Page 23 of Corrupted By the Capo

Not that she’d made it easy. Back then, I hadn’t known about everything that made Hope who she was, but even still, there had been something about her. Something that made me want to look after her, and something that made me admire her.

She at once confessed that she feared being invisible so that she could survive was the only thing she was good at. She’d been so wrong, and I was glad she’d found Nico.

Some might look at her and Nico and think it didn’t make sense. But I saw it. Even a tough guy like Nico was putty in Hope’s hands. And even though he was intimidating, I saw how much he loved and cherished her and gave her the life she deserved.

I couldn’t be happier for her.

“Goons, Molly?” she said, her head tilted.

“What?” I blinked at her as innocently as I could.

She laughed, then shook her head.

“You’re incorrigible. I can’t tell if you’re the bad influence or Enzo is,” she said.

“What would give you the idea that Enzo has any influence on me at all?” I asked.

I tried to keep a straight face, something that was almost impossible in the face of the truth. I’d spent practically every waking moment and a lot of sleeping moments with Enzo over the last two weeks.

He’d also ruined me for every man before him and any that would come after on every available surface of my apartment—and some that still surprised me.

“Save it, Molly,” she said.

“Has Enzo been gossiping?” I asked.

“Of course he has. They all do,” she said.

I laughed, and she joined in.

“Plus, I heard you met Mona,” she said.

“She’s so lovely…Wait, are you trying to trick me out of information?” I eyed her suspiciously.

“Just a little confirmation. Nico won’t give me details, and Enzo just blows me off,” she said. She narrowed her eyes. “To say nothing of the fact that my very best friend didn’t bother to tell me anything. So I’m forced to use all of the tools at my disposal.”

“You have better things to do than gossip about me. And I came to talk about the shelter,” I said.

Hope nodded, and then started to tick off a list on her fingers. “The shelter is fully self-funded, and I have a lead on an expert who’s willing to help out with potentially dangerous breeds. Enzo is overseeing the facility updates, and you’ve secured next year’s food donations. Okay, we’ve talked about the shelter—now tell me about this dinner at the Morettis,” she said.

“Well, after that jerk harassed me at the shelter, Enzo insisted that we had to pretend to be dating, at least for a little while, until some of the attention went away,” I said.

I rolled my eyes and then took a sip of my diet soda.

“Ridiculous, right?” I said.

I laughed, but then stopped when I noticed she hadn’t joined me.

She gave methatlook. The I’m-concerned-and-you’re-not-taking-this-seriously-Molly look. Hope had never had a chance to meet my grandmother, but she may as well have been channeling her now. And like Gram, Hope was as patient as a sniper. I wouldn’t weasel out of this one.

“What, Hope?” I said, still honor-bound to put up a fight.

“It’s just—I need you to be safe. And if Enzo says this is what you need to do, you should,” she said.

“Well, I am. Which is why I was at the Morettis. But...”

“But what?” Hope responded.

“But…Enzo.”

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