Sweet On You - By Kate Perry Page 0,58

move was to make amends in the only way he could. The next move is yours."

"Really?" Frowning, she considered it. What Tony said felt right though. "What play do I make?"

"Do you want to capture the king or not?"

She thought she was done with him, but she'd lied to herself. She looked around the room, everything he'd done with such care and thought. She saw the details that she'd told him about Christmas at Nonna's that he'd replicated and her heart melted all over again. "I want the king."

"I don't need to wish you luck." Tony took her by the arms and kissed her forehead. "You always make what you want happen."

She threw her arms around him. "I love you, Tony."

"Which is why I know you won't deny me the opportunity to threaten this Cruz guy with bodily harm if he does anything stupid ever again."

"I'm not sure that's in the job description for a business manager."

"No, but it is for a brother." He smiled at her. "So, can I give you a ride somewhere? My car's outside."

Tony dropped her off at the Mandarin Oriental. She made him drive fast, not because she was nervous and wanted to get it over with but because she was impatient.

She wanted Nico. She wanted to kiss him and to cook for him. Most of all, she wanted to love him.

After she made him grovel for what he'd done, of course.

She strode through the lobby, not caring that she looked a sight in her pajama bottoms, slippers, and sweater. She went to the front desk and looked the girl behind the counter in the eye. "I'm here to see Nico Cruz."

"Is he expecting you?"

"Yes," she said confidently, knowing without a doubt that Nico was waiting for her. He might not suspect that she was going to come at—she looked at the time—10:32 at night, but he knew she'd have to come see him.

It was the point of his gift.

She waited impatiently as the front desk girl made a call. A murmured conversation, and then the girl waved to a guard. "Please swipe this lady to the penthouse."

"Thank you," Daniela said, following the guard.

The man gave her a discreet look, a smile hovering at the corners of his mouth.

She smiled. "I'm dressed to kill."

"You stopped my heart," he said with a wink as the elevator doors closed.

She tapped her foot as the elevator zipped up the building to the top floor. She arrived with a soft ping, and the doors glided open.

Nico stood waiting for her at the edge of the living room. To someone who didn't know him, he'd have looked casual. Untucked dress shirt with rolled up sleeves. Hands in his jeans' pockets. Bare feet.

But she knew him, and she recognized that he was taut. His jaw clenched tight, as if wanting to let her speak first. His gaze rested on her intently, and he stood still as if he didn't want to scare her away. She had no doubt that he'd stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep from grabbing her.

It made her feel powerful.

It made her want to soothe him.

"That's my second favorite outfit of yours." She nodded at him as she stepped out of the elevator.

He glanced down at himself. "This?"

She nodded. "My third favorite is you in a tux, and my all-time is you completely naked."

He watched her approach, his gaze guarded. "I hope you're implying you might like to see me naked again at some point."

"I'm not implying anything." Letting him puzzle that out, she stopped in front of him. "You've been busy."

"I had to make up for lost time."

"I don't understand why you did it." She took the documents out of her pocket and waved them. "This is obviously important to you."

"Yes." He held out his hand. "Sit with me and I'll explain."

There was no question, no thought—she took his hand and sat next to him.

"My mother left when I was twelve, leaving me with my older brother, who was barely more than a child himself," he began after a moment. "He got us a little room in an old, rundown motel. He hated it. He used to talk about tearing down the building so no one would have to live in that sort of squalor."

"The Harrison building," she said with dawning comprehension.

"I always thought it was both tragic and ironic that Eddie ended up dying there. The gang he'd been trying to evade dumped his body on the sidewalk out front." Nico faced her. "I