“Nixon.” Sergio walked into the room, texting on his phone. “Nicolasi clan just pulled up—they’re going to want wine.” He glanced up in my direction and swore his entire jaw going slack. “Damn it, Nixon, do something!”
“About what?” I sauntered by him and snagged a glass of wine off the table. “World hunger?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about.” Sergio’s nostrils flared.
“She’s an adult.” Nixon croaked, right my bet was that he almost choked on the word adult. “She can wear what she wants.”
Sergio shook his head a few times before muttering more curses under his breath and walking out of the kitchen.
The girls and I helped Chase get the appetizers out along with the wine, men poured into the house, some our age, but most of them three times our age and watching us with the type of curiosity I wasn’t comfortable with. It had been years since the Nicolasi family had decided to visit and we weren’t exactly on great terms after my father all but kicked them out of the country.
One of the elders walked by and spat on the ground. Right, my point exactly. I quickly stepped over the spit, offered the grumpy man some wine and continued my search for Tex.
It wasn’t until an hour into the guests arriving that I knew Tex had walked in the room.
All talking ceased.
All eyes were behind me. Slowly I turned to see Tex in gray slacks and a tight white button up. He looked good enough to eat with his stormy blue eyes taking in every single inch of the room.
I waited for those eyes to fall on me.
And when they did, I took a step back, as the blue raged from storm to hurricane within a second.
“Campisi.” The man who had spit on our floor nodded his head. “It is good to see you, yes?”
“That depends.” Tex took a step towards the crowd and tilted his head. “Are we going to have trouble this evening?”
Holy crap. I quickly looked at Nixon, but he was watching with mild amusement. What the heck! Sweating, I nervously licked my lips and waited for someone to say something.
The man chuckled. “Ah, to be young again.”
“That’s what I always say.” Luca stepped up and joined in laughter then turned briefly to Tex, giving him the coldest look I’d ever seen in my entire life.
Frank, Trace’s Grandpa nodded once then went to Tex and led him into the room. “A few men you should meet… trustworthy men who despised your father.”
“A friend of my father is my enemy.” Tex snorted. “An enemy of my father is my friend.” He held out his hand and began conversing, and I watched in horror as every single man in that room straightened their ties and focused in on Tex as if he was the Cappo already.
He walked into the room and demanded their allegiance.
And they freely gave it.
Because of blood.
A choking sensation washed over me as I looked down at my dress. What was I trying to prove? My fighting for Tex wouldn’t save us.
Not when he’d already jumped in with both feet.
“Mo?” Sergio said from behind me. I jumped a foot and turned.
“Hmm?”
“You okay?” His eyebrows drew together in concern as he looked from Tex to me.
“Fine.” I waved him off. “Just a bit stressed, lots of guns in the room and all that.”
“Guns are tools, try not to think of them as weapons. After all, people kill people, guns are merely the object they use in order to carry out the sentence.”
“Comforting.” I snorted.
“You need a drink.” His fingers gripped my elbow as he led me out of the room and into the kitchen.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I really do.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Things look better when you’ve spent time apart from someone or something you care about. Said no one. Ever.
Phoenix
“GET OUT OF THE DAMN CAR.” I gritted my teeth. “Now.”
“No.” Bee crossed her arms and examined her nails.
Groaning, I closed my eyes and imagined myself banging my head against the door in frustration. “Bee,” I tried again. “Your brother, the one you’ve never met, is inside, I need you to get your ass out of that seat and say hi.”
“You left.” Her voice wavered.
Good Lord I deserved this, all of this, her, the drama, the fighting. I deserved it, but I didn’t have to enjoy it.
“I had to save your brother’s life.” My teeth snapped together. “Apparently I have a hero complex.”
She snorted, then smiled, a row of white teeth flashed before biting on her soft pink lips and looking down at her feet again. From where I was standing I was safe. I wouldn’t be able to smell her vanilla perfume or look into her crazy deep blue eyes. They were like staring at the ocean and I really didn’t need that type of distraction. Not now. Not ever. She tossed her auburn hair. I damn near whimpered as the vanilla scent floated out the open window and landed on my body, threatening to overtake all logic.
“Bee.” I opened the door to the car and leaned in. “I’m sorry I left you, but I’m here now and I won’t leave until you’re safe. You have my word.”
Her eyes fluttered closed. “You promise?”
“I swear it.” After all I was probably going to die soon anyway.
She took a deep breath and straightened her black cocktail dress. It had capped sleeves and was freaking glued to her body. I had to look away as she pointed those long legs out of the car and stood.
They went on for miles those legs, I would know, she kicked me with them twice. Apparently the woman had me confused with a soccer ball, it was the only explanation to the bruising on both my calves and thighs.
“Fine.” She stood, her head nearly kissing my chin. “But only for an hour, and then I want to do something fun.”
“Fun.” I clenched my teeth. “Fine, I’ll let you watch a Disney movie.”
She pushed against my chest. “Phoenix, I think we both know I’m not a little girl.”
Wrong thing to say. My eyes immediately took in her curvy figure. No, she was a nineteen-year-old bombshell with the ability to flatten me on my ass.
“Let’s go,” I snapped slamming the door behind her. Her heels were a little higher than she normally wore, forcing her to walk slower than a turtle with hemorrhoids. “Sometime this year, please.”
She rolled those blue eyes and flipped her damn hair again then waltzed into the house like she owned the joint.