I’m in an important meeting.Can’t answer. My apologies. What can I do for you?
“Who says ‘my apologies’in a text?” I asked, looking at Luis.
He shrugged. “When you have more money than most one-percenters, I guess you can say whatever the hell you want.”
I sent Donatello a long text outlining the plan Luis and I had come up with. His response a few moments later was a whole string of laughing emojis, followed by another few lines of text.
I love it!!!Truly genius, but hold off for a bit. The meeting I’m in should help some of our dreams come to fruition. Wait to implement your plan until you see the news today. Also, have Luis email me all the dirt he has on Viola. The videos you talked about especially. It’s time to shuffle the deck.
I showedLuis what Donatello had sent. “I guess we wait?”
Luis cocked an eyebrow. “Bro, when Don gets on something, he’s like a dog on a bone. This is gonna be good. I’ll send him the stuff now.” He pulled his laptop off the end table beside him and opened it.
“You’ve still never told me how the hell you got caught up with this guy to begin with. Are you ever gonna tell me this story?’
As Luis typed, he smiled but didn’t look at me. “Some things even the great Nico Lorenzo will simply have to imagine. If you ever hear it, it’ll have to come from Donatello.”
Ten minutes after sending the file, I received another text.
Turnon the news at six.
Before I even finished reading thetext, Abi walked into the room. She’d been fairly absent the last couple of days, staying away from the chaos. She basically ignored me, only having eyes for Luis. “Can I talk to you?” she said.
I stood and stared at my friend, giving him a stern look. “Luis? Remember what I said.”
He nodded. “I heard it loud and clear. That’s why I stayed away from her.”
Abi’s cheeks went red as we talked about her. “Seriously, it’ll only take a minute. In private?”
That was it. I was done. We’d treated Abi like a China doll since we’d rescued her, but I wasn’t about to let her tear my family apart. Sebastian and Luis weren’t blood, but they sure as hellwerefamily. It was time to take the kid gloves off and lay down the law. “Abi? I know you’ve been through a lot. But if you think you’re going to use my best friends against each other because of some grudge, then you can pack your bags now and get the hell out. Do you understand?”
Luis looked pained. “Nico?—”
“No!” I shouted, holding my hand up for him to stop. “This is between me and Abi. Understand? This is your alpha talking right now, not your friend.”
Luis looked down at the floor, chastised, but looking like he still wanted to argue.
Abi stared at me with wide eyes, fear and shock playing over her face. I’d never spoken to her like that before. She could see that I was deadly serious. “I understand. Uh, I’m trying to fix it. That’s all. I know I fucked up. I want to fix it. All of it.”
As I glared at her, she had to lower her eyes, her fear of me making her look away. Maddy could be pissed at me if she wanted, but I really did mean it. I’d toss Abi out the moment she tried to keep pitting Luis and Sebastian against each other.
Pointing at her and Luis, I said, “That’s exactly what you all need to do. Fix it. Go on.”
“Can we use your office really quick?” Luis asked.
“Yeah. Make it fast.”
The two ducked up the stairs into my office. There was nothing for me to do but wait for them. I clicked the TV on to see if whatever Donatello was talking about had broken, but all I saw were the same clips and interviews I’d been seeing for days. Giving up on the TV, I pulled out my phone and checked the video feed from the gate. More people had joined the others. Several now held signs and posters with different versions of ‘get out’ drawn on them with markers or paint.
After a few minutes, the office door opened, and the two of them started down the stairs together. Before they got to the bottom, the front door opened. I closed my eyes, praying to God it wasn’t the one person I didn’t want it to be. Though, if God had shown me anything in the last six months, it was that he loved nothing more than stirring up drama. I turned in time to see Sebastian crossing the foyer. His eyes grew dark as he saw Luis and Abi on the stairs. Their shoulders were so close they were basically touching.Son of a bitch.
Moving across the room as fast as I could, I put myself between Sebastian and Luis and Abi. I held my hands up as the anger on Sebastian’s face bloomed. “Hang on now. Calm down,” I said, pointing at Sebastian.
He ignored me. Instead, he hurried around me, angling toward Luis. I could see murder in his eyes. I knew he wouldn’t seriously hurt Luis, but it was obvious he was itching to throw a few punches. Sliding over to catch him, I wrapped my arms around his chest. “Nope. No. Calm down.”
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Luis said, sounding almost heartbroken.
Nothing we said seemed to get through to Sebastian. His head must have been filled with static, the anger making it impossible for him to think. He sagged against me for a moment before pushing me away and taking a step back. “You know what?” he said as he raised a finger to point at Abi. “I’m done. I’ve tried everything I can think of to apologize and make things right. Every time I try, you turn away. I know I fucked up.” He slammed an angry fist into his own chest for emphasis. “You don’t think it tears me up inside?”
