Page 60 of Havoc

“Yeah, okay, he doesn’t look like a‘nice’guy, but you know what I mean.”

I did. The fact that he brought her and my dogs out here floored me. I wasn’t sure why he’d done it, but it made my heart flutter. They all meant so much to me and just having Sam here made my soul feel lighter than it had in months.

“So…” She gave me a probing look.

“What?”

Sam rolled her eyes as though I should’ve been able to read the question on her face. She wasn’t being subtle, I knew exactly what she was asking.

“Have you guys had sex?”

I grimaced and she hooted with laughter.

“That’s a yes. Does that mean he wasn’t good or…?” She bit her lip. “It’s not possible that he’s bad in bed…right? I mean, look at him,” she sighed.

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Yes, we’ve had sex.”

“I knew it,” she said smugly, then fell silent, waiting.

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t form. I felt that light, airy feeling get crushed underneath the guilt.

She read the look on my face. “Oh, sweetie.” Wrapping her arm around me from the side, she leaned her head on my shoulder. “I can see you feel bad. You shouldn’t.” She raised her head and stared me straight in the eye. “You have a right to be happy.” She pondered her words. “Even if it’s with a guy who kidnaps you.” Her tone said she couldn’t believe she was saying that phrase.

“I know. Paolo gave me some great advice and said Tony likely wouldn’t want me to be alone forever.”

“He wouldn’t,” she agreed.

My stomach roiled and I suddenly wished I hadn’t eaten dinner. “I know that here,” I tapped my head, “but my heart is another matter.”

“Understandable. You’re still grieving, and it’s not like Nico courted you the way the rest of society considers reasonable,” she muttered. “It makes sense that you’re having a hard time with it.”

Relief and appreciation filled me. This woman understood me down to my core. It didn’t seem to matter that my core had changed. She was willing to accept the new me as readily as she had the old. “I love you, Sam.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter 32

Havoc

“Will you hurry up?!” Sam growled at me.

We’d spent the rest of the night talking, and when I woke up this morning I felt refreshed and exponentially better about my situation. “Why?”

“We’re going to see all the sights,” she told me as though she were speaking to an idiot.

I stared into Paolo’s beaming face. Confusion filtered through me. Other than our ride yesterday, Nico hadn’t once let me out of the house.

“Really?”

“Yes, go get ready,” Sam replied, waving me off.

By the time I rushed back down the stairs, Nico and Luca had joined the others.

“You’re going?” I asked Nico in surprise.

“Yes.” He placed a hand on the small of my back and guided me out the door.

I wondered if he was coming along to spend time with us, or to make sure I didn’t run off. I didn’t ask him, though. I crawled into the back seat so that he and Luca could have the front.