Chapter 77 My only risk
Nico POV
I noticed him glance from me to Lila, as if to say, “This is not a topic that should be discussed in front of her.” But then I didn’t care. If she was going to be by my side, there would be no secrets between us and no lies. She needed to know everything about my life and how we ran things. She needed to know who I truly was even if it scared the hell out of her.
Uncle Lucas took a sip of his coffee. “We have. Apparently Damon is one persistent bastard.”
I saw Lila tense when Uncle Lucas said Damon name. She looked at me, and I nodded toward the food in the middle of the table. Slowly she reached for a slice of bread and some avocado spread while I grabbed a cup and poured her some coffee. It was then that I realized I didn’t know how she drank her coffee. Did she even drink coffee, or did she drink tea? If she did, what kind of tea?
I shook my head lightly, trying to get rid of all the goddamn questions which the answers held no consequence. I placed the cup of unsweetened black coffee in front of her, knowing she would drink it no matter how she usually took her coffee.
I poured myself a cup as well. “And we are sure there is no way Damon would be able to manipulate his way into our business with Mexico?”
“Indeed, we are. I’ve known this guy for twenty years. We have nothing to worry about.”
“Good. I would hate to go hunting for new suppliers because my little brother decided to fuck with things he knows nothing about.”
“What do these people in Mexico supply you with?”
Both Uncle Lucas and I abruptly looked at Lila. She stared back at us as if to say, “What, have I asked the wrong question?”
Uncle Gino looked at me, cocking a brow as if to say, “You started this. So you tell her.”
Goddammit, deciding against scolding her for interrupting an important conversation in which she had no business taking part in yet I decided to include her, I took a sip of my coffee before setting it down. “Weapons,” I answered simply.
“Weapons? What kind of weapons?” Her voice was lower, softer like she dreads where this conversation is heading to.
“Guns, ammo, anything our clients want.”
She glanced from Uncle Lucas to me. “And who are your clients?”
I narrowed my eyes and tapped my finger on the table, pondering whether this would be a part of our business she didn’t have to know about. Uncle Lucas cleared his throat and gave me a knowing look. I picked up my cup of coffee. “The government, I said simply”
“The government? As in our government, or your government?”
I snorted. “Is your government not the same as ours?”
Lila leaned back in her chair. “But you’re from Italy.”
“We’re Italian, Lila. We speak Italian, but that doesn’t mean we’re Italian citizens.”
“But Nikolai , I remembered he told me you were from Italy. That your parents moved here when you were children.”
When she said my twin brother’s name, I couldn’t stop my annoyance from showing. I slammed my cup down on the table. “Have we not established that everything Nikolai ever told you was a lie?”
“I just assumed...”
“Well, you assumed wrong. My brothers and I were born here and we are American citizens just like you. Now eat your breakfast.”
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. She picked up on what I was doing, that I was dismissing her. I could see the way her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red, and I knew I had annoyed her.
I didn’t care. I hated hearing my brother’s name come out of her mouth. I hated the way it sounded when she said it. It felt like her voice had the power to slice through my chest whenever she uttered his name. Somewhere, somehow, I had managed to grow jealous of a dead man. I envied a man who lay six feet under the ground, probably burning in hell right at this moment. Yet I hated the fact that he had her first. That he had claimed her before I did. Just thinking about another man touching her, kissing her…fucking her.
Jesus Christ, I was going crazy.
I didn’t want to think about the fact that she had a past. That she even had a life before me. It was something I just couldn’t comprehend, because to me it felt like there was nothing but emptiness before her. My life was nothing but a black void until she and those damn crystal blue eyes of hers forced some color into my existence.
I righted myself in my seat. “Make sure our associates are aware of Damon agenda and that we are certain we have everyone’s loyalty. I’d hate to be caught off-guard by traitors.”
“I have that under control but, Nico, I would advise you to have a bigger presence within the family. Without proper leadership, people are bound to start listening to gossip.”
I tossed my knife and fork down on the plate. “You think I don’t know that? You think I’m not aware of everything that could possibly go wrong? Well, I am, Uncle Lucas. I’m very much aware of the risks.” I glanced at Lila. “But I’ll be damned if I let anyone fuck with me or what’s rightfully mine.”
She looked up, and our eyes met. From the way her irises brightened, the way her lips parted ever so slightly, she knew I was talking about her.
She was my risk, my only risk but I won't let her be my down fall.