Page 9 of The Godfather’s Christmas Twins

She scrambles to her feet, face flushed with embarrassment rather than desire. Good. Maybe now she'll finally understand.

But then she puts on her society mask. She lifts her chin and straightens her shoulders as she closes her coat around her.

“I’m sorry, Max. I didn’t realize how busy you were.”

Fucking hell. I only told her that a million times.

She smiles. “Maybe we can get together later.”

Before I can cut the cord with her and end it, she’s out the door. I could run after her and tell her it’s over, but she’s finally out of my office. Maybe she’ll have gotten the hint.

I get another drink and then sit at my desk. I turn my attention to a stack of invoices, and I enter my happy place. This is what I'm good at. Running the Vegas operations, keeping the wheels turning smoothly. No complications, no messy emotions.

I’m beginning to think about having lunch when my phone vibrates against the desk, Nic's name lighting up the screen. I know we don’t have a planned meeting, but I’m not worried. Nic isn’t just a hands-on Don. He’s my best friend.

My guilt over sleeping with Gia extends to him for having betrayed his trust. I feel safe that the secret will never come out. Gia would have told him by now if she had any intention of telling him at all. While I feel relieved at that, I still feel obliged to make things up to Nic, which is another reason the Las Vegas side of the business is so successful. It’s my restitution to him.

“Nic. What’s up?”

"Someone's stalking Gia." Nic's voice carries an edge I haven't heard since his father tried to have him killed.

His words finally hit me.Gia’s in trouble?“What’s going on?”

"She's been getting messages, calls. The bastard's watching her movements. And the kids."

My knuckles whiten around the phone. "How long?"

"Weeks. She just told me today after getting another text.”

"Wait, you said weeks, but you’re only hearing about it now?”

"She kept it from everyone. You know how she is." Nic's frustration mirrors my own. "But it's escalating. The piece of shit called while she was in my office."

“He’s fucking with you.”

“Yes, but I can’t be sure whether this is about me or her or the family."

I stand, pacing to the window. The Vegas lights blur as scenarios race through my mind. Are any of Gino’s men left to retaliate against Nic through Gia? A rival family? At one point, that shit Benny Cantore was trying to take the twins’ inheritance, but Nic and I ran him out of town, handing over a little nest egg to him if he stayed away. Chances are good he’s blown through it. Would he resort to stalking her now for more money? If so, he’s dumber than a sack of rocks. Nic will kill him before Benny will get a penny of the twins’ money.

“Any ideas about who or why?” I ask.

“None. He says Gino had secrets and so does she.”

What secrets could Gia have? The memory of me sinking into her luscious body comes back to me. But who would know about that? And even if they did know, why would they stalk her about it?

"I've got men checking security footage, phone records. But until we know more, I’m sending her somewhere safe.”

“Good idea.”

“Normally, I’d tell you to come back to New York to help with this.”

Tell. Not ask. He’s Don Nardone now and if he orders me back, I’ll have to go. Except it sounds like he’s not going to order me back.

“It’s better for her and the kids to leave New York.”

Nic’s wife has family in Chicago. He’s been able to forge an amiable relationship with his sister-in-law and the D’Amato family she married into. They’d be able to keep Gia safe.

“I’m escorting her to Las Vegas and?—”

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