Page 12 of Texting My Mafia Savior

Enzo looks expectantly at Arria. She clenches her jaw. For a second, I think she’ll let her natural, beautiful, fiery nature win.But then she says, “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me, Mr. Caruso.”

Enzo grins. “Such a polite young lady.”

Old instincts rise to the surface when he strolls across the room. He’s still got a dart in his hand. In the lamplight, it gleams threateningly. What am I going to do if he hurts her? I can’t just stand here. I wouldn’t be able to let it happen if it was just anyone. But Arria? My niece? The only woman who’s ever made me want her, fantasize about her, even if I can never acknowledge it?

“So, Arriana, is there something you wish to say?” He transfers the dart from one hand to the other as he looms over her.

My hands clench into fists. I remember what it was like to use these hands for bloody purposes, to beat Enzo’s father’s men almost easily, and to make it look more difficult to save their pride. The familiarity of both conventional and improvised weapons comes back to me. I feel like a caged lion about to watch his lioness undergo some terrible suffering, and I’m ready to break out of the cage.

Arria hesitates. She can sense the atmosphere, too. Her voice has an edge of terror when she speaks. “I’m sorry, Mr. Caruso,” she murmurs.

“Pardon?” Enzo snaps. “Speak up, chubby.”

Oh. Dammit. Don’t say that, Enzo. Please don’t call her that. Making fun of her figure, you sick fruck. She’s not chubby. She’s curvy, with perfect wide hips made for gabbing and manhandling. A figure that makes her uncle want to bury his hands hungrily in her gorgeous body.

Arria doesn’t look offended or hurt. She lookspissed. “I said I’m sorry.” She hisses the words at him.

“What’s this attitude I sense from you, hmm?” Enzo retorts.

“I’m telling you the truth. I’m very sorry for what happened.”

“For what happened… or for what you did?”

“For what I did,” Arria says pointedly. “It was disrespectful to behave like that in your club. It was wrong of me to get physical with you. I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m extremely sorry, Mr. Caruso.”

Enzo pauses for a long moment. I keep hearing the wordchubbyon repeat in my head. It’s a childish insult. Arria is a confident young woman. I’m sure she can tolerate it. But can I?

Finally, Enzo looks at me. “You’ve trained her well, Nightmare.”

The prick. Using my nickname. Arria gives me a look.

“Really,” Enzo goes on. “She’s very different from the last time we met. It’s like you’ve neutered her, honestly. It’s impressive. You should be proud.”

“This isn’t me, Mr. Caruso. My client wants to resolve this peacefully. And she feels genuine remorse.”

“Is that right, Arria? Do you feelgenuineremorse?”

Arria clears her throat. I know this is difficult for her. I know she’s probably close to snapping and letting her true nature out. Her sassiness. Her fire. “Yes, Mr. Caruso. I regret my actions.”

“Hmm. Well done, Barbarian.” Enzo smirks at me. “I think we can call it a day, then. If I were you, Arria, I’d never return to thisclub. In fact, I’d avoid this part of the city altogether. I might not be in such a forgiving mood if we cross paths a third time.”

“A third time?” Arria mutters.

Enzo laughs, thinking he’s being so damn clever. He’s dropping hints but not coming outright and telling her about our connection to the mob. That’s likely why he made sure there were Caruso mob men in the club, too, so Arria would see them and then piece things together. He’s hinting at the party he attended when they were both kids, which Arria clearly doesn’t remember.

“I must’ve misspoke,” he says. “Anyway… off you go, bye-bye.”

We turn away. That went as well as it could have. It was far better than the alternative, anyway. I hold the door open for Arria. Then Enzo says, “Go get yourself some donuts or something, piggy.”

“That’s enough,” I growl, spinning to face him.

There’s a long silence, the tension threatening to snap. Enzo tilts his head at me like he thinks I’ve lost my mind. I probably have.

“Excuse me, Nico?”

I’ve already crossed the line by saying what I have. If I walk it back now, he’ll likely try to get me to say something derogatory about Arria. I simply can’t do that. I need to show strength. “She apologized, Enzo. And she meant it. She understands she disrespected you and the club. But her physical appearance has nothing to do with it. Anyway, you know, some men like the curvy build. Not all women need to be traditionally beautiful. Or whatever.”

What the fuck am I saying? To a mob boss?

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