Page 66 of Ruthless Royalty

She pulls back slightly, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. “But now I’ve ruined everything. Things between us are awkward, and I don’t even know how to be around him anymore. He hasn’t said anything about it since it happened. It’s like he’s pretending it didn’t.”

I sigh, my heart aching for her. I’ve known Nikolai long enough to know that he’s not good with emotions. He buries them, ignores them, pretends they don’t exist. But this? This is different. He doesn’t do relationships, sure, but Cat is not just some random girl. She’s one of us.

“He’s an idiot,” I say softly, tucking a strand of hair behindCat’s ear. “He probably thinks that if he ignores it, it’ll go away. But I’ll talk to him, okay?”

Cat’s eyes widen in panic. “No! Please don’t say anything to him. I don’t want him to feel pressured or awkward. I just … I needed someone to talk to, that’s all.”

I nod slowly, understanding her fear. “Okay, I won’t say anything. But you deserve someone who sees you for who you are, not as someone’s little sister. You’re strong, beautiful, and anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Cat sniffles, giving me a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Chiara. I just … I don’t know how to move on from this.”

I squeeze her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. “One step at a time. You’ll figure it out. And if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”

She nods, wiping the last of her tears away. “Thanks. I’m sorry for dumping all of this on you.”

I shake my head, smiling softly. “I should be the one apologizing since I’ve been such a shit friend. You’re not alone, okay?”

Cat smiles again, though it’s still shaky, and I give her one last hug before heading out the door. As I walk away, my mind is racing with everything she just told me. Nikolai and Cat … how could I have missed that? I need to find Nikolai. He’s got a lot to answer for.

Ifind Nikolai in the gym, exactly where Cat told me he’d be. The place smells like sweat and musk, the air thick with the sound of fists connecting with punching bags and weights clanging together.

Nikolai’s in the far corner, pummeling a bag like it’s the reason for every problem he’s ever had. He’s shirtless, musclesglistening with sweat, and the intensity in his eyes makes it clear he’s deep in his own head.

I hesitate at the edge of the room, not wanting to interrupt since we’re not exactly on speaking terms, but I know I don’t have a choice.

Giovanni’s been off since yesterday, and I need answers. I need to know what’s going on in his head, why he’s been so distant. I need to know what the hell his father is capable of.

And knowing how fucking stubborn he is, getting information from him would be like pulling teeth.

I take a deep breath and walk over, the sound of my footsteps swallowed by the noise of the gym. God, how am I going to talk to him about Cat and Gio?

Nikolai doesn’t notice me until I’m standing right in front of him. He stops mid-punch, his fists still raised, and his eyes meet mine. For a second, he just stares, and I can see the gears turning in his mind, trying to figure out why I’m here.

“Chiara,” he says, his voice low and a little surprised. “What are you doing here?”

I cross my arms over my chest, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need to talk to you. It’s about Gio.”

His expression darkens instantly, and he drops his fists, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “What’s he done now?”

Right to thinking the worst of him.

“It’s not what he’s done,” I correct quickly, “it’s what’s happening to him. I think it’s his father.”

Nikolai’s jaw tightens, and I can see the muscles in his neck flex as he processes what I’m saying. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, just stares at me with those piercing eyes of his, like he’s trying to figure out how much I know, how much he should tell me.

“Let’s sit,” he finally says, grabbing a towel and throwingit over his shoulder as he leads me to a bench near the back of the gym. He doesn’t look at me as he sits down, and I can tell he’s not sure how much to say. But I don’t have time for him to second-guess himself.

“Alright,” he says, leaning with his back against the wall. “What’s going on?”

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words.

“Gio’s been acting strange since yesterday,” I start, sitting down next to him. “He’s distant, distracted, and when I asked him what was going on, he just said it was his father not approving of us being together. He wouldn’t tell me more.”

Nikolai sighs, rubbing his temples like this conversation is already giving him a headache. “That’s because there’s not much more to say. Gio’s father is a piece of shit, always has been. He’s been fucking with Gio’s head for a long time.”

“He’s ruthless, and has been grooming G to take over the family business since he was a kid. But get this, he was never supposed to be the heir—his older brother Armand was. But when Armand couldn’t meet their father’s expectations, the old man had him killed. Giovanni was forced to step up, to become something he never wanted to be.”

My lips are a thin line as I think over what Nikolai has just said; my heart beating way too fast. If Giovanni’s father could kill his own son for stepping out of line, what could he do to Gio?

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