Tempting the Mafia Twins novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: The Gala

"Sit down, Cassie," Nico said. "Please. I'm not here to hurt you."

"There's a gun on the counter."

"It's for you."

I didn't move.

He pulled out a stool and sat himself, easy, with one ankle over his knee.

"I know about the chapel," he said. "I know she asked you to ask."

"I know she told you I leave marks. All of that is true, and I'm sorry you saw it."

"Get out of Carmine's house."

"My brother's house. Fine." He nodded. "Cassie, listen to me."

"On Saturday I'm going to give you the truth in front of three hundred people."

"I would rather you heard it from me tonight, so you'll understand it isn't cruelty."

"What truth?"

"That is why the gun is here." He tapped the counter beside it.

"If either of us lies to you on Saturday, you can shoot whichever one it is. I trust you to know."

"I'm not going to shoot you."

"Then you'll shoot him."

"No."

"Then you're a better person than I am," Nico said, and smiled, "and I'm in love with you."

He said it simply.

I felt the room tilt.

"I have been since the rehearsal dinner."

"You came in with your hair down in that green dress and Carmine stood up so fast he knocked over a chair."

"I thought, there's a girl who'll never look at me, because she's already looked at him."

"That's insane."

"It's a long time to be the second son." His eyes were bright and steady.

"I was not made for the second chair. I'm good, Cassie. I'm better than he is at the business and the people and the family."

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