Page 20 of Boardwalk Kings

It was confusing as fuck.

I still couldn’t wrap my head around how he’d gotten me so bothered that I almost begged him to make me come. Then I stopped myself. It was bad enough that it happened. I wasn’t about to give him any more power over me.

On our way to Atlantic City, I sat between Nico and Angelo. Stefan drove the black G Wagon, blasting rap music through the speakers. Bossman sat in the passenger seat, his long fingers gliding across the keypad of his cell phone. Dante hadn’t said a word to anyone since we left my apartment.

Stefan mouthed the words to the song, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. I was so embarrassed about getting wet for Dante in front of his brothers. If it were possible, I would have hidden under the seat. I’d never wanted and hated someone so much in my entire life.

When we were on the Atlantic City Expressway, Nico placed his hand on my thigh and whispered, “I wanted to tell you.”

Over the music, his brothers couldn’t hear him.

“I should have known better.”

As I turned my head away from him, he squeezed my thigh. “I know this isn’t what you wanted for your life. But I can make things easier for you.”

I snapped my head at him. “How?”

“Word of advice. Don’t give Dante any more shit,” he said in a hushed tone. “Just do what he asks and don’t give him an attitude.” He lifted my leg and pulled it on top of his, bending down until our lips almost touched. “I’ll do whatever I can to make your life less stressful.”

“Is Dante the bad cop, and you’re the good cop? You’re both playing with me.”

He shook his head, and a strand of blond hair swept across his forehead. “I’ll take care of you, okay?”

I stared at him for a long while before saying, “Okay.”

Then he brushed the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip, a smile on his handsome face.

That was the end of our conversation. For the rest of the ride to Atlantic City, I let him hold my hand and run his fingers over my skin. I wasn’t sure why I got a sense of peace from Nico, but he made me feel safe. So I rested my head on his shoulder and stared out the window.

With Nico, I didn’t fear for my life. Not like I did with Angelo and Dante.

Stefan seemed like a smart-ass goofball and wasn’t as scary as the other two. But he was a bit of a mystery, a wild card. And I had a feeling I would get to know each of them better than I would have liked.

The thought of working for them terrified me. What if I screwed up? What if I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see? The Mafia killed people who knew too much about their business.

My lungs were tight, and my chest felt like it was about to explode. So I reached into my purse and grabbed the inhaler. I opened my mouth, took a slow, deep breath, and pressed down on the top of the canister.

All of this was too fucking much for me. Stressful situations stirred up my asthma. And to think I had made it through my valedictory speech without needing it.

Nico slid his arm behind my neck. “Calmati, passerotta.”

“I’m trying,” I whispered. “It’s hard to relax.”

“Don’t you trust me to keep you safe?”

Would he protect me?

I wasn’t so sure after letting Dante do whatever he wanted to me at my apartment. He didn’t even try to help me.

I sighed. “I don’t know what I think anymore.”

When we arrived at the Portofino Hotel and Casino, Stefan parked the G Wagon in the back of the building by the loading dock. Dante hadn’t spoken a single word, which was terrifying and comforting. I wasn’t sure if this was normal for him. But it worried me after he had so much to say at my apartment.

Was he thinking of all the ways to torture me? There was no logical reason for them to force me to work with my father. Had Dad done something wrong? Was all of this an elaborate ruse?

My heart pounded as we walked down the long tiled hallway, which seemed to go on for miles. Then we stopped at a private elevator that required a keycard to open the door. Inside, it had mirrored walls, a white-and-black checkered floor, and an L-shaped bench.

Dante put his hand on my back and led me inside, the others following us. Then he pushed on my shoulder for me to sit.

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