first things he did,” he reminded me. “You know he hates hearing them beg.”
“She wanted Phoenix to play it off and not tell me, but he told her he couldn’t do that,” Frankie added.
“Which is leading to this shitshow,” Nix mumbled.
I looked at my sister. “Francesca, Phoenix is right,” I told her. “You can’t go back to Cedar Creek.”
Her big yellow eyes widened. “So, I’m just supposed to sit here, in my ivory tower, safe and secure, while my friend is possibly in danger? Are you kidding me?”
“Quit talking like that!” Phoenix thundered. “You’re not a goddamn prisoner here, Francesca! And, so help me God, if you keep alluding to the fact, I will turn this into your prison. See if I fucking won’t!”
“Okay,” I jumped in. “Everyone, calm the hell down.”
Frankie started pacing and I could see that she was genuinely worried. I also knew there was no way Phoenix was going to let her go to Cedar Creek. I also knew that if she ran to Luca, he’d side with her husband. Unfortunately for us, Frankie was stubborn enough to make all our lives a living hell if she didn’t get her way.
“How about if I go to Cedar Creek?” I offered. “I can drive over now and find out what’s going on.”
Frankie scoffed and I could see why Nix wanted to strangle her at times. “Yeah, Ciro,” she sassed. “Because I’m sure Robbie’s just waiting for you to grace her front door to invite you in for tea and crumpets.”
“God, grant me mercy,” I muttered.
“Amen,” Nix added.
“To hell with the both of you,” Frankie vented, but a quick look from Nix drew out a mumbled apology. Phoenix was always laying the world at my sister’s feet, but one thing he didn’t tolerate, was her cussing him. That was a no-no in the Fiore household.
“Look, Frankie. There’s no way you’re going. And you can call Luca all you want, but you know he’s going to side with us on this one,” I told her. “If you really are worried about Robbie, I can go check on her.”
Frankie crossed her arms over her chest. “If that’s the order, then why can’t Phoenix go to Cedar Creek?” Because Robbie was fucking mine.
The immediate response felt like a sucker punch to the head.
I didn’t say that, however, but that’s how I felt. Maybe not in the sense as my woman, but whatever it was I felt for her, she somehow became my responsibility.
“Because he’s needs to stay here with you to make sure you don’t go off half-cocked,” I deadpanned, and I swear the girl wanted to rip my eyes out.
“You’re an asshole, Ciro,” she retorted.
I chuckled. “You’re not the first person to tell me that this week,” I replied, throwing her a wink.
She shook her head and I could see all the fight leave her. She looked back and forth between me and Nix and said, “I’m just worried about her.”
Nix went over to wrap her up in his arms. “I know, baby,” he muttered against the top of her head.
“She doesn’t have anyone,” Frankie continued. “Her parents live in Missouri, and she’s not close to them. She has other friends, but their casual. Robbie’s alone and-”
“Enough, Francesca,” I grumbled. “You’ve made your point. I’ll wear kid gloves.”
Her eyes sliced my way. “I don’t trust you with her, Ciro,” she replied, and it fucking hurt like a knife to my chest.
“Frankie-”
She hurried to explain herself. “I just mean…I trust you to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on. I just don’t trust you’re not going to be a dick while you do it, is all.”
Her explanation did very little to ease the disappointment of her words. “Do you want Mary fucking Sunshine, or do you want to find out what’s going on?”
Frankie flipped me off and I returned the gesture.
We were brats.
“You claimed you wanted to make amends,” she reminded me. “Don’t be a dick and all will be forgiven.”
I shook my head as I turned to walk out the door. “You two suck ass,” I tossed back as I walked out and made my way to Cedar Creek.
Chapter 12
Roberta~
The knock on my front door felt like a doom’s day omen.
I glanced at the clock hanging off the partition that created a separate space from the kitchen and the living room and saw that it was past ten.
No one should be visiting me this late.
Oxygen became nonexistent, and I could feel my palms begin to sweat. We had agreed