Omerta

Chapter 73

        I was with Dominic having lunch down the block from his apartment and mine, where we met in the middle. They make delicious sandwiches here. This might become our frequent hangout spot to eat. I was chewing on a big bite of food, but I could feel my cousin's eyes on me, so I shifted my eyes up to see why.

"Wha-?" my full mouth made the question come out muffled. 

"Can I ask you something?" His eyes are too similar to mine. If I look too deeply into them I feel like I'm looking at myself. I waved for him to go ahead and ask me. He put his sandwich down and wiped his hands.

        "Are you...well, I guess I've noticed something," he beat around the bush. I arched my brow. "Nico's been in a good mood..." he trailed off. "Good for him," I nodded in indifference. False indifference. I'm glad he's in a good mood because I know I have everything to do with it. 

Dominic sucked his teeth and gave me 'the eyes'.

"Are you two hooking up again?" He blurted out this time instead of beating around the bush. I hushed him and gave him 'the eyes' right back. "No," I lied. I guess I could tell my cousin the truth, but then I'd have to explain why I'm not as upset about Mikhail's murder. 

I am still upset. It's a confusing feeling because there were parts I loved, but I felt betrayed when I found out he used my father as a pawn to keep Nick away from me.

        I could tell Dom didn't believe me. He stared for a long time, which made me squirm. "It's okay if you are. I know there were feelings there before you got back with Mikhail. He's gone though...it's okay to move on," he told me. I appreciated it, but this was complicated. 

"How come we always end up talking about me? What have you been up to? Any girls?" I deflected.

Damn him for knowing me well. In his expression I can tell he knew exactly what I was doing and why I was doing it. Because I am hooking up with Nick again. More than just hooking up. He can't know yet though. Not yet. 

I hate waiting.

        Dom humored me and let me change the subject, which I was grateful for. "I'm honestly not in a place where I wanna settle down. I don't have a long wild roster, but I fuck around with a few girls," he lifted one shoulder up in a shrug. "The fast life," I chuckled. Made men. It's how they love to live. 

And yet...somehow I snagged one.

Would Nick ever be unfaithful? It's not something I wanna think about. I don't wanna spoil this before it even begins. I hated myself for the question that surfaced in me. I couldn't help but ask.

        "Nick's, uh, he hasn't been with anyone recently? Has he?" Could I be any more obvious? Dominic had lifted his sandwich again, but I could still see the smirk behind it before he took another bite. The bastard made me wait for an answer. I know he's doing it on purpose because I'm not being truthful with him and he knows it.

"Uh, depends how recent we're talking here," he didn't put me out of my misery. I grit my teeth. I can't be so specific. I can't ask if he's hooked up with anyone since Mikhail died. Christ, that'd be an admittance right there.

Dom chuckled when he saw my sour expression.

"Nah, he hasn't been with anyone while I'm around to see it. Not in quite a while," he eyeballed me. I just nodded like I wasn't relieved to hear it. "Like I said before, he's been in a good mood though. Maybe he is with someone," Dom didn't bother looking at me when he said it. He just stayed looking at his food.

He missed the flat expression I gave him. I shoved more food in my mouth so I wouldn't have to respond to that.

        After all the messing around Dom got a little more serious and nudged my foot with his under the table. "I just want you to be happy. You've endured enough," he told me. I pressed a smile and nodded. It's not like I don't still have nightmares or feel any grief, or guilt, or pain for all the madness that's occurred over the last six months, but it helps to feel all this love and excitement with Nick.