Page 89 of The Viper's Wife

“You know that’s not the same. He wants to meet you and Valeria, and you should try to smooth things over before you move back to New York.”

I glance over at Nico sharply.

Alessia catches the look and glares at her brother. “You haven’t told her?”

“No, and thank you so much for that,” he says. He turns toward me. “My father has expectations that you and I will move to New York after the wedding.”

The ugly truth rears its head. I set down my wine, swallowing the urge to blame Nico.

“Do we get a say in this?” I ask him.

Is he going to fight for us?

He places his hand over mine on the table. “Do you want to stay in Chicago?”

No, but that doesn’t mean I want to go to New York. How could Nico keep us, or any future children, safe there? He couldn’t even keep himself from going to prison.

He searches my eyes. “We’ll discuss this later.”

I’m conscious of his mom and sister at the table with us as I force a tight smile and nod.

There’s a moment of awkward silence before Claudia speaks up, “You’ll love New York, Valeria. It’s much warmerin the winter, and there’s so much to do. And Alessia has been looking for someone to take to the spa.”

“Yeah,” Alessia says. “We can get our nails done and gossip about Nico.”

A car with loud, thundering music drives past the restaurant.

A masculine voice shouts—in Russian.

CRACK.

Glass explodes over us.

Alessia and Claudia scream and dive for cover.

My world flips upside down as Nico throws me onto the ground and covers my body completely with his. Pain slices into my shoulder.

Gunshots pop. The glass windows shatter. Cries erupt throughout the restaurant.

He shifts above me, reaching for his back pocket—his gun. He lifts his head, aiming the gun with practiced efficiency.

“Let’s go,” Alessia calls out over the screams. She’s on her hands and knees, a gun in her hand as well.

Nico looks down at me, his amber eyes wide with a whirl of emotions.

He used his body as a shield for me,I think distantly.

He drags me into a low crouch, and we follow the crowd of people streaming out of the restaurant. Right as we’re about to shuffle out the front door, I glance back.

All of the windows have been shot in, except for the window over our table.

Then Nico jerks me to his side, and we run for his car.

17

NICO

The Prius rattleslike a tin can as I floor it onto the road.