Page 48 of Good Girl Gone Bad

Chapter Sixteen

The day of Nonna’s party had arrived. Because of Lily by his side, he’d almost forgotten his purpose in coming on this trip—to bid his grandmother farewell, even if she refused to discuss her health.

Marco had spoken to the cousins who had accompanied Nonna to her doctor’s appointment and exams, and they guaranteed him she was good enough to be part of the celebrations as long as she remembered her limitations and weak heart. She dressed to the nines and smiled, but she always had a nurse close by, and she usually retired from the festivities much earlier than anyone else.

The weight of a grand piano sat on his chest. He’d miss her, even if he hadn’t been around much in the past years. Seeing her always put a smile on his face.

“Arietta asked me to help her with her dress when I’m ready,” Lily said to him. “Is it okay if we meet downstairs?” A deep green gown outlined her delectable curves.

“I would prefer to crease your dress before,” he said, embracing her, his hand sliding down to caress her ass.

She nudged his elbow and jerked away from him. “Nope. Tonight is the last opportunity I’ll have to look like I’m attending a red-carpet event, and you’re not ruining it, mister.”

Though her voice was amused, he tensed up. She had a point. The next morning, they’d travel back to the States, where he only had one more week left with her.

“I’ll ruin the dress later,” he said, pulling her to him.

She kissed his cheek. “The dress and the makeup. Not now.”

Before he caught her mouth with his, she pushed him away with a mischievous grin and sashayed out of the room.

He buttoned up his immaculate white shirt and was about to search for the rest of his tuxedo hanging in the closet, when someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” he said.

Elegantly dressed, Nico marched into the room. “I just ran into Lily in the hallway, so I thought I’d come in and talk to you.”

Marco grabbed the jacket and slid it on. “Shoot,” he said.

Nico paced in a small circle until he stopped, staring at him square in the eye. “I just called her Lily, Marco. Not Patricia. I know the truth.”

Marco paused for an instant. His neck stiffened; his jaw clenched. If he made a big deal, Nico would go for blood. Instead, he decided to act as natural as possible. Ignoring the chill moving through his veins, he turned to his brother and adjusted his sleeves. “So?”

Nico’s dark green eyes glared. “So? She’s lying to all of us, and you’re in on it. Are you insane?”

“No. It’s my life, and I don’t owe you any explanations.”

Nico shook his head. “Yes, you do. You can screw whoever you want—I’m not a saint myself. That said, when we have to back off a huge deal because she doesn’t want to sell her precious shop, then yeah, we have a problem.”

Marco took the tie and began to loop it around his neck. His brother had a point. He had to give him some explanation because they did business together. Besides, if he got him in his corner, if he made him understand, maybe he wouldn’t spill the beans to anyone, and the dirty little secret would never make its way to their grandmother.

“Sit down. I’ll tell you.”

Nico gestured with his hands. “I’m too pumped to sit.”

“I brought Lily here because I wanted to show Nonna I’ve found someone, as my parting gift for her. Our engagement isn’t real, but I want to keep that information private. Nonna always wanted me to find someone.”

Nico rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Yeah, you were always her favorite.”

Marco thinned his lips. Arguing that statement was beneath him, because it had always been true. Nonna loved all her grandchildren but favored Marco many times, trying to compensate for the tragic loss of their mother and the absence of his father. “I needed her the most.”

Nico jammed his hand into his suit then leaned against the doorjamb. They never dwelled on the past much, and Marco preferred it that way. Why worry about what couldn’t change? “You didn’t tell me because I’d do the math and know who she was.”

“Yeah.”

“Why Lily, though? I mean she’s gorgeous, got a fabulous rack—”

Marco lifted his hand in objection. “You better stop right there, brother. Don’t talk about her that way.”

Nico gave him a slow nod, his brows furrowing like he was trying hard to understand. What was there to grasp? The situation was quite simple, actually. “How did this whole thing happen?” Nico asked. “Did she ask you to quit trying to buy her salon? How about her bills?”

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