Page 53 of Break My Fall

“I had a chat with her husband and his father last night. They won’t be going near Maddie or Willow again. I made sure of it,” I reassured her.

“What did you do?”

“Just threatened them. Maddie had images of what that fucker had done to her. I threatened to leak them to the press if they don’t back off. They agreed.”

“That’s good,” Mia nodded. “His dad’s the D.A. isn’t he? He won’t want bad press.”

“Exactly. Edward agreed to sign the divorce papers and give full custody of the kids to Maddie. I don’t exactly trust him to keep his word, but I’m pretty sure his father will make sure he behaves.”

“So Maddie is safe to come back here then?” Mia asked.

“If she wants to, but I think she’s pretty happy where she is. That’s why I’m headed out there. I want to check on them both and see what her plans are.”

“You like her?” Mia looked at me with knowing eyes. She was the only person in the whole damned world who saw right through the mask I had spent so many years perfecting.

“I’m too damned old for her,” I grumbled.

“No you’re not, Nico. Don’t be ridiculous,” Mia said. “You’d be perfect for her. Do you have feelings for her?”

“Even if I did, she’s been through so much. She doesn’t need me hitting on her,” I scoffed as I busied myself checking through the backpack I already knew had everything I needed inside of it.

“Nico, look at me please,” Mia requested as she walked up beside me. I turned and looked to her, raising my eyebrows in question. “Do you like her?”

“Yes, but it’s not that easy,” I sighed.

“Yes it is. You’re an amazing man, Nico Gallo. You’re handsome and smart. Your loyal and when you love someone you protect them with everything you have in you. You have so much to offer to Maddie and her children. She deserves someone like you and I think she could make you very happy,” She went on. “Just please, try to stop telling yourself why this won’t work and consider how great it could be if it did.”

“I’ll try,” I agreed with a nod, knowing she’d never give up if I didn’t give in.

“Maybe I should come with you?” she suggested.

“While I think Willow and Maddie would be delighted to see you, you just got home. Let me go this time and if they’re not coming back you can come with me next time I go, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” she agreed. “I’ll call her instead, let her know I’m home if she needs anything.”

“She’d like that. She’s been asking when you’d be back,” I assured her as I grabbed my duffel bag and swung it over my shoulder.

“You have to go?” she asked, and I nodded.

“My flight’s in a few hours,” I replied.

“Stay for as long as they need you. The guys have the business and I’ll make sure the office stays on track,” she told me as she walked through my apartment with me.

“I know you will, Tesoro. Thank you.”

“Don’t let her get away without a fight, Nico.”

“She’s only just getting out of an abusive marriage, Mia. I don’t think she’s gonna be ready to start over right away,” I sighed, voicing just one of many doubts that had plagued me all week.

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t let her know how you feel and tell her you’ll wait if that’s what she needs,” Mia said.

“We’ll see,” I replied noncommittedly. She was talking way too much sense and it was jarring against the thoughts I had been having all week, about why me and Maddie could never happen. I had to get out of there before my sister had me believing in happily ever after’s.

***

I could hardly believe my eyes as I stepped out of my rental car outside the address Hunter had texted to me the night before.

The house before me was a fucking mansion! This was where those three assholes lived? No wonder Maddie and Willow were happy there. Who wouldn’t be?

---