“I’m pretty sure it only applies to fiancés,” I say, still laughing, but the mirth is fading.
“Remind me never to get engaged to you then.”
“Sure, we don’t have to get married.I’m perfectly fine with that.”
He chuckles then finishes his glass of wine and I take a sip of mine too.The summer aroma explodes in my mouth and in my mind, making those visions of a house on the beach that we share with our children much more vivid.More like a memory than a fantasy.
“What’s your curse all about then?”I ask.
“Probably best not to talk about it,” he says and waves to the waiter.“I should take you back home.It’s late.”
This abrupt ending to what I thought could very well be the beginning of the rest of my life feels exactly like that initial plunge on the rollercoaster.And now I’m riding all the flips and turns as I watch him pay for our dinner and stand up, waiting for me to do the same.
I could’ve told him I’m not done with my food yet, but I am.I could say I don’t want to go back home yet.Which I don’t.
But no.What I did do was tell him about my curse.
Of course he wants to get away from me now.Either because he thinks I’m insane for believing in curses.Or because he’s afraid of getting too close to me so it doesn’t kill him too.
When will I learn to control what comes out of my mouth?
Chapter24
MATTEO
She has such an open face.I could just sit there, looking at it while spilling all my secrets.I almost did in that restaurant earlier.Almost told her all about my own curse and how it killed almost everyone I loved.
I can still see her face clearly in my mind’s eye now.The way the yellow candlelight made her skin and her eyes glow a soft gold.I’ll never be able to look at gold and not think of her again.
But I should stop thinking about both.
I’m with Nico in Angelo’s study.The hour is so late that the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is pitch black, no moon or stars anywhere.Plus, we’re in the middle of nowhere.That alone is giving me the creeps.After a week in a city that really never seems to be totally asleep—I should know because I haven’t been sleeping either—and the darkness turns scary.Go figure.Especially since NYC is the bigger beast than Angelo and his country mansion in this scenario.Or is it?
It’s not just the three of us here tonight.Sitting on a wooden chair by one of the windows with his leg stretched out and a crutch balanced on the wall beside him, is the guy who almost stabbed Goldie.He’s looking at me from below his prominent brows, eyes totally in shadow, but still burning into me with laser hot hatred.One of the guys with him is also still sporting the bruises I left him with that night, and the third is a younger guy with light blond hair and a look in his eyes that puts me in mind of those Russian czars we briefly studied in school.I deserve all the hate the three of them are casting my way.And I hope they won’t do anything about it right now.
I’ve been looking over my shoulder waiting for these guys I beat up to come for me, since I’ve been very easy to find… stuck right next to the woman they wanted to kill in the first place.But I’d since convinced myself that the attack on her must’ve been random and she wasn’t in immediate danger anymore.Clearly, I was wrong.Whatever else happens, I gotta protect her from these assholes.
And just like that, Goldie is front and center in my mind again.This time I can even hear her sweet little laugh.Like wind chimes on the porch of a seaside cabin.Faint, but prettier than anything else.
Fuck me!
If I didn’t have enough reasons to stay far away from her before, she gave me a perfect one now.A curse.One that could kill me all on its own if I get too close to her.No wonder my own has been pushing me in her direction so diligently this whole time.
When Angelo mentioned this curse the first time, I figured it was maybe just a nasty rumor being spread around about her, being in her twenties and still unmarried.But she believes she’s cursed too, there was no doubt in my mind about that.And she’s afraid of it.Probably afraid she’s pushed me away by telling me.The real reason I cut the dinner short was to stop myself from telling her all about my family and my own curse.The wine was going to my head.Or she was.Either way, I was losing control thanks to her pretty face, sweet voice and honest, innocent eyes that seemed to be seeing only me.
The study door opens and two more guys walk in.One of them is Ferro’s manservant, or whatever the guy who opens the door is, and the other a stocky guy with a black five o’clock shadow and a three-piece suit that was the height of fashion back in Capone’s time.He’s about my age though, and head and shoulders shorter than everyone else in the room.Wouldn’t know it from the arrogant smirk on his face though.
“This is Alfredo Costa of the Chicago Outfit,” Ferro says glancing at all of us.“And now we can begin.”
I almost blurt out,Finally, but manage not to, instead taking a long sip of the club soda, which the man servant found for me with a lot of grumbling about it after I refused a stronger drink.But it’s more important than ever that I keep a clear head.
“Let’s begin,” Angelo says and motions for us all to gather around him, ash falling like snowflakes off the cigar he’s holding.
The Russians stay where they are, but I move a couple of steps to my left, a little removed from the circle around Angelo and keeping a good line of sight on everyone.I still don’t quite know what I’m doing here.Nico has been less than forthcoming, telling me I’ll get all my answers in due time, and I’ve stopped asking him questions.
If I had to guess, I’m probably the designated fall guy if it all goes to shit, so the less I know, the better.In case I’m caught and tortured and such.Not fine by me.But I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.I can take care of myself against these guys too.
For all those reasons, I’m not expecting to learn a lot at this meeting either.
