Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
We sit at the table with them.
“So it’s true,” Dad mutters, glaring at me. “You’re together.”
I sit upright. “It’s true.” There’s no point lying.
Dad turns to Nico. “Do you have any idea what this looks like, Nico?”
“I know, Rocco,” Nico says. “It seems I’m exploiting a woman half my age, my niece, and abandoning my wife to be with a younger woman. It looks like I’m turning into a complete, unapologetic jerk.”
“So we agree, then.” Dad purses his lips, waiting for more.
“But that doesn’t consider how important your daughter is to me. That doesn’t follow because this isn’t a fling. I’m not using her. As absurd as it may sound to some people…” he sits up straighter, drawing his shoulders back, looking so dashing, so captivating, with the early morning sunlight glistening on his hair. “I fell in love with Arria by texting her.”
Dad gasps. Mom smiles. I have to blink to make sure I’m seeing it right. That’s definitely a smile on her face. Aunt Lucy grins, too.
He loves me, and I love him. He’s right. Our love grew as notifications and message alerts. It grew in a unique, memorable way, something that’s just for us, something nobody can ever take away from us.
“You love each other?” Dad mutters, looking at me.
“Yes,” I say confidently. “He’s right, Dad. Don’t call me immature, say I’m misguided, or that I don’t know what I’m thinking. We both know I’ve always been mature for my age. We both know I can make my own decisions.”
“What about your travels?” Dad snaps.
“I’ll take her around the world,” Nico says, making my heart flutter, love surging through me. “We’ll leave tomorrow. We’ll go anyplace she wants. She’ll take a thousand photos, and we’ll make a thousand memories. My Snapshot doesn’t deserve any less.”
“Snapshot?” Mom says, tears in her eyes.
“It’s his nickname for me.” I mime, taking a photo, making the chh-chh noise.
Mom turns to Dad. “Rocco…”
“Sandy…” Dad’s voice falters. He looks at Aunt Lucy. “Is everything you said true?”
“What did you say?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “On the way here, your dad was furious. Understandably so.” She says this quickly to placate Dad, gesturing at him. “So I told him the truth about Nico. I told him what a good person he is. I told him how he’s sacrificed his life for me. How he’s always, during our fake marriage, put me first as his friend. I told him I can’t think of anybody better for you to be with, Arria. I mean it.”
Tears fill my eyes. I don’t care that Dad is staring. I grab Nico’s hand.
“I love him, Dad. I don’t want to fight, but I love him. He’s…” Done terrible things for me. “He’s the best man I know. He’s my…” My savior. “One and only. I don’t care if we bonded through texting. I don’t care if people might think it’s silly. We’re the real deal, and I won’t pretend we’re not.”
Dad smiles. Smiles. Mom lets out a sob that turns into a happy noise.
“I’ve never seen you this happy before,” Dad says softly.
“That’s because I’ve never been this happy. Not even close.”
Dad looks meaningfully at Nico. “You’d better take care of her.”
“I will, Rocco. I swear. Always.”
CHAPTER 26
NICO
Two Months Later
“Are you seriously telling me the safari wasn’t your favorite?” Arria asks, clicking and moving the cursor over the digital photo.
We’re in bed together, having a lazy morning, both of us sweaty and content after our frantic lovemaking. But I’m ready for more. I always am for my Snapshot.
“My favorite is the one you took of that puddle in Paris on that unusually bright day because I can see your reflection in it. Partially.”
“A blurry reflection of me is more beautiful than this?” She gestures at the sun-soaked image on the screen.
“A blurry reflection of you is more beautiful than anything,” I tell her, kissing her on the cheek.
She laughs, then makes a chh-chh noise and winks at me. I think we were in Copenhagen when she first combined her laugh with a camera noise, a cute callback to her Snapshot nickname. While we were overseas, I kept tabs back home, primarily through my lawyer contacts, who were handling the day-to-day operation of my practice.
As far as the city is concerned—including the cops and the other Families—Dominic and Enzo ran away after getting involved in some heat they couldn’t handle. Most people are pointing fingers at the Cartel. Nobody suspects that one man was behind it. Apparently, nobody would have the balls to pull off something like that.
“Are you happy to be home?” she asks.
“I am.” I nod. “Traveling was amazing. The best part was watching how excited you got every time you saw a new opportunity for a photo. I’m looking forward to getting back to my pro bono work, though.”