Page 22 of The Cost of Silence

Matteo smirks. He’s a handsome bastard and he knows it. “She was an appetizer.”

“Fuck’s sake, Matty, can you keep the scandals to a minimum? We don’t need any more headlines right now.”

“Speaking of which,” Adi adjusts Letty again, carefully lifting her hair from her face, “start talking.”

So I do.

I tell them how I’ve been following Isabella, about the car that tried to take her out. The attack in her apartment. The Bratva tattoo. Rossi dragging the bastard to the warehouse. I tell them all of it, except how distracting I find her. The last thing I need is them fussing over me.

Adi goes still. His whole face changes. “Bratva? You sure?”

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

Matteo whistles, all business now. My brother is a party animal, but when he’s needed, he’s all in with the family. “Shit. That’s not random.”

“No,” I say. “It’s not.”

Adi’s gaze sharpens. “And the girl? She’s safe?”

“She’s in the guest room.”

Matteo smirks. “At your place? Is that wise?”

I glare. “Yes, and don’t start.”

He lifts his palms. “Most women don’t get past your lobby.”

“This isn’t the same thing. I’m not fucking her, I’m watching her. Have you never heard the saying ‘keep your enemies close’, moron?”

“Whatever you say, Nic.”

Adi shoots him a look. “Focus.”

I lean back, scrubbing a hand through my hair. My head aches. My chest aches worse. “Someone sent that bastard with a message. She’s tied to this whether she meant to be or not.”

“You think it’s the old guard?” Adi asks quietly.

“Feels like it.”

Matteo curses, expression darkening. “We need to lock down. If they’re poking the bear, they won’t stop.”

“I know.” A long breath. “We’ll handle it. Quietly. We have enough eyes on us with losing dad, and then that fucking article she wrote. We need to tread carefully.”

Adi nods in agreement. “Let’s talk tomorrow. I’m getting covered in drool. Call if anything changes.”

I glance at my sleeping niece, vowing to do anything to make sure she can sleep the sleep of the innocent. “Will do.”

Matteo leans in close to the camera. “And, Nico?”

“What?”

“Don’t forget you can have some fun. From what I saw, she was hot.”

My jaw ticks. “She’s not some hook up, Matty, so show some fucking respect.”

They both stare at me like I’ve said something I shouldn’t have said.

Then Adi murmurs, “Be careful, Nic.”