Page 94 of Enzo

“I don’t know.” My voice turned high-pitched. “You don’t tell us where you go either when you travel for business.”

“I don’t tell you kids, but I always tell your mama.”

“Luca? Can you hear us?” Uncle Cassio yelled over the call. “Did you hit the mute button by accident again?”

Papà ignored him. “Enzo being anywhere near Atticus isn’t good. It’ll attract unwanted scrutiny and possibly pull our family into some shady shit.”

“Why do you automatically assume it’s shady?” I defended him. “You trusted him well enough to handleyourbusiness last week.”

“Goddamnit, Luca.” Uncle Cassio was pissed, and so was I. “We can’t hear you.”

“Better answer him, Papà,” I hissed. When he didn’t move, I reached across the desk and hit the button.

He glared at the speakerphone like the men could see him. “I’ll ask. Now, I have to go.”

“Call me when?—”

Papà ended the call and my mouth dropped. “Did you just cut off Uncle Cassio?”

“It’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last. Now, about your husband.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I have no idea why he went to Africa.”

“Fuck,” he muttered. “This is bound to end badly.”

“Why?”

“Because Atticus is… was… bad news. Nicki too. Always getting tangled up with shit we don’t condone. Anyone connected to them is perceived to be into similar shit too.”

I shook my head. My husband would be home today and I wouldn’t let anything or anyone spoil it.

“You’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that.”

“Atticus has always been ambitious, willing to go the extra mile to get what he wants. It never mattered to him who paid the price. Athena Marchetti, the daughter nobody knew he had, seemed to be the only exception, but even she doesn’t want anything to do with him. We didn’t touch human trafficking; he did. He would work one organization against the other. Even Kian Cortes, who has connections everywhere, couldn’t eliminate him, only send him into hiding and manipulate him from the shadows. He’s bad news all the way around, and Nicki isn’t—wasn’t—much better. Everything she touches, she destroys.”

“Well, sounds like it’s a good thing they’re dead, then.”

Papà opened his mouth just as the door to his office opened. I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see my mother. It was better.

“Enzo!” I shot to my feet and ran toward him, throwing myself into his arms. “You’re home.”

He cupped my face with a large palm, the other threading my hair as he drew me in.

He rested his forehead on mine, his voice hoarse when he whispered, “This is the best homecoming I’ve ever gotten.”

Holding on to his biceps, I rose to my tiptoes and breathed against his lips. “Wait until you see what I have in store for you.”

A half smile pulled on his lips, but then Papà ruined the moment. “We have to talk, Enzo.”

His forehead remained on mine, eyes boring into mine. “Not now.”

“Yes, fucking now. Plan on telling me what you were doing in West Africa with Atticus Popov?”

I stiffened hearing the last name. Did Amadeo mention something about Popov? He didn’t say Atticus, it wasn’t a name you’d forget easily, but… yeah, definitely Popov.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Enzo deadpanned, wearing a tired but blank expression. His posture didn’t change, but a barely noticeable tension pulled tight across his chest before he masked that too.

Was he lying?