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“Where is she? Riccardo wants you and that bitch gone tonight. We saw her in the car with you, we know she’s here.”
I look down at Lizzy. Instantly, I feel like I’m going to be sick. I’m torn between helping my friend and keeping her daughter safe.
* * *
Gio
I’m still warring with my feelings as I pull up to our secret place on Ny’s family’s property. It’s a road in the brush behind the house. We come this way to say good night without her parents seeing us make out.
Ny hasn’t said a word to me the entire ride from the ice cream shop. Jace is in the back, silently stewing. I’ll deal with him during the ride home.
Ny gets out and slams the door behind her. Jace exits too and starts in the direction of the house, probably needing to use the bathroom in the guesthouse. I roll my eyes but get out to catch Ny before she takes off.
I make it around the car and reach for her arm to tug her back to me. Pulling her into my embrace, I kiss the top of her head. I tighten my hold as she stands stiffly.
She always smells so good. Sweet like candy. I place my nose in her hair.
“I’m still figuring things out, Ny. This isn’t what I saw for us,” I breathe.
She shrugs. “Maybe you’re right. It was just a thought. We don’t have to do this. I should have thought about how you would feel more. I know how much you question yourself because of your grandfather.”
“Baby, I didn’t say no. I’m trying to understand why.”
She turns in my embrace and looks up at me. “We have this thing. You both pull me. I can talk to you about anything. You make me think. That stimulates me mentally. With Jace, he’s there for me emotionally. He gives me comfort and affection.”
I grin at her. I would fall in love with a girl who thinks of things no other fifteen-year-old thinks about. It’s how we were raised. We’re thinkers. Jace is just a quiet thinker.
“Yeah, I can sort of understand that, but you know I’ll try harder. When in private, I can be more affectionate. If that’s what you need,” I reply.
She cups my face. “Gio, forget about it. This isn’t for us.”
I lean in and take her lips. Relief washes over me. I really don’t want to share her and this thing of ours is hard enough without me having to defend a relationship with two people.
I want Ny and that’s going to be the fight of my life as it is. Once I’m made, then I can start to think about changing things around me. For now, I need to keep my grandfather off my ass.
She wraps her arms around my neck. I deepen the kiss. Her lips are so soft, they make me forget everything. I slide my hands into the pockets of her jean shorts and pull her closer.
She breaks the kiss and looks up into my eyes. “I don’t want to ruin things. I love you, Gio. I will always be yo—”
Her words are cut off as Jace comes running back our way.
“We need to call for help,” Jace rushes out.
“What?”
“What’s going on?”
“Gunmen are in the house. I counted six. They have your mom at gunpoint, and it looks like your dad is down. I didn’t see Lizzy.”
Nyla grabs the car keys from my hand and moves for the trunk of my car to pop it. I round it in time to watch her open the hidden compartment Gwen added. She pulls her braids up into a ponytail and then pulls out a vest and tosses it on before she grabs the rifle.
“He said we need to call for help, not run into danger,” I say as I move to block her.
“Gio, that’s my family. No one is trained better than we are so you’re either going to help me or get out of my way.”
I sigh as I take the vest Jace hands me. He already has one on and a semiautomatic rifle in his other hand. I throw on the vest and grab the two Glocks that are left.
“Cover her,” I bark as I notice Ny is taking off without us.
