Page 17 of Ruin

I shrug. “I don’t know. I’m supposed to meet with the dean tonight.”

“Good,” Matti says, clapping my back.

Vin watches me closely. “Look, don’t brush this off. I know you can be weird about shit, but you need to handle this Giovanna situation before it wrecks you. We need your head in the game. This cold war with Aurelio won’t stay cold forever.”

He’s not wrong.

“Exactly. We’re about to go to war, I’m starting law school, plus her father—”

Matti cuts me off. “There will always be a reason not to. At some point, you either try with her or let her go. You can’t expect her to wait forever.”

I exhale hard. They’re right, but Giovanna isn’t a problem to solve or a deal to close. With her, I can’t calculate what’s going to happen or take a break if I need it. Being with her means showing up every day, even when my brain is fucked. I don’t know if I have the ability to take care of her the way she deserves when I’m handling law school and Demonio family business.

“Law school,” Vin says, and I nod. “I like that for you. I know you’re struggling with your role in the family, but it’s not going to be like this forever. When I take Aurelio’s place, I want you by my side. You’re vicious as fuck and the smartest motherfucker I know—at least when it doesn’t involve your girl.”

I scowl at Vin as my phone buzzes. It’s Giovanna.

You’re meeting me for coffee.

Vin looks over my shoulder and jabs a finger at my phone. “Don’t overthink it. Make it happen.”

7

Giovanna

Tommy texts back immediately.

OTW

Relief hits so hard I’m almost dizzy. Whatever happened with him and Lexi, he’s right there when I need him, no questions asked, like always.

And because I didn’t get a simultaneous text from Lexi, I know they aren’t together. At least not right now.

By the time I get to the coffee shop, he’s already there. Of course he is. From the line of cups in front of him, he’s been here a while, waiting. My chest tightens.

He sees me coming through the window and gets up immediately, signaling to the barista behind the counter as he opens the door for me.

“Hi,” he says, almost shyly, and my heart fucking melts along with my panties as he guides me to the table with his hand on the small of my back.

Jesus Christ, he literally fucked my best friend, and all it takes is that look and that buttery voice to make me forget everything. Pathetic.

The barista sets a drink in front of me and smiles at Tommy, who ignores her, watching me. It’s my favorite drink, down to the sprinkle of fresh ground nutmeg on the whipped cream. Tommy must have ordered it for me. That’s new.

Shit. He fucked her.

My ass isn’t even in my seat before I open my big mouth. “So I hear you fucked my best friend on New Year’s Eve.”

His eyes widen for a second before he sits back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the table, jaw tight. He doesn’t say anything, just studies me until I squirm under his gaze. Finally, his mouth softens, and he leans forward. “That is incorrect.”

The relief is so strong it’s embarrassing. Tommy is a lot of things, but a liar is not one of them. “That’s not what I heard.”

He steeples his fingers, his eyes darkening, boring into me. “I heard some things, too. But I don’t assume they’re true.”

I shift in my seat, rattled. I don’t know how to play the Antonio rumor yet, so I deflect. “Don’t change the subject. I’m not finished with you.”

He gives me a half-smirk and sits back, ducking his head, that stupid single lock of hair falling over his eye. “Okay, Ms. Marino. Interrogate your witness.”

I roll my eyes as a barrel of butterflies explodes in my stomach. “Stop smiling like that and answer the question. Tommy, are you dating my ridiculous whore of a best friend or not?”