Page 45 of Texting My Mafia Savior

“Like you think I’m a monster for putting work first? I’ve worked like a dog my entire life to provide for my family. On the West Coast, I sometimes had to pull fourteen-hour days. It might have made me cold or obsessed, but it’s given my family a home and luxuries I never had as a kid.”

“I’m not judging you, Rocco,” I say earnestly.

He walks away. I return to the car and remove my phone from the glove box. Damn, Arria has texted me four times asking if I’m okay.

Me:Sorry. I wasn’t near my phone.

Arriana:Phew. I was worried. Sorry. I know it seems nuts.

Me:Under the current circumstances, nothing seems too crazy. I was with your father, actually. I’ll be staying at your house tonight to make sure Dominic keeps his word and backs off. But listen, Arria, your dad has been pretty clear. He wants nothing to happen between us.

Arriana:Is that his choice to make?I get why he’d have a problem with it, but I’m not a little kid anymore. I can make my own decisions.

She adds an angry emoji. The world’s gone to shit, but somehow, she makes me smile.

Me:I was thinking the same thing,but I will not disrespect him in his home by sneaking around behind his back. If we can somehow find a way through this mess, save Lucy, and force the mob to back off, maybe we’ll figure out how to prove to your dad that I’m not the monster he thinks I am.

CHAPTER 19

ARRIANA

Itext as Mom drives us through the snow-covered forest.

Me:What are you doing for the rest of the day?

Nico:Sitting outside your house, making sure nobody’s sneaking around. Mostly, I’m thinking. But no matter how hard I think, I can’t figure out how to get Lucy away from Dominic without causing him to retaliate. If her well-being didn’t matter to me, I’d have to respect what she did. In one move, she placated him. She forced him to back off. Made him think he’s the winner.

Me:But he’s going to hurt her,

Nico:Yes.

I stare at the confirmation, my head aching, my nerves feeling sharp and on edge. It’s only been a day since I saw Nico, but it feels like much longer. I want him to hold me, to put my cheekagainst his hard, muscled chest, to hear and feel his heartbeat pounding against me.

Me:I wish we could forget about all this crap for a while.Even though it’s selfish to think or say, it’s true. I wish we had a chance just to be, you know?

Nico:What would that look like for us, Arria?

Me:Maybe we could go on a date. Go to a nice restaurant and talk about nothing important, the lenses I use for my camera or your workout routine. I don’t know. Something light. Something that doesn’t constantly feel like we have the weight of the world bearing down on us. Afterward, we could take a walk and snap some photos. Be together.

Nico:That sounds like heaven right now.For the record, my workout routine is simple. I go crazy on myself, then collapse in a heap.

Me:‘Go crazy’ on yourself, hmm? Are we still talking about working out?

Nico:That’s the sort of stuff you need to get out of your head for tonight, my angel.

He adds an angel emoji.

The world might have fallen apart, butourworld, made of words, emojis, and touchscreens, suddenly feels fuller and brighter. It makes me smile when I know I should do anything but.

Me:I think that’s the first ever time you’ve used an emoji with me. I must be rubbing off on you.

Nico:It’s the first time I’ve used one, full stop. You’re teaching this ancient dog new tricks.

Me:You’re not VERY OLD, you jackoff. By the way, I love the ‘angel’ nickname.

Nico:It’s true. When you text me, I feel like I’m speaking with an angel. I’m not so fond of my nickname, though. Jackoff…

Me:Don’t call yourself old, then.

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