Page 24 of Boardwalk Kings

"I was thinking older." My dad cleared his throat as he fixed his gaze on me. "New dress? It doesn't look like something you would wear."

I nodded. "It came with the apartment."

So did the Luciano brothers.

"How do you like the apartment?" Dad asked.

"It's the nicest place I've ever lived," I said, but when he sighed, I added, "But it's not like home."

That turned his frown up slightly.

I scanned the faces at the table. "Speaking of home, where are Enzo and Angelina? They were supposed to be here."

"At home," Dad said.

"But I thought they were coming."

He shook his dark head of hair. "No, only family tonight."

I wanted to argue and say they were like family to me, but there was no point in going back and forth with him. Dad didn't care about what I wanted, anyway. That much he'd made clear.

When Angelo moved his hand to my thigh again, I whispered, "What are you doing?"

He dipped his head down, his lips brushing my earlobe. "What does it look like I'm doing, college girl?"

I peeled each of his fingers off my thigh, only for him to repeat the same move.

Whatever.

It wasn't like he would do anything crazy with our parents across the table from us. So I let the asshole leave his hand on my thigh as the waitress took our drink order. And after she came back to the table with our drinks, Salvatore raised his glass.

He looked at me, then placed his hand on my father's shoulder. "I remember the day Giancarlo got his acceptance letter to Columbia University. He didn't know how he would pay the tuition." He smiled at my dad. "But I knew I couldn't let that brain of his go to waste. And now, over two decades later, we welcome his daughter into the family." Salvatore tipped his head at me. "To Ava.Salute."

I felt his sons' gazes on my face, my cheeks burning from being inspected like a specimen under a microscope.

So far, I had been keeping my shit together. Well, as best as I could, given the circumstances. The second I was alone, I would scream and let out my frustrations, one of my strange coping mechanisms.

My childhood therapist thought it was good for me to get out the emotions and learn how to process them. Growing up in a family like mine wasn't easy. And now, we were in over our heads.

My dad had been friends with Salvatore since they were kids. But I could tell something was off about their exchange. I watched my dad shift awkwardly in his seat, drinking to steady his nerves.

Angelo's hand dropped onto my thigh. The sudden contact made me gasp, and I slid toward Nico, who laid his hand on my other leg.

When I looked up at Nico, he smiled. A devious smile that said,You thought you were running to the nicer brother, didn't you?

His hand inched up my left thigh while Angelo massaged the other. I was stuck between them, unable to move. My eyes flicked from Nico to Angelo, and they grinned because they enjoyed pushing me outside my comfort zone.

Angelo's long fingers brushed my sex.

Oh, fuck.

It felt good, too.

With his other hand, Angelo removed a knife from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Then he flipped open the blade and started cutting the side of my dress.

"I like this dress," I whispered. "You're going to ruin it."

He smirked and went back to cutting, touching my skin with the pads of his fingers. "I'll buy you ten more."

---