“Nicole, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“Rico’s dead,” she said, interrupting me. “I saw the newspaper when dad came to the safe house. You would’ve been so proud of me Adrianna. I called him out on his shit and of course he didn’t admit to anything but he didn’t deny it either. I know he did it but he had no choice. I overheard Rico talking with a guy I had never seen before and some girl I saw a few times in random clubs. He was plotting something this whole time.”
I couldn’t speak, my words lost somewhere between my mind and my lips. Nikki knew that Rico had been killed, but she thought my dad was behind it. He let her believe that he had shot her boyfriend. I couldn’t process the revelation before she slammed me with another one.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“He was using me to get to dad. It was all a fucking lie, the whole relationship. I guess the joke is on me and to think I had felt guilty because of my feelings for Mikey.”
“Are you saying Rico was responsible for what happened that night?” I hadn’t given much thought to Rico’s involvement in the shooting. After, seeing him holding a gun to Anthony everything else sort of faded away. It didn’t matter why he was aiming his gun at the man I loved, all that mattered was that he didn’t get a chance to use it. I hadn’t pondered what his involvement was or even cared.
“Well, he didn’t order the whole thing, but he was working with whoever did. I feel like the biggest fool to ever walk the face of the earth.”
“Don’t you dare,” I said, my voice rising an octave higher. “He put on a good show, he fooled everyone not just you.”
“I was the closest to him though. I should’ve realized,” she said, sounding defeated. “It’s strange, I have so much hate for him, but I still can’t believe he’s dead. I think it’s because I haven’t had a chance to process him as my enemy and not some guy I was in a relationship with for a year,” she declared, pausing for a moment. “I slept with Mikey,” she whispered, then laughed. “I guess I’m not that broken up by it huh?”
“You’ve had feelings for Mike for a long time now, long before Rico and all this shit.”
“I know but I keep telling myself there is something wrong with me. I mean my boyfriend or whatever the hell you want to call him was shot and killed, let’s not even get into dad being the one responsible, but the fact that Rico is dead, it should make me feel some kind of way and it doesn’t. I don’t even think about it and that’s because of Mikey but I’m not sorry for it either.” She remained quiet for a beat. “I think I’m falling in love with him, A. I’ve been in love with him since I was ten years old.”
I smiled slightly. “It’s nice to hear you say it.”
“Yeah, you should probably try it sometime,” she added in a snarky tone and I laughed. “I know what you’re going to say so I’ll spare you the trouble and me the agony of hearing you say ‘It’s complicated.’
“Actually, I’m starting to think it doesn’t have to be complicated anymore,” I said as I stood in the doorway of the other bedroom, watching Anthony lay in bed with Luca tucked against his side. “I love him and I don’t want to live without him anymore.”
“Then don’t,” she said simply. “Life is short A, too short not to grab it by the balls and take it for all it’s worth.”
“Listen to you,” I said with a smile. I decided not to tell Nikki that I was the one responsible for Rico’ death. I would, but when the time was right, when I could look her in the eye and say the words.
“I’m glad you called. I’ve been worried about you guys,” she admitted. “How’s my nephew?”
I wanted to tell her how we took him to the falls yesterday and how much Luca loved every minute. I wasn’t sure, if he cared much about the waterfalls or if he was just so happy to be around Anthony. It was one of the best days of his life, which made it easily the best day of mine. In the end, I didn’t know whether it was safe to disclose where I was so I didn’t say anything about our little family excursion.
“He’s fine. He’s having a blast with Anthony. Every morning he teaches him how to box after they have breakfast. Luca doesn’t get it, he’s still too young, but Anthony thinks if he starts him young he’ll be the next Muhamed Ali.”
“Aww. I miss my little monkey. Will you give him a kiss for me and tell him his Aunt Nikki loves him?”
“Of course,” I promised. “Nikki? Be careful okay? Just lie low and listen to Mikey until this whole thing is over.”
“You do the same,” she said. “And when I see you I’m not settling for vague bullshit answers about you and Anthony. No, this time I want all the dirty details.”
“Goodbye Nicole,” I laughed.