed, “Well, this is fuckin’ dramatic for a Friday afternoon. Nicky, I know there’ve been some issues, but they really didn’t mean you and Dani no harm. Regardless, at the end of the day, we’re your family. Can’t you settle down and talk this out?”

“Pop, right now, with the exception of you, Angelo, and the kids, I’m kind of ashamed to be related to any of you. And trust me when I say I’m gonna remember everybody who bet against her. You, you, and you too.” Nico pointed at Tori, Lina, and Nonni.

A loud “I beg your pardon?” gasp of shock bounced through the air from nearly every adult.

“Strong words, Nicodemo. Those are strong words, bro. Maybe if everybody just calms down—” Angelo began with his usual gentle chuckle.

“Et tu, Angelo?” Nico said with a sharp grin.

Angelo’s eyebrows rose, and he barked a short laugh. “What, are you callin’ me a traitor? I’m over here trying to keep the peace, but you called out my wife and your own mother and grandmother. You’ve got a right to be mad about some things, but I think you’re gettin’ a little out of hand.” For once, those brown eyes looked dead serious.

“You haven’t seen me out of hand. I’m going to get Dani and bring her back, and when I do, she’s owed a few apologies.”

When he said that, Nico was looking straight at Lina, whose hand stayed flexed at her throat, working with emotion. Everybody hushed and stared between them.

“Apologize? To her?” Lina’s voice was soft, but her eyes were iced over, a lake in winter. “She lied to our faces about who she was to you.Youlied to us. You didn’t bring a girlfriend, you hired anactress, someone you didn’t even know, to come into our family, our home, to make fools out of us. Who owes whom an explanation for that, Nico? Who needs to do the apologizing?”

Her back straight as a board, she turned and walked out. Nonni followed her, eyes to the floor.

Nico left as loud arguments exploded behind him. The front door proved too large and slow to slam properly when he tried. He had to settle for slamming the door of the Ferrari instead and gunning the motor as loud as it could get before taking off, tires screaming. The phone in his pocket immediately started going haywire with text notifications and competing incoming calls from Angelo, Tino, and Patrick. He ignored them all but left the phone on in case Dani called.

When he reached the boardwalk where he’d left her earlier, he scanned the area. She wasn’t at the café tables. He didn’t spot her on any of the loungers as he began scouring the rocky beach. Not in the water. Not anywhere. Panic gripped him by the throat. What if something had happened to her?

He pulled out his phone to try calling and saw that she had left a text; he hadn’t heard it come in during all the commotion.

“Hey. Need some time. I’ll send you $$ if you send my things to the address below in Milan, plz. Tell Nonno I’m sorry to leave like this. Hope he and you understand. Thank you for everything. Best, Dani.”

Unacceptable.

Leaving him like this was not acceptable.

He called her, chest hammering away. His speed-racing pulse slowed down only when she answered, and he exhaled. “Dani, where are you?”

“I took the hydrofoil up the coast. I’m sorry. I couldn’t face everyone. I’m so fuckingembarrassed.” She sniffled like she was crying.

A wobbly sensation took over his throat and his chest to hear that sound. “You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. Nothing.”

“They knew I was lying to them the whole time. I keep thinking about them asking me questions andknowingeverything I was saying was full of shit. I’m sorry, but I can’t go back to that house right now. I’ll pay my respects to Nonno before he goes back up North, but beyond that, I just…I need a few days.”

“Okay,” he said, staring at the water. “I’ll go with you. Please tell me where you are,amore. Please.”

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