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I drain the grappa. “But not Alessio?”
Mikey spreads his hands, stretching his long fingers out across the gingham.
“All I’m saying, if it came to it, if people had to make a choice, Princess, which let’s hope that they never would, but if they did, almost all the men would be solid with you.”
Mikey’s nose and his insights are the best. I never knew him be wrong about anything when it comes to reading people or situations.
This whole conversation is making me nervous and I’m feeling jumpy. I would never want to have to move against Alessio. It’s the last thing I would ever want. He’s known officially as my chief lieutenant, but we’re a lot closer than that. And I love him so much I get an ache in my chest just thinking about him.
Now, feeling this distance deepen between us, I’m feeling a pining ache, deep in my core, too.
If I ever doubted the truth of my feelings for him, I can check the way I felt just an hour ago when he jumped in front of those gunmen. I was so angry I could have flattened him, but I loved him so much I could just have cried.
And I was torn apart at the thought of him being injured. Even more than if I were hurt myself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Just having to think about these questions of loyalty, even turning the idea over in my head, it’s all making me mad. Even more because I’m forced to do it out loud and with Mikey.
The man who I’ve trusted with my life, ever since I could remember.
I can see that he wants to know what’s going on. After last night, though, when he had to go and collect Alessio from the middle of who-knows-what in some club, he knows there is something in the air. That’s all new.
We’re used to some bad and unruly shenanigans. Naturally. We’re the F-Word.
But there’s something different about this.
I always need to be sure of the ground I’m standing on. It comes from all the times Daddy said he would let me be in charge of something, then at the last minute he would take it away and pull the rug out from under me.
Even when my brothers and me were playing together, just being kids together. I when Miko and Chris and me, we were putting on a play for the grown-ups. It was a silly thing we made up together, the three of us. It was like Jason Bourne meets Cinderella. Chris was the hero, Miko was the bad villain. Naturally, I was the princess.
I was directing it and we were all having a fantastic time. Until Daddy came in. He took one look, and said that I had to let Chris be the director. It was no fun after that.
Daddy always wanted to put Chris in charge of things. And Chris always messed them up.
“I wonder if I’ve been pushing too hard for the new house, Mikey.”
His head cocks to one side. There’s a look in his eye. Mikey can always get me to talk. “I wonder if somehow, I’ve unearthed something. Pulled up divisions, exposed some rift we might never have seen otherwise.”
Mikey’s listening. He watches me, paying attention and thinking.
“I’m not feeling close with Bruno or Carlo either right now. It seems like half the time I call them and get a voicemail. I send a text, crickets.”
“They went to check out some of the first nations resorts and casinos, right?”
“I know. They’ll be balls deep in chips and money and champagne. And probably showgirls, too.” Mikey gives me a look. “Okay. Probably not. But what do I know?”
“You’re not seriously doubting your instincts are you, Princess? I know that your nose and your intuition are the best there are, but if you start to doubt it, if you don’t know yourself what you can trust and what you can’t, then it’s time to…”
I smile before he says it.
We say it together. “Get thee to a nunnery.”
I laugh. “And what fun would I have there?”
Mikey puts on his shocked face. “None. Nuns are no fun and they have none.”
Once more, I call the number Alessio gave me for Jerry. I don”t know what I’m going to do if it rings and rings again. Tell Alessio to have Jerry call me, I suppose.
