Page 24 of Sacred Sin

Her long hair was dry and hung loose in silky waves down her back. Her expression was a one-eighty from when I’d slammed the door on her earlier. Her practice session had revived not only her body, but her spirit as well.

I was contemplating kissing the smirk off her face and sending her back to the bedroom to put on more clothing when the elevator pinged with the arrival of dinner. I moved to grab the bags of takeout from my guy, but instead of Alfonse, my youngest brother, Vincenzo, stepped out, holding the takeout bags in his hands.

“What are you doing here?” I blurted, completely surprised to see him.

He smirked. “I’m here to see the fair Nicolette of course.” He pressed the bags into my hands and caught my Niki when she came barreling from the dining room and leapt into his arms.

I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at both the welcome he gave her, and her enthusiastic response. If things were different, I’d be the one holding her right now. I pushed that thought away, and suppressed the desire tenting my pants.

“Vincenzo. Oh my god, look at you. So grown up.”

He laughed and kissed her on the cheek before lowering her to her feet. I stood there with steam practically coming out of my ears. How dare they look so comfortable with each other while I was a bundle of nerves; a pile of anger with a heap of desire inside chafing me raw. ‘Traitor’ I tried to impart with my eyes as I glared at my younger brother.

“You were just a kid when I last saw you, and now you’re a tall handsome man. I always knew you’d turn out gorgeous.” She winked at him, and my heart rate spiked.

“If you two are done fawning over each other, it’s time to eat.” I jostled the bags in my arms impatiently.

“Oh no. Don’t go!” Nicolette pouted at my brother. “I want to catch up.”

I was ready to tear Vinnie to pieces if he didn’t stop eyeballing my woman. My Niki.

“Mama wants you to come to the house on Sunday for dinner.”

Son of a—

“I’d love to! See you then,” Niki replied with way too much enthusiasm.

Vinnie took in my murderous expression and smirked even more. Bastardo! He was purposely egging me on and about a breath away from eating that smirk he wore.

He hugged her one more time, keeping his eyes on me and was almost laughing when he pulled back and got in the elevator.

“See you Sunday, Nicolette. Oh, and I guess you and Marko will be coming too, brother?” His wide, innocent eyes burrowed inside my wound and deepened the hole that used to be my heart.

“You can count on it.” I gritted the words between my teeth just as the door slid closed. I’d always kept my head and considered myself the cool one in the group of Vitale men as nothing could get me riled up, at least not on the outside. My little shit of a brother must have enjoyed watching me struggle to keep it together.

Vinnie had a habit of thinking he was an angel—perfectly innocent—and played that card whenever it suited him. Being the baby in our family, it always worked, even with me. But that was coming to an end. Sometime soon, he’d receive his comeuppance.

I stalked to the dining room and took the food out of the bags. Nicolette had taken her seat and was gazing at me politely, like nothing had happened. Like she hadn’t been fawning all over my baby brother just now.

I didn’t dare let her see how much their little reunion pissed me off and kept my attention on getting the food sorted.

I placed half of Nicolette’s meal on her plate, wishing to give her double to make up for her being skin and bones, but knowing she’d fight with me if I did.

After a few bites, she pulled her old habit and pushed the plate away. “Thank you, that was delicious.”

“You’re not finished, Niki. Eat the food.”

“Or what?” She lifted her chin, her eyes bright with challenge. Did she not remember I was in charge?

“Or I’ll force-feed you.” I didn’t hide the threat in my tone, and when she didn’t comply, I lifted her from the chair and placed her on my lap, banding one arm around her ribs and placing one leg over hers. I shoveled some food on my fork and held it to her lips. “Open!”

“No!”

“Nicolette,” I growled, “you’re pushing me. I said open, now do what you’re told.”

“You can’t boss me anymore, Giovanni.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart.”