Page 52 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

I stab a bite of egg and put it in my mouth. “Better?”

“It’s a start. Now, finish your food, we’re going to relax in the hot tub today.”

“Isn’t it too hot for that?” I lift my phone again. Still no response.

“It might be, but it will at least you distract from your phone. Now eat.”

I force down half my breakfast after which Sofia makes me go back to my room and change. If I don’t meet her out at the hot tub in twenty minutes, she’s coming to find me.

I love her more than I could ever express in words. If it weren’t for Sofia, I’d wither away in my room with not a care in the world. It’s for her that I fight to push past the hurt and the pain.

Sofia is already in the hot tub when I walk outside. She’s got a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to drink while you’re in the hot tub?”

“Since when do we follow the rules?”

“We don’t.” I step down into the warm water. It’s not as hot as I expect it to be.

“I take it you texted Nico,” she says holding a glass of wine out to me.

“You would be correct. He didn’t even answer whether or not everyone was okay. He won’t acknowledge me at all.”

“Give him time. You heard Isabel.”

I swallow hard. “I want to believe that. I don’t think she’s right this time.”

“The only think we can do is wait and see.”

If only it was that easy.

ChapterTwenty-One

Nico

The security system and difficulty finding this place made it perfect to use as one of our new stash houses. One that only the people guarding it and I would know about its location.

I gave the green light and climbed into my car. Well Scarlett’s car. Her white Mercedes called out to me every time I left the house. The red leather reminding of any time she wore that skintight red dress. The one with the long sleeves and low V cut down the center. Driving her car keeps me grounded when I can’t be with her.

Can’t. I have to stop trying to distract myself form the reality that I left her. I put her on that plane and sent her to Miami all alone. In the moment, it felt like the right choice. I couldn’t handle thinking about the way she put herself in danger. They way she risked everything almost immediately after I got her back.

I have never dealt with anyone who didn’t follow my rules and orders the moment they were given. And the realization that she isn’t type of person to ever follow orders sent me over the edge. I couldn’t be around her.

I need to keep her at arms’ length while I figure out whether I can handle who she is. After I left the states the first time to run the business in Europe I never imagined a situation where I would care for someone else’s life over mine. Something I have yet come to grips with.

I pull up in front of the house. It’s quieter than it had been the first time Scarlett left. The hectic pace of constant attacks from the DeLuca family have slowed.

“Nico, I need to speak with you.” Antonio comes down the hall from one of the back wings of the house.

“Carlos and Andreas are on their way. You’ll need to be brief.”

I lead him to the study and take a seat behind the desk, gesturing for him to sit in one of the chairs in front.

“What is it that you need to discuss?”

He reaches into the pocket of his suit and retries a small black jewelry box. He sets it on the desk and pushes it toward me.

“These were made at Scarlett’s request.”

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