Page 84 of Taming Nikki

“No. Don’t listen to Nonna. You know she lies.”

“I heard that!” Nonna called, glaring at me. I smirked at her, laughing when she abandoned her group to come scold me. “Don’t lie to your sisters. You and that boy are dancing around each other, too cowardly to let your shit go and just be happy. It’s no wonder you look so thin. Have you even been eating or is avoiding him more important?”

I made an irritated sound, focusing on my menu. “I eat, just not what he wants me to. We aren’t a couple, I don’t have boy problems. I have problems with people dictating how I live my life.”

Watching an eighty-year-old woman roll her eyes like a teenager was actually pretty entertaining. When I chuckled, though, she smacked me hard on the back of the head. Gemma covered her mouth with her hands to hide her own laugh.

“God damnit, Nonna, stop doing that!”

“Not until you come to your senses and call that boy. You need to work your shit out because we both know if there wasn’t a deal, you’d admit you’re head over heels already.”

I blanched, jerking my head up to face her. She looked smug, her chin dipping as she looked over her glasses at me.

“I’ve been around a long time, gioia. I see what’s happening between you two, and I’m not going to let your stubbornness get in the way of your happiness.”

“I am not in love with Leo.”

She scoffed. “That’s a load of bull. If you weren’t, you’d have already left by now. We both know you're no slouch. You could’ve rigged the game a long time ago. You’re still waiting for him to make a move.”

Amara looked thoughtful. “You know, I thought the same thing. You never let people control you like Leo does. He tells you where to stay and you go with it. You’re usually a lot more rational about how you deal with people challenging you, too. I’ve never seen you so wild before. Like he jumbles you up.”

I leaned back in my seat, scowling at them. “Why am I getting the third degree? He hasn’t done shit to talk to me either.”

“He’s a man, cara mia. As a species, they’re rather stupid. You’ll need to spell out what you want from him or he’ll never get it.”

A smile tugged at my lips, but I held it back, shaking my head. They were twisting things around, and it was hard enough to accept the fact that I wasn’t going to speak to him again after tomorrow.

“I don’t believe in love and happily ever after, Nonna. Too many people who were supposed to love me fucked me over. I’m not in love with Leo. And he isn’t in love with me. He wanted revenge, remember? He’ll be happier with someone like Bianca.”

The thought still made my stomach turn over, but I wasn’t wrong. She’d be quiet and dutiful and never question his orders. She’d give him his heirs and let him stay in control at all times, and he’d have nothing to complain about outside of her spending. Which, good luck with that. She was an absolute monster, and Papa had to put her on a spending limit at thirteen.

Nonna made a face. “No man will be happy with your sister. She’s a bitch and if you let her sink her claws into that man, then maybe you’re the stupid one.”

My eyes went wide. Nonna has never insulted me. We teased, we bantered, but she was never cruel. And right now, she was being cruel. If this were another universe, I’d be running to be with Leo. When he wasn’t being an asshole, he was thoughtful and supportive and we had a raw chemistry that I’d only ever dreamed about. But facts are facts. He was a mafia boss, I was his worst nightmare. We would never work out.

“Is this why you came to visit me? To bully me into a relationship I don’t want?” I tried not to sound hurt, but there were very few people I trusted in the world and it felt like they were all teaming up against me. I stood, pushing away from the table, and she backpedaled.

“No, Nikki, that’s not what we planned. We just hoped we could help you see past the bullheadedness that runs so strong on our side of the family.”

“I’m done talking about this. You aren’t going to change my mind. Leo and I won’t work. So let it go already.”

I stormed away but before I could get more than a couple feet from them, I saw a black sedan slow in front of the big bay windows in the front. Ice filled my veins as the windows rolled down and a gun pointed directly at my family. I spun around, locking eyes with my Nonna.

“Get down!”

ChapterThirty-Eight

NIKKI

The bullets started flying beforeI had a chance to get to my sisters. They had been trained from birth on what to do, and they both hit the floor in an instant, but they were in the middle of the damn restaurant, right in the path of the shooters. I dodged forward, tossing the table as Nonna grabbed them and dragged them behind it. Throwing my body over Gemma, I covered her while Nonna did the same for Amara. Mikey fired back, hiding behind a booth nearby.

Blood rushed through my ears, but I could still hear the screams of the patrons inside, my little sisters’ sobs. Blasts of gunfire, both inside and outside the restaurant, cracked through the air. Debris went flying whenever a bullet struck through glass or wood.

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion, and even though it probably only lasted a few seconds, it felt like hours. I heard Mikey shout, watched him fall, and I could only watch in horror from my spot hiding behind that stupid table.

Once it was over, I launched to my feet. I spared a moment to make sure my sisters and my Nonna were okay before racing over to Mikey. He was gripping his arm, a grimace on his face.

“Are you okay?”

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