Chapter 170

To my shock, Nico doesn’t say a word as his eyes lock on mine and Frankie’s hands, still joined together. Instead, he just rolls his eyes and continues into the room, heading for the fridge.

As he walks, Frankie quietly drops my hand, laying his flat on the countertop instead and leaning back against it. “It’s a little early for a suit, isn’t it, Nic?”

Nico just raises an eyebrow at Frankie in the clothes probably slept in as he lays a hand on the fridge’s handle. “A little presumptuous to sit on the boss’s countertop in your sweat clothes, isn’t it, Frank?” Frankie just laughs as Nico pulls the fridge open and peers inside. “Is there any coffee left, Iris?”

“Plenty!” I say, eager to do something and move away from any conversation about what the hell Frankie was doing holding my hand in the dark light of dawn. I move swiftly to the cabinet, taking down a mug and pouring Nico a cup as he moves to my side.

Nico murmurs his thanks before turning to Frankie. “Can you go get changed? We have shit to do. The brothers are showing up earlier than expected this morning.”

“How do you know that?” Frankie asks, frowning at Nico as he hops down from the counter.

“I checked my phone, you ass,” Nico bites out, harsh.

Frankie just laughs and grabs his coffee, waving to us both over his shoulder as he heads for the stairs, clearly intending to get changed as Nico suggests.

“Get Chris up on your way!” Nico calls after Frankie as the latter jogs up the stairs, his coffee in hand. Then Nico turns to me, looking me up and down. “Do you seriously have no idea how to present yourself?”

I look down at myself – at Christian’s robe and the t-shirt barely visible beneath. “What? It’s morning.”

“Anyone could walk in, Iris!”

“So!?” I snap, lifting my gaze to glare at him. “This is my house, isn’t it? Can’t I be in my pajamas?”

“One,” Nico says, raising a single eyebrow at me even as he smirks, I think less pissed and more entertained than he’s letting on. “Those are Christian’s clothes.”

“Oh, whatever, mine aren’t here,” I say, waving a hand to dismiss the point.

“And two,” Nico says, snapping his fingers in front of my face and drawing my attention immediately to him. “You’re a donna now, Iris. It matters how you present yourself in your home.”

“Okay, Nico,” I say, exasperated, nodding exaggeratedly to let him know that I get his point. “But what the hell do you want me to do? My clothes are at the penthouse and the beach.”

“I’ll send someone to get them,” Nico murmurs, looking over towards the door as if he’s already planning his next steps. “In the meantime, ask Giana if you can borrow something. Christian’s brothers are going to be here soon and we need you presentable fast.”

My heart sinks at this news because Christian kind of implied that I wouldn’t have to see them.

Nico turns his gaze back to me. “Don’t overthink it,” he says with a sigh, surprising me by reaching out and patting me on the shoulder. “Just…put on something nice, in case you’re seen.”

“Why are you being nice to me?” I blurt out, still a bit shocked.

Nico smirks as he starts towards the door. “Christian said I have to go easy on you for a few days, since you’re a delicate little daisy,” he calls over his shoulder, laughing a little.

I scowl a bit at this, wishing Nico would just do something nice for his own sake for once.

“Plus,” Nico says, turning towards me at the last minute and sketching out a little bow. “You’re my donna now too, Iris. It’s my job to take care of your image. Make sure you aren’t caught skulking around in a robe holding the hitman’s hand.”

My jaw drops open a bit at the blatant way he says this, which just makes Nico laugh more.

“Go borrow some clothes!” he calls, pushing through the door and waving to me.

I scowl, turning to pour Giana a cup of coffee and get started up the stairs to do as I am told.

When I carry the coffee up the back steps, giving Joey a nod as I go, I blink in surprise when I hear a great deal of noise down the hall – because honestly, it’s still quite early. I follow the sound and arrive at Giana’s suite, blinking in shock at the chaos I see inside.

There is stuff…everywhere. Even worse than last night – clothes in piles, drawers opened with their contents scattered, the bed stripped of its linens with toys and possessions piled on top.

And in the middle of it all, Giana stands with a crying baby in her arm, in a shouting match with her son as Bella sits sobbing at her feet.

“For the last god damn time, Ricky!” Giana shouts, leaning down to glare hard at her son. “I do not give a crap if the latest game has dropped! We can’t afford to buy it! We’re poor now, we –“

Suddenly her head snaps up towards the door, even though I’m not aware that I made a sound, and her mouth curves into a shocked little “o” as she sees me standing there.

I grimace and raise the mug towards her, an offering and an apology.

Giana stands up straight as Ricky collapses to the floor at her feet in a temper tantrum that is the mirror of his sister’s. “Is that coffee?”

“It is,” I answer, pitching my voice louder so she can hear me.

Giana storms towards me, ignoring her two eldest children to snatch the mug out of my hand. “I hate you in general, but in this moment you’re my favorite person on earth,” she murmurs, raising the coffee to her mouth and taking a long series of gulps.

My eyes go wide as she does because – I mean, it’s hot.

But apparently Giana’s tolerance for heat matches her fiery personality.

Giana sighs in pleasure when she lowers the mug, pressing it to her chest and closing her eyes for a half second of peace before she opens them again and flicks them quickly over me. “What the hell are you wearing?”

I burst out laughing, which earns me half a smile.

“Come on, let’s make a trade,” I say, reaching for the crying baby. “I’ll feed your kids if you loan me something to wear today. Nico’s pissed that I don’t have anything that doesn’t belong to Christian.”

A little begrudgingly, Giana’s smile increases. “It’s a deal.” She passes Caterina into my arms and snaps her fingers at the children, telling them to get up off their butts so that I can make them pancakes.

Their tears disappear by magic as Ricky and Bella get to their feet, dashing for the door and down the stairs.

“Keep them away for more than fifteen minutes,” Giana murmurs, turning away from me and holding the coffee cup up where I can see it. “And bring me more of this when you come back!”

I grin, nodding in agreement though she can’t see it, and head down the stairs after the children.