That Damn Night

ENZO

A part of me was telling me Luca was the one behind that message.

What if Sofia was right? Maybe this person knew about my recent hit. Now that I thought about it, it had been months since I’d carried out a hit. 

“Mr. Enzo, will you be attending the celebration party with the rest of the team?” Nora asked.

I wanted to refuse until I remembered I’d be staying with Sofia for a whole damn week. That was the last thing I wanted. I’d only agreed, so Luca wouldn’t get suspicious, if he wasn’t already.

“Yes,” I replied.

“It’s scheduled for tomorrow,” she said.

I nodded.

The car pulled into Luca’s garage and came to a stop.

Sofia was the first to jump out. She seemed angry, probably because I’d told my manager to spend the night there.

I watched her walk toward the front door. Even her damn walk was attractive. I didn’t know if she was rolling her hips on purpose just to rile me up.

I followed behind her, deliberately avoiding looking at her.

This was going to be the longest week of my life.

         Every cupboard I opened was empty, except for the coffee containers inside.

Don’t those two eat?

Sofia walked into the kitchen wearing ridiculously short pants. I watched her open a cupboard before taking out a coffee container.

“There isn’t any food,” I said.

“That’s how it is. If you want to eat, order pizza for you and Nora,” she said before going back to preparing her coffee.

“So you’ve always been ordering food?”

“Hello, my fiancé is a billionaire,” she replied.

I almost scoffed in disbelief.

“He can always get a chef or, better still, stock these empty cupboards with food.”

“Then who would cook?” she asked.

“You can’t cook?” I asked in disbelief.

“I can’t.” She shrugged. “So what? I know you’re about to tell me what I need to learn because I’ll soon be married, and my husband shouldn’t have to order food all the time.”

She rolled her eyes.

I stared at her. “I wasn’t going to say that.”

She paused for a brief second.

“Oh,” she mouthed.

“You sound shocked.”

“Well… Luca and my father have been saying that. I thought you wouldn’t be any different from them,” she murmured.

“Nora and I will go grab some stuff from the supermarket,” I said, making my way out.

“Can’t she go herself?” she asked.

I stopped in my tracks and turned toward her.

“She’s my manager, not my maid,” I told her.

She rolled her eyes.

“You’re a celebrity. You can’t just stroll into a supermarket.”

I chuckled. “Well, I can.”

Then I walked out.

         “Enzo…”

“Mr. or sir,” I cut Nora off.

I focused my attention on the road. I didn’t want to look at her and see the hurt in her face.

“I’m currently not working, so I can address you by your name,” she replied.

“I’m still your boss,” I replied, my jaw clenching. That night with her was a damn mistake.

“Bosses don’t sleep with their workers,” she snapped.

“I’m over that night, Nora. You should be too.” I glanced at her. “That was a one-night thing.”

“That was the best night of my life, Enzo.”

“It meant nothing to me,” I replied calmly.

“Please, Enzo. Just one last time,” she whispered, placing a hand on my arm. I was tense.

“I hate mixing business with pleasure. I've already done it once, and I’m not doing it again,” I replied.

“Even though we fucked, I’ve never acted like we did, have I?” she asked.

I drove into Luca’s garage and put the car to a stop.

“Give me a helping hand with the groceries instead,” I replied, ignoring her initial question.

I wasn’t in the mood for this. She nodded without saying anything more, and I was grateful.

Together, we carried everything inside and into the kitchen.

She dropped everything on the kitchen counter.

“I should help put these in the fridge,” she said with a small smile.

“Don’t worry,” I told her.

Her smile dropped, but she didn’t argue. She walked out of the kitchen instead.

I sighed in relief.

“She likes you,” came Sofia’s voice.

She was standing by the door frame.

“What do you want?” I asked, busying myself with arranging the groceries.

“I came to watch my fiancé’s cousin cook,” she said while biting her lips.

Lord! I could swear I felt blood rush to my dick.

“Don’t worry. I’d like to be alone,” I replied.

“This is practically my husband’s house, in case you don’t know,” she replied while walking further inside. She sat on the stool at the counter.

“And this is my cousin’s house. My blood,” I replied.

She scoffed. “A man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill you if he finds out about our little secret. That’s not blood ties.”

I was the one scoffing now.

“Do you think he would kill me?” I rolled my eyes. “He could put a bullet in my leg, but he wouldn’t kill me. Unlike you. He would kill you without hesitation.”

Her expression changed.

“How encouraging! Now I want to speed up the wedding,” she snapped.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured.

She didn’t reply.

“He had taken a bullet for me once,” I said after a moment of silence.

“Huh? Selfish Luca took a bullet for you?” she asked.

I chuckled. “He’s not selfish with the people he cares about,” I replied.

“Take, for instance, he loves me, and then he finds out about us. Wouldn’t he be the one pointing a gun at your head?”

I was quiet for a moment.

“Then I thank God he doesn’t love you.”

Her eyes widened.

“You’re such an asshole, just like Luca,” she said, glaring at me.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t,” I replied.

“Do you know who sent that message yet and what it meant?” she asked.

“I don’t. And it’s not about me being a sniper. Otherwise, they would’ve sent a follow-up message. It’s about us.”

I paused. “But I suspect Luca. He must’ve found out and just doesn’t give a fuck.”

“Can’t be. There are no cameras in the house. He would have killed me if he really found out, like you said,” she replied.

“It’s someone who has been around us since that day. Who could that be?” She spoke again.

She was smart. There really were no cameras in Luca’s house since that incident with the cops.

I was deep in thought when Sofia and I both looked at each other in realization.

“Nora.”