Page 33 of This Thing of Ours

Nico remained silent, eyeballing Ricky while waiting for him to continue.

Ricky cleared his throat. “During class, she was approached by Dmitri.”

“What the fuck? How did he get past you?” Marco snapped.

Ricky’s eyes flicked to his again before landing back on Nico. Nico didn’t even blink at Marco’s outburst.

“A side door.” He flicked another quick look at Marco. “I didn’t know it was there.”

Marco fired off another question. “What did he want?”

“She said he detained her a few minutes, wanting to apologize.”

“And?” Marco asked impatiently when Ricky paused. It was Nico who flashed him a look that time.

“And,” Ricky rushed on, “wanted to warn her. Said Volkov was planning something.”

“Planning what?” Nico interrupted that time.

“He didn’t know, sir.”

“Where’s Dmitri now?” Marco couldn’t wait to get his hands on the fucker.

Ricky turned nervous eyes Marco’s way. “I don’t know. He was gone by the time I reached the classroom. I didn’t want to leave Gabby and chase after him in case it was a trap and Volkov’s men were lurking about.”

Nico nodded. “You did the right thing. Did she mention anything else?”

Ricky shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

Ricky and Nico moved on to some other shit and Marco tuned out their conversation, his thoughts turning to Gabriella and how close she’d come to being taken again. He was pissed she hadn’t called him immediately after it had happened. Something they’d be having words about.

Marco was drawn back to the moment when he heard the door click shut. Nico’s eyes were on him. He indicated the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat, Marco. I don’t think I want you looming over me for this conversation.”

Marco stiffened. He knew he’d made a tactical error by overreacting to Ricky’s news, and also knew Nico wasn’t stupid nor blind. In the ten years he’d been by Nico’s side, Marco knew his friend well, but for the life of him, he had no idea what kind of reaction to expect from Nico when he learned of his feelings for Gabriella.

Marco wasn’t a coward—not by any stretch of the imagination—but he couldn’t say he was looking forward to their discussion and maybe disappointing a man—who though only five years his senior—he looked up to. A man who, so many years ago, had taken one look at a punk kid and turned his life around. A man who gave him a home and a family. A man he respected and would give his life for.

And a man whose sister he coveted.

Marco sat, and Nico raised a brow in question.

He was a man of few words and didn’t stray from his true nature, keeping his response concise. “I want Gabriella.”

Nico sat back in his chair, crossing an ankle over a knee, never taking his eyes off him.

Time seemed to stretch as Marco sat, watching Nico, his face expressionless but his eyes boring into him. He felt uncomfortable under such scrutiny, but he didn’t show it, keeping himself still, and his face equally impassive.

When Nico finally spoke, what he said shocked the shit out of him. “You love her.”

Marco’s already stiff spine grew ramrod.

Nico chuckled. “You think I didn’t notice the last few years anytime Gabby entered a room you couldn’t keep your eyes off her?”

Marco clenched his jaw in frustration. He hadn’t realized he’d given himself away.

Uncannily reading his thoughts, Nico sat forward, placing his arms on his desk. “You’re like a brother to me—closer than a brother. I know you better than anyone, and even as closed off as you are, I can still read you like a book.”

Marco wished he could say the same about Nico at that moment. He also wished Nico would get straight to the point like Marco had. “So, are you okay with me pursuing a relationship with Gabriella?”

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