dragging me toward the doors. I didn’t want to be here. Everyone knew about Tristan. Everyone thought they knew the events that unfolded that fateful night, but they didn’t know the truth.
They couldn’t.
So I’d spent all morning trying to ignore the constant buzz of whispers and rumors.
“Arianne?” I stilled at the sound of Sofia’s voice. Slowly, I turned to meet her tear-filled gaze. “Is there any news?”
I shook my head.
She smothered a garbled cry with her hand. “I tried to visit, but they said it’s family only.” Her eyes pleaded with me, as if she somehow thought I had the answer.
I didn’t.
“Roberto would prefer to keep things private for now,” Nora answered for me. “But I’m sure he’ll let you know once Tristan is accepting visitors.”
She smothered another whimper. “I know we weren’t serious... but I care about him, I care about him a lot.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Oh, Ari.” Sofia threw her arms around me, hugging me tight. “If you need anything...”
“Thank you.”
She stepped back, finally composing herself. “I should go. But I meant what I said... I’m always here.”
As soon as she was gone, Nora let out a low whistle. “That was...”
“Don’t.” I made my way to the salad bar. I still couldn’t bear the thought of food, but I knew I needed to eat.
“Have you seen you know who at all?”
“You can say their names, Nor.”
“Can I? I don’t know the rules of espionage.”
My brows knitted as I met her amused gaze. “Seriously?”
“Made you smile though, didn’t it?”
“Fine,” I relented. “You made me smile.”
Nora leaned in closer, filling her own plate. “I know things are bad right now, but we have to find flickers of light in the dark.”
“We do, do we?”
“Yep. Besides, I was hoping to get another good look at Enzo’s—”
I clapped a hand over her mouth. “Keep those thoughts to yourself.”
“Prude.”
“Hussy.”
“But you love me.” She grinned.
I couldn’t argue with that. Nora was my best friend. My confidante.
She was the sister I’d never had.
And I was going to need her more than ever if I was going to make it through the next few months.
Chapter 3
Nicco
“You look like shit,” Dane said as I traipsed into the kitchen.
Alonso roared with laughter. “Couldn’t keep up with me and Benny.”
I grumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. I didn’t let myself drink a lot; I didn’t like the feeling of losing control. But after speaking with Arianne yesterday, I’d been a mess. I wanted to fight, to hit and hurt. But my uncle knew I was in no state to get in the ring so instead, he’d invited Benny over, pulled out his best bottle of scotch, and the three of us had sat around the fire pit out back drinking and talking until well into the early hours.
“Niccolò,” my Aunt Maria came over and kissed my cheek. “There’s coffee in the pot and I’m making pancakes.”
My stomach turned. “I think I’m good with coffee.”
Alonso and Dane snickered. “Shouldn’t you be at school?” I asked my cousin.
“Yes, he should.” Maria shot her son a meaningful look.
“But, Mamma—”
“No buts, Polpetto. It’s senior year, and you will graduate. Tell him, Alonso.”
“Ma, don’t call me that,” he grumbled.
“Your mother’s right. Go to school and try to learn something. And stay out of trouble.”
Dane mumbled something under his breath as he tucked into a pancake drenched in syrup.
“Not sweet enough already?” I flicked my gaze to the sticky mess covering his plate.
“Fuck you,” he mouthed around a smirk.
Laughter rumbled in my chest. Dane was a strange mix of Enzo and Matteo. He had Matteo’s humor but Enzo’s temper. It made him unpredictable and reckless and I didn’t doubt he was going to cause my uncle a few more headaches before he turned eighteen.
I helped myself to coffee and moved over to the window. My uncle’s house was a big corner plot overlooking South Boston’s shoreline. He’d bought it a few years back for Maria who wanted to move out of the brick rows in the heart of the neighborhood. It was ostentatious and came with a hefty price tag, but Maria was his wife, his woman, and she had my uncle wrapped around her pinky finger.
My thoughts drifted to Arianne; icy fingers of regret clenching around my heart. She would be heading for class soon. I knew because Luis had already texted me to tell me of their plans. He might have been on Roberto’s payroll, but I trusted him. I trusted him to do right by Arianne.