Page 124 of What's Left of Us

“It’s not her I dislike.” Though, she’s never going to be getting a Christmas card from me anytime soon. “I’m not a complete asshole, Peaches. I can find it in me to help someone who needs it.”

“That’s how I feel about my father.”

The difference is, Nikolas may be too far gone to be saved. And I’m afraid she’ll realize that too soon and give up everything to try anyway.

*

When a youngwoman opens the door to the Del Rossi mansion, I step inside with a hand on Georgia’s lower back. We’re guided to a formal dining room the size of my old apartment, where Luca and Antonio Carbone are sitting and making conversation with Nikolas, seated at the end of the table.

The eldest Del Rossi’s face drops the second he sees me enter the room. It takes everything in me to behave like I promised Georgia I would on the drive here.

“Sorry we’re late,” I apologize, making eye contact with each person. “We wanted to stop and buy you something.”

Georgia clears her throat, setting the bottle of Shivers on the table. The whiskey cost me sixty dollars at the liquor store, but I wasn’t coming empty-handed into the lion’s den.

It’s Leani who’s quick to respond. “How thoughtful. Would you like me to put it in the other room, dear?”

Her question is directed toward Nikolas, who’s still staring at me. “We’re more of a Macallan household,” he informs me, ignoring his wife.

Georgia puts her hand on my arm, as if telling me to play nice. I capture her hand, threading our fingers together. “Unfortunately, not all of us have an unlimited budget like you do.”

Leani gestures toward the table. “Please sit. I’ll ask the caterers to pour you a glass.”

The smug face on Luca Carbone only lasts long enough for me to take the empty seat next to Leani that I’m expected to sit at and drag it loudly over to Georgia. The chair legs scrape across the hardwood, stopping when I wedge the seat between where Georgia and Luca had been put beside each other.

Nikolas glares as I settle in, draping an arm across the back of my wife’s chair. I simply look at the floor and say, “I can buff that out for you.”

Georgia puts a hand on my knee and squeezes once. A warning. But I ignore the irritated glares in my direction from the men and turn my attention to Leani. “Thank you for the invitation. I’ve been wanting to speak to you and your husband for a while.”

The hand on my leg tightens. “Lincoln,” she whispers, eyeing me warily.

She’s worried about what I’ll say, but I have no intention of telling the man at the other end of the table what a horriblefather he is. He doesn’t need me to tell him that. Deep down, he already knows he’s failed his family.

I put a hand on top of hers and turn my body toward the man of the household. “I wanted to thank you for helping me get my promotion. It’s always nice to know there are people who can see the importance of cleaning up the streets. It’s a shame drug use is on the rise, but your endorsement is going to help end that.”

It’s not a threat but a promise.

And I deliver it with a smile.

Antonio’s body straightens, his shoulders squaring and eyes narrowing at Nikolas. “What is he talking about?”

“I don’t know what he’s referring to,” Nikolas states, gripping the arm of his chair and keeping his eyes forward.

He won’t look at his companion.

Interesting.

“Oh, come on,” I say halfheartedly. “Now’s not the time to be humble, Nikolas. Without you getting Captain Chamberlin to talk on my behalf, I wouldn’t be able to take care of these dealers roaming our towns. We’ve got families to protect, after all.”

Georgia’s hand slips out from under mine, leaving my leg cold from the absence of her touch. She looks between me and her father, her brows furrowed together. “He…” Her eyes meet her father’s. “You helped him get the promotion?”

“You didn’t know?” I question casually.

Her gaze darts back to me. “Of course, I didn’t,” she says softly. “I had no clue.”

Whether I believe her or not doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Not when there are at least three pairs of eyes burning holes into the profile of my face.

Luca speaks up for the first time since we sat down. “A promotion like that must be strenuous on your personal life. Especially with all of your adjustments lately. Howisthat charming house of yours?”

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