Doubt crept in, but I wouldn't be deterred. Fern was my last hope. I crossed my arms and leveled him with an even look. “Did you try?”
Marco grimaced and sat in the armchair across from me. “No. We have counsel.”
I lifted an eyebrow.
“You really want me to drag Luca’s ex—an ex he was planning to propose to—back into our lives? She wanted nothing to do with us when she was with him. What makes you think she’ll help now?”
Pursing my lips, I retreaded the same line of logic I’d gone over a million times since they denied Luca bail. “Because he needs her. I know what it means to love Luca Moretti, and it doesn’t just stop because you walk away. She left him because she was scared, and now—well, now, she can save him from the very thing she feared.”
Marco’s lips twitched into a sad smile. “You’re one hell of a woman, Red.”
“Or I’m a manipulative bitch. Take your pick.”
“Why not both?”
We shared a laugh, and I playfully glared at him. “So, you’ll call her?”
Marco threw his head back and groaned. “Yeah. I’ll call her.” He heaved his big body out of the chair and grumbled, “I can’t believe I’m going to talk to the granola princess again.”
“She can’t be that bad.”
He looked back at me over his shoulder. “You’ll see.”
And out the door he went, locking it behind him, and I settled on the couch and watched yet another couple get the sex room of their dreams.
“Still begging for Moretti crumbs?” An unfamiliar feminine voice sweetly asked.
There was a bark of laughter. “You can’t still be upset about me fucking Luca. We were seventeen.” Nicki’s monotone voice held an edge I’d never heard coming from her. I stopped in the hallway and looked both ways, hoping no one would stop Nicki Ricci’s showdown with what I presumed was Luca’s newest attorney.
Fern Robison.
“Like I could be jealous of someone like you. And don’t pretend Luca was special. You were fucking his brother too.”
“Jealous? Wish you had a shot with the real boss?”
“You’re disgusting. I can’t believe he ever—”
“You act like he cheated on you.” There was the sound of papers shuffling. “Wait, did the golden boy cheat on you?” Nicki sounded positively gleeful.
“No! Will you shut up?”
“Worried Sasha will hear us?” Nicki stage whispered, and I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing. I kind of liked this version of Nicki.
“No.”
“You should be.”
“I’m helping Luca—”
“Her husband,” Nicki cut her off.
“Yes, her husband,” Fern gritted out. “I’m helping her husband get out of jail.”
“Why?”
“What?”
There was a thud, and Nicki asked, “Why are you helping Luca? You didn’t want to be a part of this life. Remember?”