18
Matilde
The following night, I'm still shaken to the core by what happened in his bedroom."Unless you want a lesson in what you were trying, and failing, to accomplish a moment ago, I suggest you leave my bedroom."Is it wicked to admit I regret not challenging him to give me that lesson?
Then, there was the strange dream I had. The nightmare was awful but familiar until I dreamt Nico comforted me. He held me in my bed. Was it a dream?"I will kill them all for you."I must have imagined that.
"Do you think I imagined it?" I ask the twins. Their sweet little faces stare back at me with no answers. "What shall we read next?" I ask, selecting another picture book.
“Matilde?” Nico’s deep voice calls outside the nursery door. “It's time for us to go. Are you sure you won’t join us?”
Stifling a yelp, I watch him walk in, acting as if nothing unusual happened last night while I've been avoiding him all day.The man tortures and kills people, Matilde. I doubt what he caught you doing fazed him one bit.
His scar does nothing to detract from his handsomeness in my opinion, but his intense smoldering look leaves me unable to meet his stern gaze, especially when I intend to disobey him tonight. “Thank you, but I will study.” Zeta invited me to dinner, too, but my upcoming finals made a plausible excuse, and the Old Capo’s health is very poor. “I would not want to be in the way of your family time.”
“Very well. Graduation is next weekend. Would you like a party?”
Thinking of the house full of strangers from last time, I quickly decline. “One party was enough for me.”
“I vow not to invite any latex balloons to this one.” It takes me a moment to catch his dry wit before I snort, still shaking my head. “You can have as many parties as you like, Matilde. No matter what your mother once said…” His eyes flick to my bracelet, and I feel compelled to touch the charm. He clears his throat. “I would never deny you a party if you wished for one.”
“But you deny me trips to the movies and pizza with friends.”
His expression tightens. “We live by different rules than outsiders, Matilde. You know that.”
“I do not make these rules.”
“No, but I do. We are at war, and you are under my protection. I intend to keep you safe.”
“As you say…sir.”I can’t say why I continue to goad him with ‘sir’ when he is always Nico in my mind.
With a sharp nod, he picks up the children and leaves. I ignore how unhappy the discord between us makes me feel. I’m seeing my sister tonight. Why should I care if the asshole I work for is displeased?
***
An hour later, I’m getting ready with Maddalena at her apartment. Considering I climbed down the trellis outside my bedroom and scaled the garden wall to escape, I couldn't wear a dress. “You look hot as fudge in that,” my sister says once I've changed into one of her dresses.
“Fudge?”
“You know what I mean,” Maddalena giggles, raising her eyebrows. Once I catch on, I laugh, too, before turning back to the slim mirror tacked up to her bedroom door, checking out my curves in the sexy little black dress. “Where did you get the knife, Mat?”
“It was… a gift.” I might’ve snuck out, but I won’t walk around Chicago unarmed again. I tuck it into a small handbag of Maddalena's. “Where did you get these dresses?” I ask her, admiring the nearly identical one she chose.
“My friend. He's helping me get into modeling. Oof, I hope I didn’t jinx it.”
“Is he an agent?”
“No, but he knows people. He’s arranging a private runway showcase for me. I’ll get to wear one of these dresses and the shoes.”
“Yes, the shoes,” I comment, staring at the designer high heels I’ve borrowed as well. “What is a private runway showcase?”
Mad hums to herself while applying lipstick. “Just a chance to strut my stuff for talent scouts and modeling agents, I think. Modeling is bound to beat what I earn cleaning houses for Mrs. Esposito. I'll be able to support us both, and we can get our own place. Maybe you could model, too, if you like.”
“It sounds… nice." But a little too much like a daydream. "How did you come to live with her? She is not family.”
“I had no family until you found me, Mat. Mom was estranged from our grandparents, and they died before we came long, so Nico arranged it.”
“Nico?”
