Page 122 of Dance of Ruin

“What kind of business?” I ask. “Mafia stuff?”

He turns to face me, his expression unreadable. “Stuff you don’t need to be concerned with.”

That hits harder than I expect.

“Hey—where were you earlier?” I ask. “This morning, I mean. When I woke up.”

He stills.

“Am I being questioned?” he growls.

I lift a shoulder. “I mean, you always know where I am. It feels a little one-sided.”

He steps closer and cups my jaw in his hand. His thumb traces my cheekbone.

“It’s just mafia stuff,” he says, more gently this time. “Part of my life I don’t want to involve you in.”

“Why not?”

His eyes darken.

“Because you’regood,” he murmurs. “Too good for the darker parts of me.”

I stand there for a moment after he disappears out the bedroom and down the hall. Just as I’m about to follow, there’s the sound behind me of a text coming in. I turn, looking toward the vanity to see Nico’s phone.

It chimes again, a second text lighting up the screen.

Ignore it.

It’s not your phone.

But then I frown.

He knowsevery single facetof my day, and gets all territorial about friends like Vaughn, and I don’t knowanythingabout all his little secrets?

“Part of my life I don’t want to involve you in.”

Translation: I get to have secrets and you don’t.

The phone chimes again.

This time, I walk over. I tell myself I’m just getting it so I can bring it to him, in case it’s something serious. But that’s a hilarious lie.

I’m straight upsnooping, is what I’m doing.

I hesitate before I pick it up.

I shouldn’t look. Shouldn’t care.

But I do, so Ido. AndwhenI do, I scowl at the name:Melissa.

Melissa

You want it?

Nico

Very much so.

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