Page 47 of Texting My Mafia Savior

“What if they went missing?”

Nico smirks, but there’s no actual positive emotion in it. It’s more like he’s a predator considering his options. For a terrifying yet captivating moment, he looks like the Nightmare, like the man he must’ve been when working for the mob. “That’s a different matter,” he says. “In fact, it’s what I’ve been thinking about all day. Enzo and Dominic’s disappearance would dictate the mob’s next move, but no one can connect me to it. But it’s not as easy as that. It would involve luring both of them someplace where I could get my hands on them.”

“Lucy will help,” Mom says.

“That sorts Dominic,” Nico mutters. “But what about Enzo?”

“I can help with him,” I say.

They both turn to me sharply as if suddenly remembering that I’m here.

“What are you talking about?” Mom hisses.

“I met Enzo, remember? He’s got an enormous ego. I bet if I went to the club again, he wouldn’t be able to resist coming on to me. I could lure him away. I could lie, saying I’m meeting Lilly after the club or something. He liked Lilly. We could rent an apartment, tell him that’s where Lilly lives…”

“Lucy could give Dominic the same address under a different pretext,” Nico says, looking at me with evident pride in his stark, penetrating eyes. “But it’d mean risking you, Arria. You’d be putting yourself into the damn lion’s den. We can’t do that. We need to think of another way.”

“He’s right,” Mom says.

“I’m a grown woman, remember?” I hiss. “I can make my own decisions.”

When Nico shakes his head, I snap, “If I can make my own choices aboutus, Nico, I can make my own choices about helping my aunt, about helping to get rid of two sick, twisted assholes!”

He leans forward, glaring at me. “You don’t want any part of it, Arria, believe me. Sick or twisted or not, whatever they are, something like this will eat away at you.”

“Maybe I’m stronger than you think.”

His lip twitches with a smirk, that same look of pride. Then the front door opens, and Dad walks in, looking tired from work. “What’s going on here?” he says, looking around the room.

“Nothing,” Mom quickly says. “Are you hungry? I can heat up your dinner .”

Dad glares at Nico. “Remember what we discussed earlier.”

“I remember, Rocco.”

CHAPTER 20

NICO

Istand at the window, looking down at the street. It’s empty. No mob cars. No enforcers. No hitmen. It’s as if the dark, quiet street represents a version of reality we might accept if we were to sacrifice Lucia. We could give her to Dominic, a man whose record of abuse and sadism is well-known in the city. We could wake up tomorrow and I could take Arria on the date she was talking about.

But we can’t. My phone buzzes on the bedside table. It’s Arria texting me, my angel.

Arriana:Let me help. Don’t say I’m too weak. That it’ll eat away at me, or whatever. The only way that could be true is if Dominic or Enzo were good people. So let me ask you—do they deserve this?

Me:They deserve worse than what I’d do to them.

Arriana:So what’s the issue?

Me:The issue is YOU, Arria. Do you seriously think I’m going to let you risk yourself? Do you seriously think I’m going to give Enzo the chance to hurt you, too?

Arriana:What I said at dinner is true. If I can make my decision about us, why not about this?

I sit on the bed, groaning. She’s too gorgeously clever and beautifully stubborn for me.

Me:We shouldn’t even be texting each other.

Arriana:I know Dad wouldn’t approve. I get that. But I don’t care. Right now, I only care about The Nightmare, my savior, and he’s not making any sense.

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