Nicco

Ch. 21: Dream Come True

ARIA

On the way to the airport, my phone rings. I suppress a groan. The caller is Monte. I am forced to pick up. Halfway through our discussion, my father's righthand man grunts at me, "There is something different about you. Very different."

Bastardo osservante.

I am hesitant to comment, especially with Aria sitting right next to me in the Bentley, so I play dumb and pray that she does not understand my Italian, "I do not know what you are talking about."

But Monte refuses to let me off the hook. "Who is she?"

"What makes you think that there is a woman?" I counter.

"Because you remind me of me. When I was too dumb to realize that I had fallen in love."

I scoff, "Do not be ridiculous. I am nothing like you. I have no heart."

"You will eat your words," Monte retorts, "when the right woman comes along."

"Doubt it," I grumble even though I do not doubt him at all.

To many, Monte appears to be made of stone, but do not judge a book by its cover. The man knows a thing or two about matters of the heart. He fell for the daughter of a powerful arms trafficker. From a rival clan who betrayed my father, no less. Yet, the bastard has been happily married to that same woman for almost as long as my parents have been together. Her name is Mariposa De León, and I know her well. She is Mamma's best friend and godmother to Vivi and me.

For the remainder of our chat, Monte keeps pressing and pushing my buttons. He is relentless. I eventually cave, confessing, "Fine. Have it your way. But you cannot breathe a word of this to another soul. Not even my father. Or your wife."

"I know how to keep my mouth shut."

I sigh. "If you must know, there might be someone who has captured my interest."

"I thought so."

Bastardo compiaciuto.

"She likes me, I think, but she is not ready to give me... more." I lament, "Tell me. What should I do?"

His advice?

"Spare no expense to spoil her. But do not pressure her to accept you. The harder you push, the longer it will take for her to trust you."

A huff falls from my breath. "So... you want me to go balls to the wall while taking it easy at the same fucking time?"

"Sì. Be a duck, paperotto. Calm on the surface. But paddle like the devil underwater."

Monte's advice stays with me long after we end our call.

***

NICCO

The pure delight on Aria's face as I help her into the helicopter fills my chest with a kind of lightness that I have not felt in all my twenty-six years. Aria's happiness draws me in like nothing else. I do not think mia principessa is even aware of the power she wields over me.

Dio.

How the mighty have fallen.

Ever since I can remember, females adored me, and I certainly appreciated their attention. My sister has called me, and I quote, a dickhead pretending to be a gentleman. Vivi exaggerates, of course. Mamma raised me to respect women as equals. Papà taught me to never get attached until I meet the right girl. Between these lessons, I found my own happy medium: I have always been clear about what I want from the women I fuck—a good time and not a long time—and steered clear of ones who seemed to be looking for more.