I glare at her. “Don’t be a dick. I’m baring my soul to you.”
“Please, Fio. Anyone with half a brain figured it out a while ago. You’re terrified of being trapped, so you got really into cars, which are great at taking you places.” She holds out a palm. “That’ll be six hundred dollars. I’ll send the bill in the mail.”
“Thanks, doc, but I’m trying to make a point.” I reach out and take her hand before she can pull it back. “I was obsessed, but life changed. I’m married to Luca now and we have this baby coming, and you know what? It’s not that bad.”
She squeezes my fingers. “You got lucky.”
“I don’t know if I’d call thislucky?—”
“No, Fio, I’m serious. You found someone you care about.”
I open my mouth to tell herI don’t care about Luca, but that’s total bullshit and I need to stop pretending. “You’re right. I did.”
“That’s amazing. Seriously, it’s the best thing in the world, isn’t it?” Elisa’s smiling, but it’s not a happy smile. “I just don’t want to be a burden. I wish I had something too, you know?”
“You don’t need a man to fulfill you.”
“Obviously, but it’d be nice to have a partner while I tried to figure it out.”
“You will. Figure it out, I mean. You’re smart, creative, caring. You’re the best sister I could’ve ever asked for.”
“I love you, you know that?”
“You too.”
She looks at me for a beat, then her smile turns bigger and more genuine. That’s the Elisa I know and love, and it warms my chest a little bit. “You really love him, huh?”
“Don’t start.”
“Look at you. Badass Fiorella falling for her husband.”
I pull my hand away. “I regret saying anything.”
“You’re head over heels for the father of your baby. First guy that bangs you and knocks you up, and now you’re all lovey-dovey.”
“For now. I’ll get sick of him eventually.”
“I don’t think so. You’re a nester.”
“Sorry?”
“You make a nest and you stay in it.” She nods, looking very smug and satisfied. “Maybe there’s something in this whole psychologist thing I should look into because I’m killing it right now.”
I open my mouth to tell her off, but there’s a commotion from inside the house. We both look back at the sliding door and can just barely make out movement behind the blinds. I give her a look and get up to check it out, curious about what’s going on. There are voices, but they don’t sound upset or scared.
When I step back inside, I stare at a room full of men. I open my mouth to panic but spot Luca standing in the kitchen with several of his guards. “What’s going on?” I ask, blinking in surprise.
Luca comes over, hands held out in a calming gesture. “It’s okay. They’re all with me.”
“I didn’t realize we were having a party.”
A gruff man with graying hair laughs sharply. “Not sure this counts as a party, but sure, close enough.” He pulls back the slide of a pistol and shoves it into a holster attached to a bulletproof vest.
“We should talk.” Luca leads me away as the men behind him start laughing together and talking in low voices. He takes me back outside and slides the door shut behind us. Elisa watches on curiously.
“What’s going on in there?”
“I made some calls. Those guys are my backup.”
