Page 18 of Nico

Nico Morrelli wanted me to be his companion.Escort,I corrected myself.

Jesus, like I didn’t have enough on my plate, now this got thrown into the mix. It occurred to me too late that maybe saying no to a man like Nico Morrelli might not have been smart. But the truth of the matter was that I didn’t want to be hiscompanion.I cringed at the word.

My cell phone beeped and I quickly swiped the message open. It was William’s mother, letting me know she was here.

“Okay, girls,” I exclaimed with a fake excitement. “Grandma and Grandpa are here. Who is ready for the zoo?”

“Me, me, me,” they both answered in unison, their blue eyes shining in excitement.

It was Friday and Grandma wanted to take them to the zoo, so instead of going to their preschool, they got a day off to spend with their grandparents. After their zoo excursion, they’d spend the night at their house, leaving me all alone with my worries. The office I worked at was closed on Fridays, so I’d have a lonely day and night. Somehow the lonely nights were worse than days.

I ushered them out the door with a brave smile on my face and their lunch boxes in my hand. Keeping my fake façade, I behaved as if life was peachy. I didn’t want to alarm William’s parents. They have had enough heartaches and sorrow since losing their only son.

The girls ran across the lawn, wearing matching sunflower dresses and sunglasses.

“Girls, shoes,” I yelled after them laughing. They constantly ran around barefoot. I grabbed two sets of shoes and picked up the pace after them.

“Grandma,” Arianna squealed while at the same time Hannah shouted, “Grandpa.”

I smiled seeing the scene, and for a second, my heart felt lighter. William’s parents loved the girls, more than life itself. From the moment they were born, they became the center of their grandparents' universe. It was almost bittersweet, because I knew my mother wanted to have the twins in her life. Just as she wanted me in her life. When they were born, Mom sent me two beautiful matching necklaces for each of the girls with individual pendants - one had a handmade glass pendant of the stormy sea and the other a glass ball of a blue sky with white clouds.

A reminder to keep them safe.Greece is nice this time of year. The skies are blue. And the seas are stormy.

I fucking hated Benito King. That vile man was keeping her from living her life to the fullest. She couldn’t be a mother nor a grandmother because of him. He wasn’t only a criminal, but also a cruel and evil man.

Both Grandma and Grandpa Carter were already out of their car, with the back doors open. Grandma Carter scrambled through the trunk and then waved at us with a little garden shovel in her hand.

I chuckled softly at the image she portrayed. “You look scary with that shovel in your hand,” I said through a smile.

She grinned. “I’m a pretty scary grandma,” she retorted with a smile. “I was just looking for their little iPads. They can play a little game while we are driving into the city.”

I nodded. “That will keep them occupied.”

Both of my girls were already climbing into their car seats.

“Hey, hey,” I pretended to be upset. “How about a kiss for me?”

They giggled and jumped out of Grandpa Carter’s Buick to give me a quick peck on the cheeks.

Shaking my head, I strode to Grandpa Carter. “I feel cheated,” I complained. “Just a little peck and off they go. What’s next?”

He chuckled, patting my cheek. “Well, next they go off to college without a backward glance.”

I frowned, not liking that at all. “Did we do that?”

His soft smile had a hint of sadness in it. “You and William were so excited to go.”

I felt a painful tug at my heart each time we talked about William. Hell, each time I thought about him. I could see sadness lingering in Grandpa Carter’s eyes that were so much like his son’s.

I hugged him tight and over his shoulder spotted a black, fancy car parked across the street, an unfamiliar vehicle. My heart sped up, then slowed down. It tends to do a lot of that lately. I blamed it on paranoia.

I stepped back and his eyes darted away, hiding the glistening tears shining in them. Several heartbeats passed before he frowned.

“Is that an Aston Martin?” he asked, awe in his voice. He’d always loved cars. So did I, but I’ve never been good with models.

Glancing across the street, I narrowed my eyes. A familiar tug at my chest and worry crossed my mind, but I pushed it away. There was a perfect explanation for an unfamiliar car around. Neighbors must have guests over.

I shrugged my shoulders. “No idea,” I muttered before changing the subject.