Page 57 of Lies like Rubies, Part One

“I’ve been at the clinic all morning, Caro,” I sighed, navigating the busy college campus on my way to the student union, where Sofia’d agreed to meet me for lunch because I couldn’t wait until later in the week to see her again.

“You’re not now,” my sister snapped back.

“I’m not,” I affirmed.

“Nico,” she sighed, and I resigned myself to a dressing down. “You left all this.”

“I did.”

I reached the imposing brick building and stepped inside.

“What’s that noise? Are you shopping?” my sister asked me.

“Students,” I answered, knowing she’d make the connection.

“Dammit, Nico!” she swore angrily. “Coming back has consequences, not for you, but for the whole fucking family.”

My heart thumped once, twice, as my gaze raked over Sofia sitting at a table by herself, deep in thought, as she flipped the pages of a textbook, taking notes on her laptop. How was it possible to want one woman so much? Someone I barely knew? It was beyond me, but I’d gotten where I was by seizing life with both hands, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to stop now.

“Nico?”

“Caro, mind your fucking business,” I snapped, knowing it was unfair. She deserved an explanation. “Sorry,” I immediately continued. “I fucking like her a lot,” I continued. “And—”

“And she’s a Russo!” Caro exploded. “Arms, drugs, corruption, smuggling—I guarantee she’s got her icy fingers in all of it.”

“One more word, Caro, and you will regret it,” I said, my voice soft.

Sofia’s gaze caught on me, and her smile lit up like a goddamned Christmas tree. Pleasure flowed under my skin like molten lava. I’d put that smile on her face, and I wanted to do it again and again and again.

My sister’s silence burned through me.

“Nico, are you sure?”

No, of course I wasn’t sure. Getting involved with Sofia Russo was a bad fucking idea. I knew it, she knew it, and yet, here I was, watching her slow smile as I joined her in the student union, the air crackling between us as I bent down to kiss her cheek, inhaling her rose scent.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Gotta go,” I thumbed the call closed to give the goddess in front of me my full attention.

She’d braided her blonde hair behind her neck and wore a pale blue sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. Someone who didn’t know how brightly she burned might mistake her polite facade for ice, but I knew better after only a few stolen kisses. Sofia was a raging inferno waiting to explode. And God, I wanted to lose myself in that heat.

“How are you, baby?” I asked, sliding into the spot across from her and setting the takeout in front of us.

“Better now,” she said, grinning at the cheesy line. “What’s this?”

I opened the containers one by one, showing her the Thai food I’d brought from my favorite restaurant.

“Didn’t want dining hall food?”

My eyes flashed to hers, wondering at the amusement and warmth in them. “I was hoping to impress you with my thoughtfulness.”

Her answering smile made the hassle worth it. When she didn’t answer, I leaned forward and offered her a bit of my chicken from my chopsticks.

“Did it work?” I asked.

This ethereal creature in front of me took the morsel between her lips, then licked my chopsticks, sending bolts of need through me. “Maybe I’m easy to impress,” she said, mischief dancing in her eyes.

I let my gaze rove up and down her, taking in her designer bag, the diamonds in her ears, her immaculate nails, and the way she very carefully presented herself to the world. Instead of teasing her, I gave her a serious answer. “If bringing you takeout on your lunch break is all it takes to impress you, then your dates haven’t been treating you right.”

The flush that spread across her cheeks was so fucking cute, and it so clearly annoyed her.

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