Page 49 of Covert (Ruthless Love #2)
Chapter forty-five
Nikki
" N icoletta, I'd like to see you in my office," my father's deep voice tells me on the phone. After the darkness, they handed me a phone, but I know it's being monitored, so I only use it to scroll TikTok and send stupid things to my brother.
I agree, and hang up the phone, a heavy weight in my stomach.
I have to pretend like I don't loathe the man.
Like I'm not planning his demise. I've never been good at hiding my emotions or faking things.
It's one of the things I love most about my guys.
I never have to be anything other than who I am with them. They accept me, flaws and all.
The walk to my father's office is tense. My legs feel stiff and weighed down, like they're resisting. I force them to walk the rest of the way and knock gently on my father's open door.
"Father," I say, keeping my tone flat.
"Sit, Nicoletta." He always uses my full name. He knows I hate it. It's a power play on his part; a way to exert dominance over me. My jaw clenches, but if he sees it, he doesn't comment.
I sit and cross my legs.
"Did you have fun during your little walkabout?
" My father couldn't add more derision to his tone if he tried.
He's aged a lot in the last decade. He's thin.
His dark skin is weathered-looking, and there's more salt than pepper in his hair and beard.
He's still a formidable opponent, but he's older now, tired, as if he knows his time's up.
My uncle Santino, or Tino, manspreads on the couch next to the window.
He'll be the toughest of the men to crack.
He's been loyal to my father his entire life.
He's a few years younger than my father and has always looked up to him like a hero.
A small, sadistic, greedy, ego-maniacal hero.
I shrug a shoulder, aiming for nonchalance. "Not really," I lie through my teeth. "Turns out being broke isn't a whole lot of fun." My father nods, as if he's ever been broke a day in his life.
"Are you ready to fulfil your obligation to la famiglia?"
I lock eyes with him so he can see my sincerity. "I am." I am ready. Only, my family consists of three tattoo artists and a biker. And I'm more than ready to fulfil my obligation to them.
"Perfect. I've been in contact with Giovanni Vitale, who is willing to honor the contract we originally had with his father.
You'll get married next month and we'll be able to combine territories and resources with the Vitales, instead of competing with them," he says, staring me down, looking for any hint or tell that I'm going to be a problem.
I simply nod. I expected as much. "I'm ready."
He narrows his eyes, but doesn't challenge me.
"You'll get with Becky to plan the wedding, and you'll be a good wife to him, do you understand?
" My aunt Becky is the closest thing I have to a mother.
Her husband was part of our mafia operations, but he was killed one night during a shootout.
Becky's been in and out of our lives since then, but Angelo and I made sure she was taken care of financially.
I nod again. "Yes, Father. I'm grown now. I know I need to be useful for la famiglia. I'm ready. "
He seems to consider this for a moment, as we sit in uncomfortable silence. Heat starts to creep up my neck the longer he looks at me, trying to detect the lie.
He folds his hands on his table and sits back, then. "And can I ask why you've taken one of my maids as your own?"
Crap. I wasn't prepared to be questioned about Natalie. I swallow and think on my feet. "Angelo has his seconds to do things for him. I didn't think you'd mind if I took one of the maids as my own."
He waves a hand dismissively. "It's fine.
We've got more coming in anyway." My throat tightens at the flippant way he talks about an entire human being.
I want to press him on what he means by that.
Does he regularly steal women off the street?
Where is he getting more people? We've got more coming in anyway.
I'm dying to question him, but I'm being dismissed, and I cannot raise suspicions.
"I'll get with Becky, then," I say again, before standing and retreating.
I need to ask Angelo what our father meant by that.