“Tomorrow, I want you to go see Nikita. You’ll tell him that when you got out of class today, I was there waiting by your car. You don’t know how I knew your class schedule, and you didn’t ask me to come. You have no idea why I’m interested in you, and you wish I’d leave you alone.”
“You’re not far off.”
Settimo clears his throat and continues. “I took you back to my home, and we had sex. At some point in the evening, I got a phone call, and I mentioned someone named Cormac.”
He stops talking, and I wait for him to continue. It’s several seconds before I realize he’s done.
“That’s it? That’s what you want me to risk my life for? Who the hell is Cormac?”
“He’s the head of the Irish mob. They were here when Nikita got his position and have since relocated.”
“And?”
“And Nikita won’t be happy to hear I’m working with the Irish.”
“So tell him yourself.”
“I can’t.”
“Why? What is so significant about—”
“Alex.”
I close my mouth and keep my eyes narrowed. If my annoyance affects him, I wouldn’t know it.
“I can’t discuss business with you. Just tell Nikita you overheard the name when you were with me, anddo nottell anyone else. If Nikita asks you for any details, make up whatever you want or use what I gave you. It doesn’t really matter.”
Seconds pass while I consider what to do. I couldn’t give a shit about what Settimo wants me to say, but now I have to say something, and I hate him for it. If Nikita finds out I was with Settimo tonight, he’ll ask me what was said. And I’ll lie to him. I’ll either tell him what Settimo wants or I’ll tell him I heard nothing. The only other option is to tell him the truth, which would be that Settimo is trying to use me against him.
And I can’t do that without knowing the consequences of it. As much as I want to leave here and never see Settimo again, I can’t do something that could potentially risk his life… even if he doesn’t give me the same courtesy.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I am sosickof being used. You can’t even imagine. My father tells me nothing, Paolo tells me nothing.No onetells me anything. So don’t tell me you expect me to let you use me and then say you can’t discuss business with me. Tell me what the hell is going on, and then maybe,maybeI will do what you want.”
He laughs like I’ve said something funny, but there’s a bitter edge to it. “Do you honestly believe this was the easiest way to get you on board? I could’ve threatened you,hurtyou. And your family. Do you think I don’t know that your mother works in her garden every morning until lunchtime? That your brother has a law firm downtown? Kudos to him by the way. I’m sure his boys, Adam and Ace, are proud. Darcy, too.”
“Stop it,” I say, taking a step back. I walk until my heel collides with the rooftop door. “Just stop.”
Settimo’s face softens, and he comes toward me. “I didn’t say I would act on anything I know.”
I can’t look at him. My hands shake, and I see nothing as I stare past Settimo.
The butcher shop. He came to me this morning, somehow knowing where I worked. It wasn’t because he looked into me out of curiosity. He looked into my life to hurt me.
How much did he fake this evening? How much has he—
He cups my face, and I bat him away.
“I’ll do what you want,” I say, having no idea if I mean it. “Just take me home.”
I’m caught in the middle of two horrible men. If I betray Nikita, he’ll kill me. If I don’t do what Settimo says… I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good.
And to think, I thoughtPaolowas the problem.
Settimo shuffles his feet, and I peek at him long enough to see him staring off at a building next to this one.
“I don’t want you to do it out of fear.” He turns back to me, and I meet his eyes. “I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me.”
“And yet, you insist that I should be.”