When The Sun Goes Down - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Forty-Eight

We sat in the halted car outside of my news station. Neither of us spoke for a long time. My swollen eyes and damp cheeks spoke enough words in our silence.

"Kate." He finally tried after nearly a half hour of complete silence.

We had gone at it, yelled and fought and argued and I was pretty sure that Nash was right. Alessio, who had saved me multiple times, who dressed me and held me, he was a villain. And Nash? The man who came to me and struck me, lied, deceived and practically kidnapped me today, he was the hero?

"What about you?" I finally shot back.

"What about me?"

"Where's your protection."

"I'm not worried about myself Kate."

"And when you die who does that leave Ellie with?"

He looked shocked, after a few moments he smiled lightly. "Nothing gets by you, huh? I have no intentions of dying, but should I happen to? Ellie will be well taken care of. That much I am sure of."

I looked out the window again and to the large studio. "I don't know what to do." I admitted.

He put his hand on my leg and patted it reassuringly. "You have my number." He reminded me.

I looked to my lap again. I did have his number. We'd stopped and picked up my belongings. Well, Nash picked them up. I sat in the car covering my face crying while he went into my apartment unaccompanied and brought them back to me.

"I'm sorry Kate." He said just as I angled myself to the door. "I took things too far, I was just trying to get through to you. I'm an ass."

"I know." I agreed. I pushed the door open and stepped into the world again. It looked different now somehow.

"Seriously Kate." He called to me.

I leaned halfway into the car through the open door.

"Call me."

"I...I might." I said finally. He looked disappointed but understanding. I shut the door to his car, put on my best big girl panties, and went to work as if nothing was wrong.

I was surprised when halfway through the show Alessio appeared in the crowd of producers and camera men. I was partially relieved because I was planning on calling him for a ride as it was, but seeing him also made my stomach drop with nerve. I didn't know why he was here. He looked bored as he watched me. He hardly conversed when spoken to.

"What are you doing here?" I asked approaching him after the show.

"Taking you back."

"I didn't get to do any shopping." I admitted.

"I know." He said and the air seemed suddenly tense. "Nothing showed up on my card yet."

Whew.

"I'm sorry. I just got-"

"We'll stop on our way home." He hesitated for a moment. "Alright?"

"Yeah." I said with guilt quickly crashing down on me. Pietro drove and Alessio and I sat in silence in the back. He kept a hand on my thigh as we rode. It was unusual to say the least. I scrolled through my phone, my finger hovering over Nash in my contact, temptation to delete his number plagued me. I left the number undeleted and locked my phone again.

"You seem...conflicted." Alessio said and flipped his hand so it was palm up on my thigh. I laced my fingers through his and forced a smile.

"No. I'm fine."