Lorenzo and another man with lighter brown hair and soft eyes come around the same corner as Settimo did. It takes me a minute to recognize the other man from the engagement party, but I think he’s Anthony, the other brother.
“Alex,” Lorenzo says, nodding at me.
I nod back and force a smile. My spine doesn’t shiver like it normally does around him. I think I’m getting used to his threatening presence.
“You guys go grab dinner or something,” Settmio says, facing them. “We can continue this in a bit.”
“Are you Alex?” Maybe Anthony asks.
Has Settimo told him about me?
“Yes.”
A smile breaks out on his face. He holds out his hand, and I take it. “Anthony. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” I casually ask. My chest tightens and butterflies flap in my stomach.
Anthony nods. “I hear you’re an incredible artist.”
Lorenzo steps around me and walks out the door, looking at his brother expectantly as he does.
Anthony meets his eyes, then looks at me. “Pleasure to meet you.” He gives me one last charming smile then follows Lorenzo outside. Settimo ushers me in and shuts the door.
“Come on,” he says, gesturing toward the hallway he came from. “Let’s talk in my office.”
I follow him to his office, and when we make it inside, I immediately spot the glasses with brown liquor in them sitting on his desk. There’s a drink cart off to the side.
I eye Settimo and notice his tie is missing and the first few buttons of his shirt are undone. His hair is disheveled.
“Are you okay?” I ask, stepping toward him, then stopping myself.
Isheokay? What about you, you idiot?
Settimo sighs but nods. He leans against his desk. “For now. By morning, I’m not sure. We’re going after the Russians’ supply warehouse tonight. They ruined our product, so we’re ruining theirs in retaliation. It’s the first official shot we’re firing, and we have no intention of letting up.”
He runs a hand over his face and stares up at the ceiling. “It isn’t the way I wanted things to go, but it’s the only move I have left if I want to keep the familia’s reputation intact. Letting Nikita run us over would be weak and—”
“You don’t have to explain it to me.”
He meets my eyes.
“I get it. You’re doing what you need to protect your family… It’s probably smart of you. Nikita will push until you’ve fallen off the face of the earth if you let him.”
Settimo nods. “Learned that with the Irish… Listen, Alex, I need to talk to you about something too. It isn’t safe here. I think you should leave.”
I narrow my eyes, and when I open my mouth, Settimo cuts me off.
“I mean Las Vegas. I think you should leave Las Vegas. Now. Tonight. I don’t think Romano or his son will come after you. They’ll be too busy, and so will Nikita.”
“Besides,” he continues. “Romano won’t be in the picture for long. Paolo can break off your engagement without anyone caring.”
I open my mouth and then close it. Settimo seems so serious, like he did the other night, except this time I don’t hate it.
He wants me to leave Las Vegas. Not do his bidding for him. Not sleep with him when he pops up. I don’t know whether I should be relieved that he does in fact care about me and wants me to be safe, or hurt that he doesn’t want me around.
“What do you mean? What’s going to happen to Romano?”
“You know what,” he says flatly. He picks up one of the glasses and takes a swig before setting it back down.